Ingredients for Soljanka with pearl barley:

• 2.5-2.7 liters of water
• 500 grams of beef on the bone
• 250-400 ml of cucumber brine
• 2 tablespoons of pearl barley
• 3 salty cucumbers
• 4 potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 black peppercorns
• sour cream, to taste
• dill, to taste
• salt, to taste
• vegetable oil, for frying

Directions for making Soljanka with pearl barley:

1. Rinse the beef on the bone and place it in a pot with cold water. Place on medium heat and bring to a boil.
2. Cook for 1.5 hours, removing any foam that rises to the surface with a skimmer.
3. Remove the meat from the pot, remove the bone, cut the meat into pieces and return it to the pot.
4. Rinse the pearl barley in cold water and pour boiling water over it. Cook for 30-45 minutes, then rinse again in cold water.
5. Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes and add them to the pot with the meat. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the pearl barley and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Cut the salty cucumbers into small cubes. Peel and wash the onion and carrot. Cut the onion into cubes and the carrot into thin strips.
7. Fry the onion and carrot in vegetable oil until golden-orange.
8. Add the salty cucumbers, mix and fry for another 3-5 minutes.
9. Add the fried vegetables to the pot, pour in the cucumber brine, add the bay leaf and black peppercorns. Cook until the potatoes are fully cooked and then remove from heat.
10. Add finely chopped dill and let the soup sit for 5 minutes.
11. Pour into individual bowls, add sour cream to taste and serve.