Fidonet's International Kitchen

• Japanese Dashi
• Russian Borsjtj

Japanese Dashi

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     Title: Dashi
Categories: Xxcarol, Soups
     Yield: 4 Servings

     1 sm Kombu piece (seaweed/kelp)
     2 c  Water
     1 c  Katsuo bushi (dried bonito)

The kombu piece will be about 4-5 inches square.

Place on heat, remove kombu when it comes to a boil and add Katsuo Bushi. Once flakes sink, pour through strainer and discard flakes (or save for second soup use!). Can be made without Katsuo Bushi, with Shiitake mushrooms in it's place for a less salty and vegetarian type but it needs a good 2 hours gentle boil to taste right.

Optional additions galore! Top picks are little chunks of Tofu, green onions, mushroom bits, shrimp, and shredded cabbage.

From the kitchen of: xxcarol

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Russian Borsjtj
By Björn Felten

There's probably as many recipes on this classic Russian dish as there are grandmothers in Russia. If any of the Russian readers has a better variant, please send it in!

 6     common beet roots
 1     carrot
 1     clove of white cabbage
 2     onions
30 g   butter (two table spoons)
 1 l   meat stock  (1/4 gallon)
 1     bay leaf
15 ml  vinegar (one table spoon)
       salt & pepper to your liking

1. Peel beet roots, carrot and onions and chop all vegetables, except one beet root, finely.
2. Fry the chopped vegetables in the butter in a big pot for a couple of minutes. Add the stock, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
3. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
4. With 5 minutes left, shred the remaining beet root into the soup to give it a nice, red colour.
5. Finally add the vinegar.

Serve with a big spoonful of creme fraiche or sour creme.