Abkhazian Solyanka
6 servings
150 minutes
Abkhaz-style solyanka is a fragrant and rich dish of Russian cuisine infused with Georgian spices and herbs. This thick meat soup, made from beef, tomato paste, and aromatic seasonings, features a rich flavor with harmonious notes of sourness, spiciness, and zest. Khmeli-suneli and coriander add Eastern warmth while cilantro and parsley provide freshness. The uniqueness of solyanka lies in its slow simmering process that makes the meat incredibly tender and juicy. The dish pairs perfectly with fresh bread and warms you up in cold weather. It's not just a soup—it's a culinary masterpiece where each spoon reveals new facets of flavor and history.
1
We buy quality beef with fat, cut it into elongated pieces about five to seven centimeters long, wash it, and boil until fully cooked (cooking time greatly depends on the quality of the beef — from one to one and a half hours or more — just try it).
- Beef: 600 g
2
While the meat is boiling, chop 4 onions and fry them well, adding tomato paste to the pan with the onions 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Stir.
- Onion: 5 head
- Tomato paste: 4 tablespoons
3
When the meat is cooked, put it in a pan with onions and tomato paste, and add broth from the pot where the beef was boiled until it covers the meat.
- Beef: 600 g
4
While the beef is simmering, we prepare the greens, garlic, and onion by slicing them into thin rings/pieces.
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Parsley: 1 bunch
5
We simmer the beef for half an hour. Five minutes before it's done, we add spices: ground coriander, khmeli-suneli, red pepper, and salt. Then we add greens, thinly sliced onion, and garlic.
- Ground coriander: 1 teaspoon
- Khmeli-suneli: 1 teaspoon
- Ground red pepper: pinch
- Salt: to taste
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Onion: 5 head
- Garlic: 2 cloves