Traditional Georgian soup kharcho widely known outside their homeland. However, the wide popularity has meant that many are preparing this dish on recipes that are very far from the original. As a result, the taste of foods obtained primitive, uninteresting: regular meat soup, seasoned with rice and tomatoes. But in the original version kharcho soup really tasty and fragrant.

Features dishes

Contrary to popular belief, do not boil the soup kharcho lamb and beef. Georgian cuisine is very loyal to all kinds of meat - the same respect enjoyed lamb and chicken, beef and pork. And for every dish it uses the kind of meat, which makes foods taste really good. For soup kharcho such meat is beef, which is reflected in the title - in the Russian translation of "soup kharcho" means "beef soup."

Although Georgia is not a big country, Georgian cuisine is very heterogeneous, so different areas kharcho soup cooked in different ways. Yet the principle of the preparation and the main ingredients remain unchanged: grub - a spicy beef soup Beef - Meat Guide   nuts, tkemali and rice.

The soup should be just spicy, not spicy. In Georgia, the general preference for dishes with lots of flavor nuances, so try to recreate the taste of Georgian cuisine, simply by adding more in a pot of hot peppers, can not succeed. You must use the aromatic herbs and spices ready mixes, for example, hop-suneli.

Selection of raw materials

To prepare the soup should take quality beef, preferably a piece of meatier, ideally - with a bone. There are many recipes for soups or similar lamb, chicken or pork Pork - meat guide But it will not be kharcho, just meat soup, even delicious.

Kharcho unthinkable without the bases with a sour taste. Traditionally, the soup is added plum tkemali. They can be used in a crude form or in an "acid Lavash". "Sour lavash" is a likeness of fruit pastilles - sun-dried layers of mashed dogwood or tkemali. Another name "sour lavash" - "tklapi." The dried layers rolled into a tube, can be stored for a long time. Sometimes they are used as a standalone treat, but often - as a component of various dishes, especially kharcho. Depending on the amount of soup is usually sufficient tklapi piece of palm-sized or half-palm.

Buy tklapi outside Georgia is quite difficult. If able to buy the product or to make his own, the technology of using tklapi follows: first chunk "acidic Lavash" diluted in a small amount of warm broth, water or other liquid and thoroughly stirred, and then the thus obtained concentrate is added to the soup, sauce or another dish.

If you get tklapi not, then you should consider replacing the product to others. A good option would be gravy, "Tkemali", which can often be found on sale. If you are not able to buy and gravy "Tkemali" you can try to give a sour soup using pomegranate juice. In a pinch you can do tomatoes or tomato paste - it will not be a classic grub, but still as close as possible to the original.

Kharcho dressed with a small amount of rice. Should choose starchy varieties, in any case, not steamed rice and crushed rice cereal pudding.

At the soup kharcho necessarily add walnuts. They can fry gently and lightly crush with a rolling pin can be for the appearance of characteristic aroma, which enriches the flavor of the finished soup.

And, of course, the preparation of soup kharcho not do without spices. Coriander, fenugreek, black pepper, cumin, bay leaf, cardamom, basil, saffron, chilli and coriander soup will give the right flavor and aroma, irresistible.

Technology of preparation

To prepare the soup kharcho on the classic recipe you will need a kilogram of beef brisket, three handfuls prepared (peeled and crushed) walnuts, a couple of handfuls of rice, the three bulbs, a piece tklapi palm-sized, one tomato, a tablespoon of corn flour, three tablespoons of vegetable oil, three cloves of garlic, hot pepper, salt and a bunch of cilantro. Spices, two bay leaves, one tablespoon of fenugreek, coriander, cumin, half a tablespoon of ground black pepper, cardamom two boxes Cardamom: grains of paradise and the king of spices , One pinch of saffron and hot red pepper. If you wish, you can use ready-mixed hops-suneli.

Beef washed, then pour cold water, add the bay leaf, bring to a boil, remove from broth foam and cook two - two and a half hours, until the meat is very tender. Meanwhile mangled tklapi into pieces, soak in a cup of broth, stir thoroughly. Wash rice. Saffron mixed with salt, to dissolve a small amount of broth. All spices and dry grind with coarse salt or seasoning ready to take the hops-suneli.

With tomato peel. To do this, make an incision in her crosswise, pour the tomato boiling water for a few minutes, then rinse with cold water - the skin is easily removed. Cut tomatoes into small pieces. Onions finely chop and fry in vegetable oil until transparent, then add the tomato, corn flour, chilli peppers. Onion mixture to cook for five minutes over medium heat, then add to it the ladle broth and set aside.

Cooked meat is boned and cut into small pieces. Broth drain, add the meat, washed rice and the contents of the pan, bring to a boil and simmer until cooked rice. Garlic crush and grind in a mortar with a bunch of fresh cilantro. Because cilantro has a very specific taste and not everyone likes, if you wish, you can replace it with tarragon or parsley.

Add to soup spices, hot pepper, nuts and saffron infusion, and after five minutes - tklapi. After that, put in a pot of mashed garlic and cilantro, add salt, if necessary, turn off the heat and leave the soup infuse for five minutes.

Maria Bykov

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