“Master Chef” finalist Itai Dagan grew up on the flavors of Georgian cooking and today skillfully balances tradition with culinary innovation. He joined us for the “House Pot,” a lunch series at Cafe Asif where he made this stew.
“I remember Fridays at home when my mother’s Georgian soup [shechamandy] would fill the house with warm, inviting aromas,” he recalls. “It’s rich with herbs, tamarind, pomegranate concentrate, and warm spices — flavors that capture the essence of a Georgian winter. The whole family would sit around the table with good bread, scallions, and radishes. These were moments of sweet silence.”
Shechamandy is unique to the mountainous region northwest of Tbilisi, known for its fertile soil and abundant crops of vegetables and greens, which are incorporated into local dishes like this one. In the summer, the soup is served cold, with a base made from fresh ingredients. In the winter, it’s served hot, often using ingredients that have been preserved and dried.
Ingredients
For pre-cooking the meat:
1Kg (2.2lbs) beef (shoulder, chuck, sirloin), cut into medium-small cubes
1 tablespoon salt
4 whole allspice berries
3 bay leaves
3L (12 cups) water
For the sauce:
⅓ cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1-2 green chile peppers, chopped
½ garlic head, separated into cloves and chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup (240 grams) tomato paste
2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1½ cup (400 grams) crushed tomatoes
1½ tablespoons salt
1 cup short-grain rice
1 cup chopped celery leaves
1 bunch dill, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 cup chopped tarragon
To serve:
Bukhari bread or other Central Asian bread
Scallions
Radishes
Preparation
- Precook the meat: Place the meat, allspice, bay leaves, salt, and water in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the meat is half-cooked, about 1½ hours.
- Drain the meat, reserving the spices and the cooking liquid. Allow the meat to cool and air dry for 15-30 minutes.
- Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the oil and fry the meat on all sides until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- In the same pot, add the onions, chile peppers, garlic, coriander, and the reserved spices from step 1. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- Add the tomato paste, pomegranate concentrate, and tamarind paste. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any roasting residue from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and salt and cook for 3 minutes.
- Return the meat to the pot and mix well. Add the reserved cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour.
- Add the rice and mix well. Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The liquid should reduce from a soup-like consistency to a stew. If necessary, add water from time to time to maintain a stew-like consistency.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the finely chopped herbs. Serve with Bukhari bread, scallions, and radishes.
