A light version of kharcho soup for diabetes
8 servings
120 minutes
The lighter version of kharcho soup for diabetes is an adaptation of the traditional Georgian dish that retains its rich flavor but is made healthier for those monitoring blood sugar levels. Instead of rice, barley is used to give the soup a pleasant texture, while the spices khmeli-suneli and fresh tomatoes create a rich aroma. The base is lamb, which becomes incredibly tender after long simmering and enriches the broth with deep flavor. Adding lemon provides freshness and garlic adds a slight spiciness. This dish perfectly warms and satisfies, especially on cold days. It maintains the traditional Georgian character while being more balanced and suitable for dietary nutrition.
1
We choose halal lamb (all other types have a very strong smell and taste – nothing can mask it; it's completely a matter of taste), preferably on the sugar bone. We wash it, place it in a three-liter pot, fill it with water (not to the top), and put it on medium heat to boil.
- Lamb on the bone: 600 g
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
2
While the water is boiling, slice the onion into thin half-rings and sauté in olive oil. Fry until translucent.
- Onion: 3 pieces
- Olive oil: 4 tablespoons
3
When the lamb boils, we remove the foam, add salt and pepper to taste, add sautéed onions, reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a lid and cook.
- Onion: 3 pieces
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
We rinse the pearl barley (the classic recipe is with rice, but that's not for us, due to sugars), pour a lot of water into a pot (without proportion) and cook until half done.
- Pearl barley: 0.5 glass
5
We chop peeled tomatoes into small cubes and sauté them in olive oil. When a nearly homogeneous mass is achieved, we add khmeli-suneli and fry for another 5 minutes (the mass should not burn; if it does, don't hesitate to add water) and transfer it to the pot with the soup. For those who don't want to struggle – add a couple of teaspoons of tomato paste instead of tomatoes. NOTE: To peel tomatoes, generously scald them with boiling water, rinse with cold water, cut in half and easily remove the skin. OPTION: I also like to add finely chopped bell pepper and celery stalks, but that's a matter of taste.
- Tomatoes: 3 pieces
- Khmeli-suneli: 1 teaspoon
- Tomato paste: 2 teaspoons
6
Remove the pearl barley, drain it in a colander, rinse with cold water – and add it to the soup. Cook for one and a half to two hours until the lamb is completely tender.
- Pearl barley: 0.5 glass
7
At the end of the preparation, we do the following. We clean half a head of garlic and chop it. We cut half a lemon into thin rings and add it to the soup. Also – garlic. We boil for 5 minutes on low heat (we don't increase the heat at all, the soup should always be barely boiling! But – it must boil!) and turn it off.
- Garlic: 0.5 head
- Lemon: 0.5 piece
8
Let it sit for half an hour — and on the table!