Chinese Borscht (Two Versions: Shanghai Style & Traditional Harbin Style)
ID: a4ec7618...
This recipe demonstrates how to make two distinct Chinese adaptations of Eastern European Borscht: the tomato-heavy, sweet-and-tangy Shanghai/Hong Kong style, and the traditional, earthy beetroot-based Harbin style. Both versions build on a rich beef and vegetable foundation but diverge significantly in color, texture, and seasoning.
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🍳 Cooking Flow
Prep all ingredients, cutting oxtail at joints and keeping vegetables chunky. → Sear oxtail and brisket until browned, then saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the beef fat. → Divide ingredients: simmer the brisket with tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and beef stock for the Shanghai version; pressure cook the oxtail with beetroot and stock for the Harbin version. → Add cubed potatoes and large cabbage chunks to both pots during the final 30 minutes of cooking. → Season the Shanghai style with Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce; season the Harbin style with vinegar, and garnish with dill and yogurt before serving.
Cooking Steps
Brief Cooking Order
Prep all ingredients, cutting oxtail at joints and keeping vegetables chunky. → Sear oxtail and brisket until browned, then saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the beef fat. → Divide ingredients: simmer the brisket with tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and beef stock for the Shanghai version; pressure cook the oxtail with beetroot and stock for the Harbin version. → Add cubed potatoes and large cabbage chunks to both pots during the final 30 minutes of cooking. → Season the Shanghai style with Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce; season the Harbin style with vinegar, and garnish with dill and yogurt before serving.
Introduction
This recipe demonstrates how to make two distinct Chinese adaptations of Eastern European Borscht: the tomato-heavy, sweet-and-tangy Shanghai/Hong Kong style, and the traditional, earthy beetroot-based Harbin style. Both versions build on a rich beef and vegetable foundation but diverge significantly in color, texture, and seasoning.
Step 1
Prepare the beef: Slice the oxtail into segments by cutting through the joint spaces. Cube the beef brisket into medium-sized pieces.
Step 2
Prepare the aromatics: Dice the onions, slice the carrots into chunky 1cm pieces, chop the Chinese celery, and slice the garlic cloves.
Step 3
Sear the beef: Place oxtail and brisket pieces on a very hot flat top grill or heavy pan. Season with salt and pepper, and sear heavily until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
Step 4
Prepare the root vegetables: Cut the potatoes into chunky cubes. Dice the beetroots and set them aside separately.
Step 5
Saute the vegetables: Cook the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the rendered beef fat on the grill until softened. Divide the cooked vegetable mixture into two equal portions.
Ingredients List
Important Notes
When cutting oxtail, probe with the knife to slice through the soft cartilage joints rather than trying to cut directly through the hard bone, which will ruin your knife blade.
The vegetables are cut into thick chunks (about 1 cm) because they are meant to be eaten as distinct ingredients in the soup, not just to flavor the broth.
Traditional Shanghai-style borscht relies heavily on Shanghainese Worcestershire sauce (辣醬油) to achieve its signature tangy flavor rather than using ketchup.
Adding beetroots in two stages for the Harbin version ensures you get both a vibrant pink color from the first batch and a pleasant bite from the second batch.
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