Shared by Sasha Shor

This recipe was shared by Sasha Shor. Read more about her family in "The Cold Borscht That Marks the Start of a Soviet Summer."
Place the beets and water in a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until beets are easily pierced with a fork.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the beets, reserving the beet stock, and grate on the large side of a box grater. Return the grated beets to the beet stock.
Season with sugar, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well and taste, adjusting for seasoning.
Move to the fridge to chill for a minimum of 8 hours, and ideally overnight.
To serve: ladle chilled soup into bowls (50% beet stock, 50% grated beets). Top each bowl with a spoonful of cucumbers, scallions, radishes, 2 hard boiled egg halves and a healthy pinch of chopped fresh dill. Add a dollop of sour cream and a final squeeze of lemon.