Some people are convinced that a person needs food exclusively for “recharging”. However, even in spite of this, not a single creature will be able to eat something tasteless or unpleasant every day throughout its life. That is why many eminent chefs daily improve their skills, bring it to perfection. So that a person, having tasted a particular dish, seemed to go to paradise. It tastes so good.
Here are just some chefs devote their whole life to cooking. Keepers of the hearth, or, to put it more simply, housewives also make a lot of efforts to please loved ones with some goodies.
That is why in this article we explore the recipes of kharcho. Moreover, both classic and advanced. And already the reader will determine for himself what is more to his liking.
What is kharcho?
Many people have repeatedly heard the interesting name of the dish. However, not everyone understands what is really hiding behind him. For this reason, in the first paragraph of the article, we will try to understand this complex issue.
So kharcho is nothing but soup. Which is considered the birthplace of Georgia. And you can guess about this if you know the language of that big country. After all, the word "kharcho" means beef soup. And the translation reveals to us the first and most important component of the studied dish. Although in modern versions, kharcho from pork or chicken is often found. Some people are firmly convinced that real kharcho is certainly cooked from lamb. However, this opinion is also erroneous. And the translation of the Georgian word "kharcho" proves this to us.
In addition, it is important to note that, according to the classic kharcho recipe, it contains the following ingredients:
- rice
- garlic;
- onion;
- walnuts;
- fresh cilantro;
- seasoning "Sunli hops."
Ingredients Needed for Classic Kharcho Soup
Some housewives cook the dish studied in the article in large pots. Because it is so tasty that it is eaten almost at a time. So, if our reader wants to get acquainted with the classic version of kharcho soup, he should pay attention to the current item. After all, in it we will tell in detail about what ingredients are needed, how to properly execute the recipe and whether there are secrets to making a very tasty soup.
Let's start by researching the necessary components. According to the classic kharcho recipe, the following products are required:
- half a kilogram of beef meat;
- five tablespoons of rice cereal;
- two juicy onions and one garlic;
- half a pod of bitter pepper;
- one hundred grams of peeled walnuts;
- one tablespoon of tomato paste;
- two teaspoons of Sunflower Hops seasoning;
- one teaspoon of paprika;
- 15 peas of a fragrant feather;
- one large bunch of cilantro, parsley, basil;
- three bay leaves;
- a pinch of salt.
Having bought these components or taking them out of the refrigerator, we proceed to the study of step-by-step instructions. Although it seems to some housewives that there is nothing complicated in making kharcho, eminent chefs tell us the opposite. Therefore, we advise the reader to adhere to the recommendations described below. Which will help to implement the classic kharcho recipe correctly.
How to cook a true kharcho
It is very simple to please household members with a delicious soup, you just need to:
- We take the meat, rinse thoroughly under a tap and cut into fairly large pieces. About 3x3 centimeters.
- We put them in a large pan, fill with water and send to the stove. Moreover, experienced housewives are advised to fill the entire tank with water and not to pour it during the cooking process.
- We bring the liquid to a boil, after which we reduce the heat a little and cook for an hour and a half, constantly removing foam from the surface.
- When the specified time has passed, we filter the broth through cheesecloth or a small strainer.
- Then we again return the pan to the stove, add the chopped onion and cook for half an hour.
- When the necessary period of time has passed after adding the onion, put the tomato paste and pepper sliced into rings in the pan.
- Bring the kharcho to a boil and boil for five minutes. Then we slightly reduce the fire.
- The further instructions described in the classic Kharcho recipe say that our next step is to add rice. And you should definitely give preference to that which is very digested. Only then will the soup turn out really real.
- While the rice is cooked, you can start preparing a nut-garlic mixture. To do this, crush in a mortar, kill in a blender or just finely chop nuts with a kitchen knife. Then add the garlic passed through the press to them. Mix everything thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained. And pour it into the broth.
- Next add paprika and seasoning “Hops-Suneli”, salt the soup and let it boil for about five minutes.
- Then pour finely chopped greens and bay leaves.
- After a couple of minutes, turn off the gas, close the soup with a lid and leave it on the stove for about twenty minutes to insist.
Essential ingredients for a second meal option
The next, also classic, kharcho recipe differs from the previous version due to such a cooking step as roasting. And this significantly affects the taste of the finished product. However, many housewives prefer to pamper their loved ones with them, and not with what was done in accordance with the instructions described above. For this reason, we offer our reader both traditional recipes. After all, as you know, tastes are not debated. In addition, only after having prepared and tested any dish, it will be possible to determine whether it is worthy to fall into the treasury of family recipes.
So, for the classic kharcho recipe presented below, you will need exactly the same ingredients as for the previous one. However, you should also prepare:
- one large ripe tomato;
- two tablespoons of Tkemali sauce;
- four tablespoons of sunflower oil - for roasting.
How to make a real roast kharcho
When all the necessary components are ready, you can begin to study the instructions:
- First of all, we need to cut the meat into pieces, wash them thoroughly under a tap and dry them with an ordinary or paper towel.
- Then pour two tablespoons of oil into the pan and warm them well.
- Put the pieces of meat.
- Fry until a golden blush appears.
- Then transfer them to a large pot, pour water and put on fire. Cook as described in the first recipe.
- Our next step, according to the traditional Kharcho recipe, is preparing the onion. Which should be chopped as the hostess likes, and send the frying oil to the pan in the remaining meat.
- When the onion becomes a reddish color, you should add tomato paste and four tablespoons of the broth.
- Put out the mixture for about five minutes.
- Then pour in paprika and lay out tkemali.
- After three minutes, remove the pan from the stove.
- After one and a half to two hours have passed since the boiling of the broth, pour the onion frying into it.
- Next we send rice and wait until the liquid boils again.
- Then, according to the classic Kharcho recipe, we slightly reduce the heat and add the tomato chopped into cubes into the broth. Some housewives are advised to first peel it off by dipping in boiling water. Others insist that it turns out more delicious soup, which uses a tomato with a peel. It all depends on the taste.
- Without wasting time, we prepare the following mixture: pour finely chopped greens, garlic and walnuts into a mortar. Rub everything thoroughly until smooth.
- After fifteen minutes, pour the resulting mixture into the broth.
- Add "Suneli hops", pepper, salt.
- Boil for five to seven minutes.
- Then turn off the gas and leave the soup for twenty minutes.
Kharcho with chicken
Not all people love beef. That is why we will further consider the chicken kharcho recipe. For its implementation, products such as:
- one whole chicken (the best is homemade, but the store one will do);
- half a glass of rice cereal;
- one head of garlic and onion;
- one large carrot;
- a large bunch of favorite greens;
- two tablespoons of tomato paste;
- a piece of butter - for frying;
- half a teaspoon "Sunflower hops";
- a pinch of salt and pepper.
How to cook:
- First you need to cut the chicken into portions.
- Then wash them, put in a pan and pour water.
- Put on fire and cook for about forty minutes until cooked.
- Then add washed rice to the broth, and after fifteen minutes - salt.
- Peel the onion and half of the head of garlic and chop finely.
- Peel the carrots and cut into strips.
- This recipe for making kharcho soup at home is significantly different from the classic. And this applies not only to the ingredients used, but also to the technology of the dish. For example, then we need to melt a piece of butter in a hot pan and fry the carrots and onions in it for three minutes.
- Then add the tomato paste, garlic, pepper and seasoning “suneli hops”.
- Simmer for seven minutes, no more.
- Without wasting time, prepare a dressing for the soup. To do this, peel the second half of the head of garlic. Finely chop it and place it in a mortar or blender. Add greens and chop everything, turning it into a homogeneous mass.
- The aromatic mixture should be put in a ready-made home-made kharcho, the recipe of which our reader has just studied to the end.
Kharcho with pork
The next version of the soup studied in this article will surely appeal to those who prefer to eat pork meat. After all, it also makes an excellent kharcho based on it. To prepare it, you need such components as:
- a pound of pork meat;
- three medium-sized potatoes;
- two onions and one garlic;
- six tablespoons of rice cereal;
- three ripe tomatoes;
- a small pod of chili pepper;
- a large bunch of cilantro;
- five tablespoons of sunflower oil - for frying;
- one teaspoon "Sunflower hops";
- a pinch of salt.
This recipe for making kharcho at home is very simple to execute:
- First you need to cut the meat into fairly large pieces.
- Then thoroughly rinse them under the tap, put in a pan and pour water.
- Wait for the boil, remove the foam from the surface and, reducing the heat to a minimum, simmer the meat under the lid for forty minutes.
- Peel onions and potatoes at this time.
- Chop both vegetables into small cubes.
- Then add the components to the finished meat.
- After them send the washed rice and pepper sliced in rings, cook for fifteen minutes.
- This Kharcho recipe at home differs from the previous ones in that it does not use tomato paste. As a result, it turns out to be more natural and useful. Therefore, our next step will be the preparation of tomatoes. They must be chopped as small as possible, put in a well-heated pan with added oil and simmer for five minutes.
- Then add the resulting dressing to the broth.
- After five minutes, the soup should be salted and seasoned with suneli hops.
- Then finely chop the herbs and garlic, send them next.
- Turn off the gas and leave the kharcho on the stove.
- Fifteen minutes later, you can take a sample!
Kharcho with lamb
We have already noted that for many people the classic kharcho recipe with the photo presented above necessarily contains lamb in its composition. And no other meat can replace it. Therefore, in this paragraph of the article we will also investigate this version of Georgian soup.
To prepare it, you must purchase the following components:
- two kilograms of lamb meat;
- two large carrots;
- three onions and one garlic;
- three bay leaves;
- twenty peas of allspice;
- half a glass of rice cereal;
- four large tomatoes;
- one large bunch of cilantro and basil;
- two tablespoons of coriander;
- a pinch of salt and ground red pepper.
The technology for making this recipe for kharcho soup at home is also not too complicated. And, after reading the instructions, you can verify this:
- First of all, cook the broth. To do this, cut the lamb into pieces, wash it, put it in a pan and fill it with water. Then we send the container to the stove.
- We wait for the boil and remove the foam.
- Then we put carrot, onion chopped into cubes in the meat, add bay leaves, allspice, coriander and peppercorns.
- Cook one and a half to two hours.
- Then we add rice well washed under the tap.
- Ten minutes later we spread finely chopped tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper the broth, continue to simmer over low heat.
- We prepare the dressing in the same way as described in the recipes for homemade kharcho soup presented above. Grind greens and garlic until smooth.
- Then add the spiced mass to the soup.
- Turn off the fire and leave the kharcho for twenty minutes.
Kharcho with pike
Modern housewives love to experiment, as a result of which new, sometimes very unexpected, but surprisingly tasty dishes are born. And then we will study one of them.
To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:
- a pound of fresh pike;
- three tablespoons of rice cereal;
- four cloves of garlic;
- one hundred grams of peeled walnuts;
- two tablespoons of tomato paste;
- a large bunch of cilantro;
- two bay leaves;
- five peas of black pepper;
- a pinch of salt.
Contrary to popular belief, the recipe for making kharcho soup at home can be performed not only on beef broth. Also excellent and very tasty dishes are obtained from chicken, pork and even fish. And our reader will be able to verify this on their own.
How to cook:
- First you need to prepare a pike. To clear it of giblets and scales, to divide into portioned pieces.
- Then put the fish in a pan with water, bay leaves and pepper.
- Boil for half an hour.
- Then add washed rice and tomato paste.
- Prepare dressing by chopping garlic, herbs and walnuts.
- Put it and a pinch of salt in the broth.
- After five minutes, turn off the heat and leave the kharcho on the infusion plate.
The composition and preparation technology of the finished dish is slightly different from the step-by-step recipe for classic kharcho, but its taste qualities do not decrease at all.
Lean Kharcho
Improving the traditional dish studied in the article, you can enjoy kharcho even in fasting. But only in this case, the set of necessary ingredients will be as follows:
- half a glass of rice cereal;
- three medium-sized potatoes;
- two onions;
- one large carrot;
- six cloves of garlic;
- half a glass of peeled walnuts;
- one large bunch of basil, cilantro, parsley;
- several branches of dill;
- three tablespoons of tomato paste;
- five tablespoons of sunflower oil;
- a pinch of salt and ground red pepper.
The recipe for making lean kharcho is pretty simple. In addition, this dish is prepared much faster, because the hostess does not have to spend time cooking meat.
How to cook:
- We clean the vegetables from the peel and husk.
- We put potatoes and carrots chopped into cubes in a saucepan, fill with water and cook for about ten minutes.
- Finely chop the onion and fry it in a pan with the addition of oil.
- Put in a pan.
- Next we send rice, tomato paste, pepper and salt.
- Cooking dressing with garlic, herbs and nuts.
- Add it to the broth and cook for five minutes.
- Turn off the gas and infuse the soup for twenty minutes.
Thus, it’s very simple to execute the Kharcho recipe with the photo above. The main thing is to have a desire.