Megrelian Kharcho: Georgian Beef Stew with Walnuts
The rich beef stew hails from the Samegrelo region of northwestern Georgia. Known for it's decadent, spiced sauce thickened with ground walnuts, kharcho is a favourite across Georgia and is sure to become one of yours, as well.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb) boneless beef chuck trimmed and cut into 3cm/1in cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medium tomato peeled and diced
- 250 g (2 cups) walnuts ground
- 8-10 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp blue fenugreek
- 2 tsp ground coriander seed
- 2 tsp ground marigold
- 1 tsp dried savory (see note 1)
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper or more or less to taste
- 1 litre (4 cups) low-sodium chicken stock (see note 2)
Instructions
- Season beef liberally with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (Georgians would use sunflower) over medium until shimmering. Add meat in a single layer, being careful to leave enough room in the pan to ensure browning, you may need to work in batches. Sear beef on one side until browned before flipping with tongs. Once beef is browned, remove from pan and transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and stir constantly until well incorporated with the onion and the paste has darkened in colour, about 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato and cook until softened and cohesive, another 5-10 minutes.
- Mix walnuts, garlic, blue fenugreek, coriander, marigold and savory together in a small bowl. Add to pot and stir until all liquid is absorbed and sauce is very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beef along with any accumulated juices and pour stock over the mixture, stirring to combine.
- Bring to a a gentle simmer and cover and allow to cook until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2.5 hours. Uncover and simmer for a further 30 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly. Serve hot with crusty bread or, traditionally, on a bed of ghomi - a Georgian style of polenta
Video
Notes
1. If you can't find dried savory, substitute with thyme.
2. Homemade chicken stock is preferred, but use storebought low-sodium stock if you don't have it on hand.
Nutrition
Calories: 934kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 32g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 1551mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 426IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 8mg
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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