People say that the need for invention is cunning, but sometimes some kind of innovation enters people's lives for a long time and becomes their genetic memory. This happened with one of the most favorite summer dishes in Russia. The history, origin of okroshka is rooted in the distant past. Now many are accustomed to cooking it the same way, using the same products. While in the distant past they knew a huge number of recipes. The composition of the okroshka depended on what was grown in a particular region, and what foods were plentiful to make a hearty and thick dish.
Presumably the first recipes of okroshka are more than a thousand years old. Its special ingredient is kvass, and it is mentioned in written sources of 989. Initially, only onions and black radish were included in a simple dish. The crushed products were poured with kvass and flavored with sour cream. This prototype okroshka was vaguely similar to a modern recipe.
It is believed that the dish originates from the Volga, on which the haulers walked and dragged huge loaded barges. For this hellish labor they received kvass and dried roach. The fish was dry and very salty, so people began to soak it. Then, vegetables found in the day began to be added to kvass. So there was a recipe for fish okroshka.
In the regions where they were engaged in agriculture, three types of different meat were used. A feature of the dish is that it was not specially prepared for its preparation. In a large container they cut vegetables grown by their own hands, added meat, kvass and sour cream, flavored with aromatic herbs and salt.
In the X century, when, according to the instructions of Ivan the Terrible, the baptism of Rus was held, it was ordered that the people be treated with kvass and honey, as well as bread and onions. Many believe that from that time the okroshka originates. The exact time of its appearance is unknown, but there were a lot of similar dishes. Until the 19th century, okroshka was attributed to appetizers, and not to soups.
