Megrelian Kharcho – Veal Rib Soup with Rice and Walnuts
Ever since childhood I've known that kharcho — a spicy beef or veal soup, very aromatic and full of herbs — is a Georgian dish.
But Georgia is a big country with many peoples. In the west of Georgia lies the historic region of Colchis, where the Argonauts sailed in search of the Golden Fleece. It is mostly home to the Megrelians, an ethnic group of the Georgian people.
The Megrelian kharcho recipe, although quite similar to the well-known one, is still special. The rib soup has a sour base: tkemali, tklapi, sometimes vinegar. The main difference is walnuts. You'll find beef brisket or ribs, onion and carrot, rice and lots of fresh herbs, plus a walnut and garlic dressing. The wonderfully tasty brisket khashlama with garlic also comes from those parts.
Rib soup is a sure winner for lunch. It is moderately spicy, warms you up in cold weather, stirs the appetite and prepares you for the good meat served after the soup.
As a friend of mine says, if you've got good meat, the soup will always turn out well. Especially if you're a fan of Caucasian cuisine.
To serve with soup
Homemade White Bread in the OvenEasy homemade white bread baked in the oven: a simple yeast dough of flour, water, salt and sugar, shaped into baguettes. Step-by-step photo recipe.
Crispy CroutonsCrispy homemade croutons for beer: a white loaf, dried green onion, rock salt and a little olive oil, dried in the microwave in 20-30 minutes.
Garlic PampushkySoft Ukrainian garlic pampushky for borscht: yeast buns baked until pale golden, then soaked in garlic, dill and oil sauce. Step-by-step recipe with photos.Ingredients
2 servings
- Veal ribs or brisket 350 g
- Carrot 1
- Onion 1-2
- Garlic 2-3 cloves
- Walnuts 2 tbsp
- Rice 2-3 tbsp
- Tkemali sauce 2 tbsp
- Mixed fresh herbs 0.5 bunch
- Salt, khmeli suneli, dried hot pepper to taste
Step-by-step recipe
- The best meat for this soup is veal brisket or ribs. Carefully trim the meat of membranes and tendons and cut it into large pieces.
- Make a rich meat broth, without spices or salt. Simply simmer the ribs in 2 l water over the lowest heat for 1 h 30 mins, as for any soup made with beef broth.
- While the broth is simmering, peel the onion, garlic and carrot. Cut the onion into strips lengthwise along the bulb. Cut the carrot into cubes or rounds, not too thick.
- Grind the garlic, walnuts and a pinch of salt in a mortar or chop them in a blender.
- Pick all the leaves from the herb sprigs (dill, parsley, cilantro) and chop them finely.
- Add the carrot, sliced onion and tkemali sauce to the finished broth. Simmer over low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Tkemali sauce can be replaced with tklapi, a sour flatbread of dried tkemali or cornelian cherry, soaked beforehand.
- Then add salt, khmeli suneli and, to taste, a hot chili pod or ground hot paprika. If you're not afraid, you can add some finely chopped fresh hot pepper.
- Add the rinsed rice. Choose a variety that doesn't overcook easily; here “parboiled” rice is often sold. Simmer the rib soup over low heat for 20 mins, until the rice is fully cooked.
- Stir the walnut and garlic dressing into the soup, mix and cook for 5 mins. Take the soup off the heat and let it stand under a lid for 10 mins.
- Ladle the rib soup into bowls, sprinkle with herbs and serve.
- Even though the soup is fairly spicy and already has garlic in it, it's still worth serving a few cloves of garlic on the side. And fresh bread or lavash, of course!
| Yield: | 2 servings |
| Calories: | 129 kcal per 100 g |
| Prep: | 1 h 30 mins |
| Cook: | 60 mins |
| Total: | 2 h 30 mins |
| Category: | Soups › Meat Soups |
| Cuisine: | Georgian cuisine |
| Rating: |
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4.4
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