Chinese-Style Borscht (Shanghai Luo Song Tang)

Instructions

1. 1Bring 1.5 L (6 cups) water to a boil, add beef chuck, and blanch for 2 minutes. Skim the grey foam, then lift the beef out and rinse the pot.

   牛肉先焯去沫

   🔍 Look for High heat 2 分钟 · 2 minutes

   Visual: 表面浮起灰褐色浮沫，水变浑浊Grey-brown scum collects on the surface and the water turns cloudy

   You know it's right when: 浮沫不再涌起，牛肉表面由粉转灰Foam stops rising and the beef surface turns from pink to grey

2. 2Melt butter in the clean pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, and cook 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and smells sweet.

   洋葱炒软出甜

   🔍 Look for Medium heat 5 分钟 · 5 minutes

   Visual: 洋葱边缘呈半透明，胡萝卜颜色变深Onion edges look glassy, carrot brightens to a deeper orange

   You know it's right when: 闻蒸汽时已无生洋葱辛辣味No more raw onion bite when you smell the steam

3. 3Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes until it darkens to brick red and coats the vegetables. Add chopped tomatoes and cook another 4 minutes until they collapse into a sauce.

   番茄膏炒出红油

   🔍 Look for Medium heat 共 6 分钟 · 6 minutes total

   Visual: 番茄膏变深，锅边析出红色油分Paste darkens and releases red-tinted oil at the pot edges

   You know it's right when: 勺底划过锅底留下清晰痕迹，回流缓慢Spoon dragged through the base leaves a clean trail that fills in slowly

4. 4Return beef to the pot with 1.2 L (5 cups) hot water. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium-low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes.

   小火慢炖45分钟

   🔍 Look for Medium-low 45 分钟 · 45 minutes

   Visual: 表面冒细小缓泡，汤色红亮清透Surface holds small lazy bubbles, broth is reddish and clear

   You know it's right when: 叉子插入牛肉块毫无阻力A fork slides into a beef cube with no resistance

5. 5Add potato and cabbage, and simmer uncovered 15 minutes more, until potato edges soften and cabbage turns tender but not mushy.

   土豆白菜后放

   🔍 Look for Medium-low 15 分钟 · 15 minutes

   Visual: 土豆棱角变圆，圆白菜由不透明白转为微透明Potato corners round off, cabbage leaves go from opaque white to slightly translucent

   You know it's right when: 勺子轻压土豆即陷，但仍保持块状Potato yields to a spoon with gentle pressure but keeps its shape

6. 6Season with white pepper and salt to taste. Ladle into bowls — thick, brick-red, with a slick of red oil on top.

   白胡椒提味

   🔍 Look for Low heat 1 分钟 · 1 minute

   Visual: 汤汁能挂住勺背，表面漂着细小红油珠Soup coats the back of a spoon and small red oil droplets float on top

   You know it's right when: 口感酸甜、尾韵带胡椒暖意，无生番茄的尖锐酸味Taste is sweet-tart with a warm pepper finish, no raw tomato sourness