3 unexpected recipes for OKROSHKA from a Russian chef 

The debate over “which okroshka is the right one” heats up every summer. Usually, half of respondents are in favor of kvass, 20% for kefir or other fermented dairy products, some do not care, while there are always those who do not eat okroshka “with any sauce”. 

Russian chef Andrey Kolodyazhny from the Moscow restaurant ‘L.E.S.’ shared his original recipes for okroshka with us, which everyone should try. Who knows, maybe your favorite will be okroshka with… kombucha?! 

1. Okroshka on fly agaric kvass with tongue 

Ingredients per serving: 

• Kvass (sugar-free) - 250 ml
• Fly agarics powder* - 3 g (You can replace it with champignon mushroom powder)
• Radish - 20 g
• Potatoes - 20 g
• Cucumbers - 20 g
• Quail eggs - 2
• Pickled saffron-milk caps - 30 g (You can use other mushrooms, for example, champignons or morels)
• Greens - 3 g
• Green oil - 3 ml
• Veal tongue - 50 g

Preparation: 

1. Mix the kvass with fly agarics powder. 
2. Boil the veal tongue until tender - about 1.5 - 2 hours. Then cool it in cold water for 2 minutes and peel. 
3. Boil, peel and dice the potatoes. Cut the cucumbers and radish into thin slices. 
4. Cut the mushrooms into segments. 
5. Boil the quail eggs. 
6. Assemble the vegetables and tongue in a bowl, pour kvass with fly agaric mushrooms. 
7. Peel and cut the quail eggs in half. 
8. Drizzle the okroshka with the “green” oil (vegetable oil with chopped greens) and decorate with quail eggs, flowers and microgreens. 

*Use only purchased fly agarics powder, tested in the laboratory and certified. Strictly follow the dosage. The product is prohibited for those who suffer from mental disorders, for pregnant women or lactating mothers. 

2. Okroshka with crab meat, cucumbers and microgreens

Ingredients per serving: 

• Tan - 250 ml
• Crab phalanges - 50 g
• Radish - 20 g
• Potatoes - 20g
• Cucumbers - 20 g
• Quail egg - 2
• Greens - 3 g
• Olive oil - 5 ml 

Preparation: 

1. Boil and peel the potatoes. 
2. Cut the boiled potatoes, cucumbers and radishes into slices. 
3. Assemble the vegetables into a bowl, add the crab phalanges. 
4. Pour the chopped ingredients in the tan (sour-milk product). You can use kefir or unsweetened drinkable yogurt in place of tan. 
5. Boil the quail eggs, peel and cut them in half. 
6. Drizzle the okroshka with olive oil, garnish with flowers, microgreens (e.g. pea shoots) and quail eggs. 

3. Vegan kombucha okroshka

Ingredients per serving:

• Radish - 20 g
• Potatoes - 20 g
• Cucumbers - 20 g
• Asparagus - 20 g
• Rhubarb - 10 g
• Pickled saffron-milk caps - 15 g (Or other mushrooms, such as champignons or morels.)
• Cherry tomatoes - 15 g
• Kombucha - 250 ml
• Grain mustard - 1 tbsp
• Honey - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp 

Preparation: 

1. Dice all the vegetables, cut the asparagus and rhubarb into thin slices. 
2. Bake the potatoes. 
3. Cut the mushrooms into segments. 
4. Blanch and peel the cherry tomatoes. 
5. Mix the kombucha with the grain mustard, honey and lemon juice. 
6. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and pour the kombucha over it when serving.

READ MORE: How to make Soviet-style okroshka with kefir (RECIPE)