Kharcho is one of the best known soups in Georgia, and one of the most argued over. At heart it is beef, simmered until it falls apart, in a broth soured with tkemali, the tart cherry plum sauce Georgians put on almost everything, and thickened with ground walnuts and a little rice. The spices are the familiar Georgian ones, coriander, blue fenugreek and marigold, and there is enough garlic to make its presence felt across the room.

Every region has a view. In Samegrelo, in the west, kharcho is made as a thicker stew without rice and served over ghomi, the plain cornmeal porridge of the region, while the soup with rice is the version most Georgians cook at home and the one given here. It is the kind of soup that improves overnight, which suits a race weekend well: the work is done during practice, and the reward comes on the day.

The beef broth

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) beef brisket, chuck or bone in short rib
• 12 cups (2.8 liters) cold water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Method

1. Put the beef and the cold water in the large pot and set it over medium high heat. Bring it slowly to a boil; this takes 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Turn the heat down to low and skim the foam off with the large spoon, tipping it into the sink. Keep skimming for 5 minutes until very little more rises.
3. Add the bay leaves and salt, set the lid on slightly ajar, and simmer very gently for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the beef is very tender. Top up with hot water if the level drops below the meat.
4. Fish out the bay leaves and discard them. If you used short ribs, lift out the bones and return the meat. Leave the beef in the broth.

The walnut and tomato base

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (125 g) walnut halves
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sunflower or vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons khmeli suneli
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marigold (imeruli shaphrani)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes

Method

1. Put the walnuts and 3 of the garlic cloves in the food processor and pulse until finely ground, scraping down the sides once. Stop before it becomes a paste. If you are using a mortar, pound the garlic first, then the walnuts a handful at a time.
2. About 30 minutes before the beef is done, heat the oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the grated tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the khmeli suneli, coriander, blue fenugreek, marigold and cayenne and stir for 30 seconds more.
4. Ladle about 1 cup (240 ml) of hot broth from the beef pot into a bowl and stir in the ground walnuts and garlic until smooth.

Finishing the soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (100 g) long grain white rice
• 3 to 5 tablespoons (45 to 75 ml) tkemali, preferably green
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
• to taste fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Bring the broth back to a steady simmer and stir in the rinsed rice. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring now and then so the rice does not stick to the bottom.
2. Scrape the onion and tomato mixture into the pot, then stir in the walnut paste. Simmer gently for 10 minutes more, stirring often, because walnuts catch easily on the bottom of the pot.
3. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the tkemali and the chopped garlic and simmer for 3 minutes. Taste, then add more tkemali a spoonful at a time, and salt and pepper, until the soup is pleasantly sour and well seasoned.
4. Turn off the heat, stir in most of the cilantro, cover, and leave for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors settle before serving.

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