2-3 lbs. lean chuck roast
1 lg. onion
2 carrots
4 potatoes
1 lg. or 3 sm. bay leaves
1 bunch fresh red beets
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 head cabbage
2 sm. cans Del Monte tomato sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Cut meat into chunks (not too small). Put into pot filled with 22 cups cold water. Heat at high to medium heat for 30 minutes. Then skim top of water. Continue cooking at a simmer for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove meat from broth and set aside. Strain broth and set aside. Chop carrots and onion into small pieces. Put into pot to saute with about 1/2 cup broth. After carrots begin to soften, add meat. Then add potatoes that have been cut into medium size pieces. Add 1 cup broth and bay leaf. After potatoes are a little soft, add cabbage that has been chopped finely (like for a cole slaw). Add one can of tomato sauce, salt, pepper. Add remaining broth. Add 3/4 bunch of chopped cilantro. Skin all the beets. Put one beet whole into pot. All remaining beets are to be grated and then put into pot. Continue to simmer for 1 1/2 hours. After it has simmered approximately 1 hour add 1 can of tomato sauce.

Best served with rye bread. Some Russian people also like to add plain yogurt to their bowl of soup before eating.