Cold Borscht with Beans

Wash the beetroots thoroughly, place into a pot, cover with cold water, add white vinegar and boil for 1-1 ½ hours. When the beetroot is done, take it out, cool and cut into strips.
In a large bowl cover the beans with water and leave them soaking for 8 hours. Do not discard the water and use it to boil the beans on low for 30 minutes. Add salt when beans are almost done. Strain the beans.
Peel potatoes and boil them for 30 minutes in salted water. After they are done, take potatoes out, cool and cut into cubes.
Separate green cabbage into leaves and boil them whole in salted water for 20 minutes. Take the leaves out, cool and cut into fine strips.
Boil eggs for 10 minutes and peel. Cut eggs into halves and separate the yolk from the white. Cut the egg whites into fine cubes.
Chop dill and green onion nicely.
Mix egg yolks with sugar thoroughly in a separate bowl.
Pour rey bread kwas into a pot, add prepared and cut vegetables, beans, egg whites, dill and green onion. Add sour cream and yolk mixture, salt and mix well. Cool down and serve.

You will need:

For borscht:

• Rye bread kwas – 5 cups
• Beetroot – 10 oz
• Fresh green cabbage – 10 oz
• 2-3 medium potatoes
• Beans – 3 tablespoons
• Chopped green onions
• 2 eggs
• Sugar – 2 teaspoons
• White vinegar – 2 teaspoons
• Sour cream
• Chopped dill
• Salt – to taste

Making rye bread kwas (brew):

Cut a day old rye bread into pieces and dry in the oven until it develops a little darker color.
Place the bread into a deep pot, cover with boiling water and leave to sit for 5 hours. Add sugar and yeast to the mixture and leave in a warm dark place for 3 hours. Transfer into glass bottles or jars and leave in a warm place for 2-3 days. Strain and cool.

You will need:

• Rye bread – 5 oz

• Dry yeast – contents of 1 bag – ¼ oz

• Water – 12 cups

• Sugar – to taste  

Options:

You can substitute dry beans with canned beans. In this case use 6 tablespoons with no liquid.
 
This borscht is also known as: Kostroma cold borscht; Kostroma cold borscht with beans; Cold borscht with egg yolks