2 beetroot
2 potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 stock cube (beef or veg)
1 ltr boiling water
2 tbsp vinegar

Peel and grate the beetroot, potatoes and carrots.  Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.

In a large soup pan, gently fry the onion and garlic in the oil until glassy, then add the remaining veg and stir for a couple of minutes.  Add the stock, boiling water, vinegar and caraway, bring to a simmer.

Make sure the stock covers all the veg by about 1cm.  If not, add a little more water and leave to boil for an hour, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste.

Serve in bowls with a big dollop of sour cream, smetana or greek yoghurt spooned in at the last minute, and hunks of crusty bread.

This is a beautifully coloured, sweet and sour winter warmer.  It is very filling and has a deep, earthy flavour and reheats well.

You can add a quarter of finely shredded cabbage when you add the other veg, should you have it, but do check the seasoning carefully as you may need a little more stock.