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Shechamandi
Shechamandi: thin, sour cornelian cherry soup with garlic and mint
In Imereti and Racha, shechamandi is a quick, thin soup made from whatever sour fruit is at hand, and the favourite is cornelian cherry (shindi), the glossy red dogwood fruit that ripens in August around Ambrolauri. Its sharpness, softened by a little toasted flour and lifted with garlic and dried mint, is a pick-me-up on fasting days and a famously good cure the morning after a supra. Frozen cornelian cherries are sold in Georgian and Turkish shops; sour cherries are the closest swap. A common mistake is adding the flour straight to the hot soup, which makes lumps. Chef's tip: toast the flour in the oil until it smells like biscuits, which gives the soup a gentle nutty body.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the soup
- 9 oz cornelian cherries or sour cherriesfresh or frozen
- 5 cups water
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- 1 tsp dried mint
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugaroptional, if the fruit is very sharp
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Simmer 9 oz cornelian cherries or sour cherries in 5 cups water for 15 minutes, until very soft.
15 minStep 2: Rub the fruit through a sieve back into the liquid, pressing hard; discard the stones and skins.
Step 3: Warm 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add 2 tbsp plain flour and stir for 2–3 minutes, until pale gold and nutty.
3 minStep 4: Whisk a ladle of the sour broth into the flour until smooth, then whisk this back into the pan. Common mistake: tipping flour straight in; it forms lumps.
Step 5: Simmer for 3 minutes, until lightly thickened. Stir in 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried mint, ¾ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, take off the heat and add ⅓ oz fresh coriander. Serve hot.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shechamandi take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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