Shpundra

Shpundra is an old Ukrainian dish, characteristic above all of the Poltava region. It is a hearty stew of pork (most often brisket or ribs) braised together with beetroot in slightly sour beet kvass.

First the pieces of fatty pork are fried, then chopped boiled or raw beetroot is added, and everything is covered with beet kvass, often with toasted flour for thickness. The dish is braised for a long time until the meat becomes tender and the gravy rich. The sour kvass and sweet beetroot give shpundra its inimitable sweet-sour taste and a bright crimson colour. This dish is an interesting testimony to the old Poltava cuisine, akin to borsch and vereshchaka, in which beetroot and beet kvass were the basis for making tasty, hearty main courses.