Kharcho
Kharcho comes from Samegrelo, a region in western Georgia known for intensely spiced, sour cooking. In authentic Georgian cooking, the soup is built on sour plum sauce (tkemali) and walnut paste, not tomatoes — an important distinction, because the version that spread across the former Soviet Union, often tomato-based, drifted far from the original, becoming almost a different dish under the same name. What stays constant is the technique: the rice cooks directly in the soup, not separately, so it releases starch and thickens the liquid, and the ground walnuts mixed with garlic and khmeli-suneli are added only toward the end, so the complex aromas don't get lost through prolonged boiling. The result is a thick, tangy, mildly spicy soup, quite different from the clear, light soups found elsewhere in Georgian cooking.
Ground walnuts blended with garlic into a paste
Thickens the soup and gives it that velvety texture typical of Georgian cooking
Sour plum sauce (tkemali) gives the signature tang
Not vinegar, not lemon — the sourness comes specifically from the fermented fruit
The rice cooks directly in the soup, not separately
Releases starch that contributes to the soup's thick texture
Khmeli-suneli, the Georgian spice blend, goes in at the end
Gives that complex aroma no single spice could replicate
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600g beef shank, cut into chunks
- 1.5L water or beef stock
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp rice
- 4 tbsp ground walnuts
- 2 tbsp sour plum sauce (tkemali) or tomato paste with lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp khmeli-suneli (Georgian spice blend)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to make it
- 1COOK THE BEEF: put the beef chunks in water or stock, bring to a boil, skim the foam, then simmer on low for 1-1.5 hours, until tender.
- 2SAUTÉ THE ONION: sauté the chopped onion in a pan until translucent.
- 3ADD THE RICE: add the rice and sautéed onion to the pot with the beef, simmer another 15-20 minutes, until the rice is soft.
- 4MAKE THE WALNUT PASTE: mix the ground walnuts, garlic and khmeli-suneli with a little warm broth, into a paste.
- 5COMBINE: stir the walnut paste and sour plum sauce into the soup, mix well, simmer another 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
- 6ADJUST THE SEASONING: add salt, pepper and ground coriander, to taste.
- 7SERVE: sprinkle fresh cilantro on top and serve hot.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
