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Uzbek masha soup

Uzbek Mung Bean Soup (Mashkhurda)

An intriguing, out-of-the-ordinary soup that's thick and hearty. Loaded with mung beans, rice, and vegetables, it's the kind of bowl that keeps you full for hours. In Uzbekistan it's traditionally served in small patterned bowls called piyalas, and somehow that makes it taste at least 50% better.

UnicornSteak

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Beef

400

Sunflower oil

Onion (All vegetables medium-sized)

Carrot

Bell pepper

0.5

Tomato paste

Garlic

Water

Potatoes

Mung beans

100

Short-grain rice

Ground coriander

Paprika

Salt

Ground hot pepper

Fresh herbs (For serving)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 36 % 4 g

Fats 18 % 2 g

Carbohydrates 45 % 5 g

56 kcal

GI: 60 / 20 / 20

Cooking method

Step 1:

First, rinse the mung beans under running water and cover them with cold water to soak. This helps them cook faster. Leave them soaking until it's time to add them to the soup.
Step 2:

Mashkhurda is made with beef or lamb, bone-in if you like that kind of meat. Rinse your piece of meat under running water and cut it into small bite-sized chunks. Brown the meat in sunflower oil until golden. I then moved the meat to a separate bowl and washed out the pan.
Step 3:

In the skillet, saute the onion (cut into half-moons) and the carrot (cut into matchsticks) until soft. You could cook the vegetables right alongside the meat, but I prefer to do them separately: that way the beef can simmer longer and turn out more tender, and the saute goes into the broth later, so it stays distinct in the soup instead of cooking down past recognition.
Step 4:

Add the red bell pepper, cut into medium dice, to the saute.
Step 5:

Add the finely chopped garlic, tomato paste, and spices, the ground coriander and paprika. Stir and warm the mixture through for a couple of minutes, then take it off the heat and set it aside for now.
Step 6:

Pour the filtered water into a pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Add the browned meat to the boiling water. Don't salt it yet.
Step 7:

Next, add the potatoes cut into medium dice. Lower the heat to a minimum and keep it at a gentle simmer for about twenty minutes. I like the potatoes really soft in this soup, so I cook them even longer, until the edges just start to round off.
Step 8:

Only now stir in the tomato saute, so its acidity doesn't keep the potatoes from softening.
Step 9:

Drain the soaked mung beans and add them to the pot. Cook until the beans begin to split open.
Step 10:

The cooking time for mung beans can vary quite a bit. Mine took about 25 minutes. Taste a bean, and once the skin is soft enough for you, move on to the next step.
Step 11:

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then add it to the pot. Cook the soup another 10 minutes or so, until the rice is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Your mashkhurda is ready!

Serve mashkhurda hot, topped with chopped fresh herbs.
To me this soup tastes a lot like a thick split-pea soup, minus the smoked meat.
Enjoy!
You can use more or less water than the recipe calls for, depending on whether you want a thick or brothier soup.
Root vegetables are best scrubbed with a brush or a stiff sponge under running water.
For the best flavor, use filtered or bottled water with a neutral taste. Tap water can sometimes give the dish an off, characteristic flavor.