With the heat wave in Europe, I’ve been struggling to stay cool. Eating a lot of salad and not using the stove during the day is one solution.
Adapting recipes so they involve no cooking is another. So, I transformed a favorite Polish soup of mine, chłodnik, but leaving out the beets. I’ve had this take in a few different restaurants (like Powoli in Wroclaw) and at a friend’s house. While I couldn’t find an exact recipe online, I just left the beets and stems out.
This soup is good for a hot day because it’s filling without being overly heavy. Just shredded radish, cucumber, dill and chives— with a rich base of kefir and plain yogurt. I’ve also added white beans, cilantro and rice noodles, with tasty results.
To make this vegan: use unsweetened dairy-free yogurt and milk. The best one I’ve found in the US is Almond Dream, which makes an unsweetened almond yogurt that has a lovely tangy flavor.
In Poland, I recommend these ones:
The important thing with vegan yogurt and non-dairy milks is to check the amount of sugar. Chłodnik has a lovely crisp flavor, and you don’t want any extra sugar creeping in. A lot of non-dairy milks have added sweeteners.
Ingredients
-2 bunches of radishes
-4-5 medium cucumbers
-1/2 cup freshly chopped dill
-1/2 cup freshly chopped chives
-2-3 medium sized garlic cloves
-10 oz of kefir (300 g)
-10 oz of plain yogurt (300 g)
-salt and pepper, to taste
1. Peel and shred both the cucumbers and radishes.
2. Dice the dill and chives. Mince the garlic.
3. Mix the veggies and herbs together: radishes, cucumbers, herbs, yogurt and kefir. Stir everything thoroughly.
4. For best results, let the soup refrigerate for several hours or overnight. The flavors will be richer the next day, but the garlic and radish will mellow out.
Chłodnik without cooking
Ingredients
-2 bunches of radishes
-4-5 medium cucumbers
-1/2 cup freshly chopped dill
-1/2 cup freshly chopped chives
-2-3 medium sized garlic cloves
-10 oz of kefir (300 g)
-10 oz of plain yogurt (300 g)
-salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Peel and shred both the cucumbers and radishes.
2. Dice the dill and chives. Mince the garlic.
3. Mix the veggies and herbs together: radishes, cucumbers, herbs, yogurt and kefir. Stir everything thoroughly.
4. For best results, let the soup refrigerate for several hours or overnight. The flavors will be richer the next day, but the garlic and radish will mellow out.
Detroiter in Poland 
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