What kind of dish can be fed to everyone: those whose stomachs “digest nails”, people with digestive problems, and even small children? What food is so filling that if you eat it at lunch, you definitely won’t be hungry until the morning? This is also super-budget cooking, when you need very inexpensive products. What kind of miracle is this, beef khashlama, and how to cook it correctly?
Khashlama is an international dish: it can be Armenian, Abkhazian, Georgian (and the latter - several types), there is also a Russian recipe. Boiled meat is the main ingredient; beef, lamb, buffalo meat can be used, and sometimes it is also prepared from pork. “A classic of the genre” and perhaps the most delicious is beef, besides, you don’t always have lamb or buffalo nearby in the store, but beef is everywhere. But even from this meat, khashlama is prepared in different ways; you can count up to a dozen of its recipes, and each time it will taste and look like a new dish.
How to choose the right meat for beef khashlama
The condition that must be observed when preparing khashlama both at home and in restaurants is that the meat must have bones, and the thicker the bones and the more brain they contain, the better. It is the cooking of the marrow bone along with the pulp that will give the unique taste and necessary richness to this dish. The second condition (not as important as the first, but desirable) is that the meat must be “old”, not in the sense of stale and smelly, no! This means that a calf is not suitable, but a cow or a bull is just right, and the bull (sorry) must be castrated.
How to choose beef by age and quality? The meat should be dark red, without shades of pink or brown, and the fat should be yellowish. When you press the flesh with your finger, blood should come out slightly, but not a brown liquid - this is an indicator of the freshness of the meat. In terms of bovine meat, whether the animal was casted - here you will have to rely on the honesty of the seller. If you bought bovine meat, then upon arriving home you can immediately check it: cut a small piece from the purchased piece and set it to cook. If the animal has not been castrated, after boiling, a strong smell of urine will “float” around the kitchen. You can safely go to the market and demand your money back - such meat is considered a waste and is absolutely not suitable for cooking!
What specific beef should you use for khashlama?
1. The “queen” of beef for this dish is lytka, or “artala” in Georgian. This is a cow drumstick, it comes completely, with the bone inside and all the meat around the bone. An artala like the one in the photo makes the richest and most delicious khashlama.
2. Brisket. In the absence of artala, it will do, but not too greasy.
3. Shoulder blade. You can take this too, but there is a lot of meat in it and not enough bones, so we cut off some of the lean edges.
4. Bulltail. It is quite inexpensive, and in all respects (age and presence of bones with marrow) it is excellent. The main thing is that the bull is castrated (see above how to find out).
You have chosen the meat, what else should you buy from the products, and how to make khashlama, and not just boiled meat with vegetables?
Lamb khashlama (step by step)
Lamb khashlama is a very tasty, nutritious and healthy dish of Central Asian cuisine, common to Armenians, Azerbaijanis and Uzbeks. True, different peoples call it differently: khashlama, basma, damlyama... But this does not change the essence of the dish, which in any case consists of meat and vegetables stewed in its own juice.
Please also keep in mind that the amount of ingredients is indicated approximately, since it depends on the size of the vessel in which the khashlama will be prepared (ideally it should be a cauldron, but any thick-walled saucepan will also work, just not enameled or teflon-coated) . All products indicated in the list before quince are mandatory for khashlama, the rest can be added as desired. If you want the khashlama to be more like a soup, then about halfway through cooking, add a glass of warm water or beer to it, but we will simply simmer the lamb and vegetables in its own juice.
- lamb - 1-1.5 kg
- onions - 2-3 pcs.
- potatoes - 3-4 pcs.
- eggplant - 2-3 pcs
- tomato - 3-4 pcs.
- sweet bell pepper - 4 pcs
- quince - ½ piece
- white cabbage - a few leaves
- green beans - 100-200 g
- garlic - 1 head
- parsley - bunch
- zira - to taste
- table salt - to taste
- ground red pepper - to taste
- ground black pepper - to taste
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Preparing the ingredients for khashlama.
Coarsely chop the lamb and place it on the bottom of the cauldron, fat side down. Salt and pepper the meat to taste, and if desired, add cumin.
The second layer is chopped onions. Then lay out the tomatoes cut into slices, and on them - peeled and diced eggplants (we also add a little salt) and potatoes. It is very important that the potatoes are located above the tomatoes, because during the cooking process they can harden due to the juice released from them. Place bell pepper cut into large strips or cubes on top of the potatoes. This is the last of the ingredients required for khashlama.
If desired, you can put green beans on the bell pepper, but this is a “capricious” ingredient, because if you don’t eat all the khashlama at once and then reheat it later, the beans may boil over. Diced half of a quince will add a stunning aroma to the dish, but also a sweetness that not everyone will appreciate.
You can literally place 2-3 cabbage leaves on the quince, after tearing them with your hands, and put an almost unpeeled (without outer husk) head of garlic in the center for flavor. Don't forget to sprinkle everything with chopped parsley.
Georgian khashlama recipe
In Georgia, this dish is an obligatory attribute of a large table. The Georgian recipe is the simplest; residents of this country claim that it is the most “correct”. Let's not argue, let's start cooking.
You will need:
- whole beef artala, its weight can be up to 5 kg;
- several bay leaves;
- half a kilo of onions;
- half a glass of wine vinegar;
- a bunch of parsley and cilantro;
- salt;
- large saucepan (preferably stainless steel).
We chop the artalu into portions: you can’t make them small, it’s better if they are large. You can ask the butcher to chop the meat when purchasing, saying the magic words: “for khashlama.” We wash the meat well, put it in a saucepan and put it on the fire. Carefully remove the foam. There is a trick to remove the foam completely: when the water is already boiling and the first portion of the foam has been removed, just a little bit (as much as you can take with three fingers) throw salt in there - and a new portion of foam will immediately rise, this time white in color - after which the broth will not foam. Reduce the heat, throw in a bay leaf, and leave everything to simmer for three to four hours.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the onion: cut it into half rings and pour vinegar into containers. We wash and cut the greens: whoever doesn’t like the stems of cilantro and parsley only cuts the leaves, but the aroma from the stems is stronger and brighter.
Right in the pan, touch the meat with a fork or a cooking stick, and if the meat “falls apart” (separates freely along the fibers), then it is already cooked. We take out the pieces of meat and separate the bone (it served its purpose during cooking). We don’t cut the meat, but rather divide it into pieces - it should be cooked so well. Squeeze the onion from the vinegar and sprinkle it on top of the khashlama. Now sprinkle evenly with herbs, or place sprigs on the sides of the plate (as you like). If the khashlama was prepared in Georgian style, the broth should be served separately in bowls. Sometimes they sprinkle onions on the meat and then remove it - it gave juice, the meat absorbed it.
Georgian khashlama is salted during the meal, as much as anyone wants. Or add broth and wash down unsalted meat with it.
How dishes are prepared in different countries
Each country has its own secret of preparing khashlama, and everyone considers their own method to be the most correct. For example, in Armenian cuisine, khashlama means a thick vegetable soup with a lot of meat. Georgians add a lot of onions, cilantro and white roots. Some people believe that a dish like beef khashlama should contain a huge variety of vegetables - potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, and mushrooms. There are also those who prefer this meat dish only with the addition of all kinds of spices and beer.
Whatever method you choose for preparing the meat delicacy called “khashlama”, the recipe for any option contains a large amount of the main ingredient of this dish - meat, do not forget about it. It should be three times more than other products.
Khashlama according to Armenian recipe
Armenians are great inventors in terms of cooking, they make fun of their Georgian neighbors: when God was handing out recipes, the Georgians grabbed the recipe for khashlama and ran away, and the Armenians who were standing in line behind them asked everything meticulously. There is no point in arguing whose khashlama is tastier and more “correct” - we don’t find out, for example, which borscht is better, Russian with cow broth or Ukrainian with goose!
Products:
- cow meat with bone (lamb, brisket, you can take a shoulder blade, but be sure to have a good piece of bone in it) - about 3 kg;
- onion 1 kg;
- 2-3 kg of potatoes;
- bell pepper 1 kg, two or three pieces of bitter;
- about half a kilo of carrots (you can do without them, those who love carrots very much take 1 kg);
- young eggplants (without seeds inside) – 2 kg;
- parsley is required, cilantro is optional;
- salt.
We chop the meat and place it under running water for washing. Cut the onion into rings and place on the bottom of a thick-bottomed pan. Place the meat evenly in large pieces on top of the onion. Fill with water: there should not be a lot of water, but so that the meat is completely covered with it. Add half a glass of white wine and let it simmer (don’t forget to skim off the foam).
Some recipes say that everything else is added at once, but it is better to let the meat cook well and then add the remaining products, otherwise there is a risk of getting meat in vegetable puree. Cook the beef for about an hour, then layer it on top again (step by step):
- coarsely grated carrots;
- bell pepper cut into large slices, along with bitter pepper (remove the grains from it);
- peeled potatoes - large in halves, small whole.
If the broth does not cover the potatoes, add hot boiling water. You don't need cold boiled water, but boiling water, otherwise the broth will immediately become cloudy.
Now it's the eggplant's turn. There is no need to peel - the skin gives the necessary aroma and taste. We cut them into large pieces, sprinkle with salt - we need to “kick out” the bitterness from the eggplants.
After about 10 minutes, squeeze out the black liquid from them and place them on top of the potatoes; they will just cook until half cooked. Let it simmer.
You need to salt the Armenian khashlama at the very end, when everything is cooked: add salt, mix very carefully with a large wooden spoon from top to bottom, taste, add salt again if it’s not enough. Remove from heat, place on plates, sprinkle with herbs on top.
Beef gupta with egg
Photo: Gupta's Million Menu
is meatballs. It is eaten with soft white bread and served with dry white wine. This dish can be prepared not only from beef, but also from young lamb. In this case, you should add a little more cilantro to the meat to dull the characteristic smell of lamb.
Question answer
How to distinguish lamb from goat meat?
- 500 g beef pulp,
- 3 onions,
- 2 tbsp. l. ghee,
- 3 eggs,
- 5 tooth garlic,
- parsley, tarragon, dill, cilantro, savory, regan,
- salt and pepper.
Step 1 . Cut the meat into pieces and pass through a meat grinder.
Step 2 . Add chopped herbs, salt and pepper to the minced meat.
Step 3 . Crush the garlic and add to the minced meat. Mix thoroughly.
Step 4 . Form meatballs from the minced meat.
Step 5 . Peel the onion and chop finely. Beat the eggs a little and mix with the onion.
Step 6 . Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown.
Step 7 . Add water to cover the meat balls and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Step 8 . Pour the mixture of eggs and onions over the finished meatballs and simmer over low heat for several minutes until the eggs curl. Remove from heat and let stand on the stove for 3-5 minutes.
Step 9 . Serve hot with a side dish of eggs and fresh vegetables.
How dishes are prepared in different countries
Each country has its own secret of preparing khashlama, and everyone considers their own method to be the most correct. For example, in Armenian cuisine, khashlama means a thick vegetable soup with a lot of meat. Georgians add a lot of onions, cilantro and white roots. Some people believe that a dish like beef khashlama should contain a huge variety of vegetables - potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, and mushrooms. There are also those who prefer this meat dish only with the addition of all kinds of spices and beer.
Whatever method you choose for preparing the meat delicacy called “khashlama”, the recipe for any option contains a large amount of the main ingredient of this dish - meat, do not forget about it. It should be three times more than other products.
Khashlama in a multicooker
Required Products:
- A kilogram of boneless beef.
- Half a kilo of onions, tomatoes and eggplant.
- Vegetable oil.
- Greenery.
- Spices.
Preparation:
1. Cut the beef into not very large pieces, salt and sprinkle with spices. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Wash the eggplants, peel the skins, cut into cubes.
3. But the tomatoes will have to be blanched. Pour boiling water over them or put them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, remove the skin.
4. Peel the onion and cut into rings.
5. Pour a little vegetable oil into a multi-cooker bowl, add beef, then onions, eggplants, and evenly distribute tomato slices on top.
6. Pour salt, repeat one more layer of ingredients, vegetables should remain the top layer.
7. Pour in one multi-glass of hot water. Turn on the “Extinguishing” mode for 3 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kg beef.
- 1.3 potatoes.
- Carrots, tomatoes, peppers - 0.7 kg each.
- 1 kg of onions.
- A liter of light beer.
- Salt, pepper, herbs.
Preparation:
1. Chop the meat coarsely. Sprinkle it with salt and leave for 30 minutes.
2. Cut the potatoes into slices, peppers into six pieces, carrots into circles, onions and tomatoes into rings.
3. Finely chop all the greens.
4. Place all ingredients in several layers in a thick-walled pan - meat, onions, peppers, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes. Repeat all layers one more time.
5. Pour beer over vegetables and meat, sprinkle herbs and bay leaf on top. There is no need to add salt since the meat is already salted.
6. When the beer boils, turn the heat to low and simmer the khashlama for 3 hours under a closed lid.
Bon appetit!
Beef khashlama is a fairly well-known and popular dish; every housewife has cooked it in her kitchen at least once in her life, perhaps without even knowing its true name. After all, this is nothing more than beef with vegetables in a rich broth.
