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Chikhirtma
Chikhirtma: silky Tbilisi chicken broth thickened with egg yolks and vinegar
Chikhirtma is Tbilisi's comfort soup, the bowl you are given when you are ill or after a long night at a supra: a golden chicken broth with a lot of slowly fried onion, thickened with flour-free egg yolks beaten with a little vinegar, so it turns silky and pale and tastes gently sour. Coriander and a pinch of saffron or marigold finish it. A common mistake is pouring the yolks into boiling broth, which scrambles them into threads. Chef's tip: temper the yolks with a few ladles of hot broth first and keep the soup below a simmer once they go in; it thickens like custard. Chicken must reach 74 °C before you shred it.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the broth
- 2 ¼ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone in
- 7 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
For the soup
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 2 ¼ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks in 7 ½ cups water with 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 bay leaf for 45 minutes, skimming, until it reads 165°F at the bone and falls away easily. Lift out, cool slightly and shred, discarding skin and bones.
45 minStep 2: Warm 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a clean pot over a low heat and fry 3 onions for 12 minutes, until very soft and golden. Stir in 1 tbsp cornflour and ½ tsp ground marigold or a pinch of saffron.
12 minStep 3: Strain the broth onto the onions, whisking, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken.
5 minStep 4: Whisk 4 egg yolks with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar. Whisk in 3 ladles of hot broth, one at a time. Common mistake: adding yolks straight to boiling soup; they curdle.
Step 5: Turn the heat to low, pour the yolk mix into the pot, stirring, and heat for 3–4 minutes without boiling, until the soup thickens and coats the spoon.
4 minStep 6: Stir in ½ oz fresh coriander and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chikhirtma take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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