The colour comes from the beetroot. Beetroot is a sweet, dark-purple root vegetable that grows in the ground. When you boil it, its colour leaks out into the water and turns the whole pot bright pink. It also makes everything taste a little bit sweet.
Borscht is a 'family pot' kind of food. The cook puts in whatever vegetables are around, then simmers it slowly for hours so all the flavours mix together. Every grandmother claims her borscht is the best. There are arguments at family dinners that have lasted for generations.
It is almost always served with a big spoonful of sour cream stirred in just before you eat. The white sour cream swirls into the pink soup, making beautiful patterns. Children love to mix it round and round before taking their first spoonful.
In 2022, UNESCO (the same organisation that protects places like Iguazú Falls) added Ukrainian borscht to its official list of important world traditions. It said this soup is so important to Ukrainian culture that the whole world should help protect the tradition of making it.