Borscht is a popular first course dish in Russia. The name of this dish comes from the edible hogweed plant (borschevik), from which people in ancient times prepared soup with beets. This soup is made from meat and vegetables such as tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, beets, and carrots. Borscht has a beautiful red color due to the beets and tomatoes. Typically, people add sour cream to borscht for better taste. There is also a cabbage soup without beets called shchi. It sounds very similar and tastes the same way, but unlike borscht, shchi does not contain any beets.