Hong Kong Borscht Soup | Recipe
Love this soup from my head to-ma-toes
fuh real.
This post is in sponsorship with Campbell's®
Hong Kong Style Borscht is a rich, hearty stew with slow-simmered vegetables & beef for soft, tender ingredients in every bite that make it well worth the wait! This soup is commonly found at Hong Kong cha chan tangs (cafes), as one of the two Western soups offered. Hong Kong cuisine, particularly the cafe food has so much international influence due to the history of the island. This borscht soup comes from Eastern European cuisine, which gained popularity in Shanghai around the 1930s from Russian migration to the city. After World War II, many Shanghainese moved to Hong Kong and brought this soup with them, but it differed from its Eastern European origins. It was adapted to ingredients available & cultural taste preferences; becoming Hong Kong borscht with a tomato base instead of traditional beetroot & without sour cream.
We used Campbell's® Tomato Soup, which has always been a pantry staple in our household to add rich tomato flavor into our soup stock. We always have a couple of cans on hand, because you never know when they'll come in handy! Made with farm-fresh tomatoes and an easy way to whip up a delicious dinner on busy days, so it's always clutch to have them in your cupboard! We used beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, cabbage and some fresh tomatoes for texture, but you can add in whatever vegetables you like for your soup. This is really a recipe you can make your own and use the vegetables you have on hand. Once everything's in the pot, you just let it slow-simmer checking on it occasionally until it's ready and you've got dinner for the whole week (with ingredients in it to satisfy everyone!)
Ingredients
2 lbs beef for stewing
Beef bones (Either 1 femur, or some chopped up rib bones with some meat on them)
1/2 large white onion, chopped
5-6 mushrooms, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cabbage, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 medium russet potatoes, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
Salt
Sesame oil
White pepper powder (optional)
Directions
1. Fill your cooking pot halfway up (pot should be enough to fit at least 1 gallon of water) Once boiling, add the bones and let boil for 15 minutes.
Some foamy scum will rise to the top of the broth. Scoop off the scum into a bowl and toss it down the sink
Add a drizzle of sesame oil
Grab the onion, garlic and beef and toss it all in. Let boil for 90 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add in 2 cans of Campbell's® Tomato Soup & check every 15 minutes on the stock. If the water gets low (meat and bones peaking above the broth) add 1-2 more cups of water.
Next, cut the celery and carrots into inch long pieces and add them to the mix. Boil for more 45 mins, stir occasionally.
Cut the potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes into medium chunks and throw them in. Boil for 30 mins, stir occasionally.
Turn off the fire.
Add in salt and white pepper powder to taste; stir and then serve.
You can refrigerate or freeze any leftovers for later!