Kharcho (ხარჩო) — Georgian Beef, Walnut, and Sour Plum Soup

• 900 gbeef chuck (cut into 4 cm cubes)
• 2.4 lcold water
• 1yellow onion (halved)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 8 gfine sea salt
• 30 mlsunflower oil
• 5 clovegarlic (minced)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 100 gshort-grain rice (rinsed until the water runs mostly clear)
• 80 gwalnut kernels (finely ground)
• 90 mlred tkemali sauce (Georgian sour plum sauce)
• 1.5 tbspkhmeli suneli
• 2 tspground coriander
• 0.5 tspground fenugreek (blue fenugreek is ideal if available)
• 1 tbsphot adjika (use Georgian chile-garlic paste)
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 1 bunchcilantro (stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped)
• 0.5 bunchflat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the beef chuck, cold water, halved onion, bay leaves, and 8 g salt in a heavy soup pot. Bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat, skimming the gray foam thoroughly during the first 15 minutes so the broth stays clean.

2. 2

   Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for about 90 minutes, until the beef is tender but not falling apart. Remove and discard the halved onion and bay leaves, then lift the beef into a bowl and strain the broth through a fine sieve.

3. 3

   Wipe the pot clean and heat the sunflower oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft, golden at the edges, and sweet-smelling rather than browned hard.

4. 4

   Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw edge from the paste. Add the khmeli suneli, ground coriander, ground fenugreek, adjika, and black pepper, stirring for 30 seconds so the spices bloom in the oil.

5. 5

   Return the strained broth to the pot and add the cooked beef. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer, then stir in the rinsed rice and cook for 18 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice does not stick to the bottom.

6. 6

   Whisk the finely ground walnuts with 180 ml of hot broth in a bowl until smooth and pourable. Stir this walnut mixture into the soup gradually, keeping the heat low so the nuts thicken the broth without separating or scorching.

7. 7

   Add the red tkemali sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, until the soup tastes tangy, rounded, and aromatic. If the broth thickens more than you like, add 120 ml hot water and simmer for 2 minutes to restore a generous soup consistency.

8. 8

   Stir in the chopped cilantro stems, most of the cilantro leaves, and the parsley, then simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and add up to 3 g additional salt if needed, then rest the kharcho off the heat for 10 minutes before serving with the remaining herbs scattered on top.