Ciorbă de urzici (Romanian nettle soup)

Name: Ciorbă de urzici (Romanian nettle soup)
Ingredients: 500 g nettles; 500 ml water for soaking the rice; 2000 ml water for blanching; 1 tablespoon oil; 2 medium onions (300 g); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 100 g rice; 2000 ml water for the soup; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 1 egg; 100 g sour cream (optional)

Soups - Ciorbă de urzici (Romanian nettle soup) by Doina P. - Recipia

Ciorbă de urzici, a Romanian nettle soup, simmers with rice and onion, and the beaten egg gives the broth a little body. Tomato paste adds color, while the leaves keep their green flavor; it’s a light, brothy green soup that turns silkier with sour cream. I add the sour cream right to the bowl. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 30 minutes. Rest: 10 minutes. Total time: 60 minutes. Servings: 4. About 280 kcal and 9 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

500 g nettles
500 ml water for soaking the rice
2000 ml water for blanching
1 tablespoon oil
2 medium onions (300 g)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
100 g rice
2000 ml water for the soup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 egg
100 g sour cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean 500 g nettles well. Soak the rice for 10 minutes in 500 ml cold water, then drain. 2. Bring 2000 ml water to a boil. Blanch the nettles for 2 minutes, until softened, then drain and coarsely chop them. 3. In the same pot, heat the oil and cook the finely chopped onion for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the tomato paste and rice, then stir for 2 minutes. 4. Add the nettles and 2000 ml water. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. 5. Beat the egg with a fork and mix it with 3 tablespoons hot broth. Pour it into the pot and let the soup come to a boil once more, for about 1 minute. Serve with sour cream, if you like.

Notes

You can leave out the sour cream; the egg stays, and dairy is only added if you include it. I serve it with bread, like a simple vegetable soup, except the nettle leaves are softer. Choose nettles with small leaves and tender stems; with mature ones, trim off the fibrous stems. The rice thickens the broth as it cools, so you can thin your portion with a little water when reheating; I factor in the 10 minutes of soaking when deciding when to start. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.