Mashkichiri (Uzbek Mung Bean and Rice Soup)
In short: A thick, soft soup of green mung beans, rice, lamb and carrots, lightly spiced with cumin and finished with herbs. Plain, warming home cooking. It takes about 1 h 45 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 20 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Mashkichiri is a family soup that sits somewhere between a stew and a porridge. Green mung beans and rice cook down together with lamb, carrots and tomato until the pot turns thick and creamy. It is a gentle, filling dish for cold days and for anyone who is unwell, and in many homes it is served with a spoonful of sour yogurt and a handful of chopped dill.
Instructions
- Cover the mung beans with plenty of cold water and soak for 2 hours. Drain.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot over high heat and brown the lamb for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 6 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the tomatoes, cumin and salt and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down.
- Add the water and the drained mung beans. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 40 minutes until the beans are soft and the lamb is nearly tender.
- Stir in the rice and simmer for 20 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the rice and beans have broken down into a thick, creamy soup.
- Taste and adjust the salt. Ladle into bowls and top with dill and cilantro, and a spoonful of yogurt if you like.
Tips
- Whole green mung beans keep a little bite. If you use split mung beans, skip the soaking and add them with the rice, since they cook much faster.
- The soup thickens as it stands. Thin it with hot water when reheating and add extra salt.
Questions and answers
Can I make mashkichiri vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the lamb, use 3 tablespoons of oil and add a diced potato with the carrots. Cook for the same time for a satisfying meatless soup.
How long does mashkichiri keep?
It keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator and also freezes for up to 2 months. It will be much thicker after storing, so add hot water when you reheat.
How is mashkichiri different from mastava?
Mashkichiri is built on mung beans and rice and cooks down to a porridge-like texture. Mastava has more broth and potatoes but no beans.
How long does it take to make Mashkichiri (Uzbek Mung Bean and Rice Soup)?
About 1 h 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Mashkichiri (Uzbek Mung Bean and Rice Soup)?
About 420 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 42 g of carbohydrates and 19 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
