This is a very traditional Uzbek soup which is warming and refreshing at the same time. Whenever I am tired from eating too much of the solid foods, I whip this beef and rice soup (also called “Mastava” in Uzbek) very easily. It doesn’t require much time and is a very good choice when you are under the weather. It is indeed a great comfort food! Mastava goes very easy on your stomach and tastes great with the addition of yogurt and fresh or dry herbs. My children eat it with delight.
As simple as this soup is to make, sometimes it can come out a little on a bland side. My grandmother who taught me how to cook this soup used to say that the key is in the sauteing the ingredients correctly and giving enough time for the initial boiling, where the meat (preferably on the bone) releases its juices and gives a great taste to the soup. So, please watch out for all the details.
Ingredients:
- 10 oz of beef
- 1/2 cup oil (or ghee)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large tomato, preferably skin peeled (or two medium)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (I use a paste blend with hot chili peppers)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 medium potato
- 1 cup short grain rice, I use California Rose (sushi rice will work)
- 1-1/2 liters of water
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/4 cumin powder (optional)
- 1Tbsp salt
- black pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- Fresh herbs like dill or cilantro for garnish
Direction:
You will need to cut all the vegetables and meat about the same size. I cut them all in small cubes to have a very uniform soup. Onion on the other hand, the thinner the better. Prep all your cutting in advance, so that you do not get distracted while things are getting fried. You do not want to burn anything.
Heat the soup pot on medium high and add the oil of your choice. If you are using ghee, about 3 tbsp are enough. When the oil is hot enough, I add the meat to give it an instant sizzle. Fry the meat until it is golden brown. Add the chopped onions and keep stirring occasionally in order not to burn them. When the onions turn nicely golden (not burnt) I add the chopped garlic, giving it a couple of minutes to mingle with meat and onions.
Next up, tomatoes! Add thinly sliced tomatoes to the mixture and fry until it is incorporated really well. While the tomato is getting fried, use this opportunity to stir and crush the tomatoes by pressing on them occasionally. This will breakdown the tomatoes faster and your soup will taste great. The color of your soup is also determined at this stage. Once the oil starts to seperate from tomatoes it is time to move on to other ingredients.
You can use cubed red bell peppers, but my children dislike it in this soup. So, I opt-out to using hot pepper tomato paste. This one tastes like peppers more than tomatoes. I just add about a 1/4 tsp because it is a double concentrate. Also add the salt, cumin and the smoked paprika at this state. Add the diced carrots and give everything a nice stir.
Add water and wait until the soup starts boiling. Once it does, turn the heat down to medium low and keep on boiling the soup for about 40-60 minutes.
When 40-60 minutes passed, add diced potatoes and cook until potatoes get soft, usually for about 20 minutes.
Wash the rice and add to the soup. I do not like my rice overcooked. So I turn the soup off while the rice is still slightly bit harder in the middle. After adding the dried herbs, I move the pot to a different burner (which is cooler) and let it sit there until the rice is fully cooked in the heat of the soup (but not overcooked). If you like the rice fully cooked and a little on a mushier side, at this point you can cover the soup with a lid.
Check the taste of the soup and adjust the salt, black pepper as needed. If the soup is too thick for your taste, you can add a little bit of boiled water to it. We serve this soup with fresh herbs and some plain yogurt (I love mine with sour cream).
Viola! Your soup is ready. Let me know how yours turned out.
Beef and Rice Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz of beef
- 1/2 cup oil or ghee
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large tomato preferably skin peeled (or two medium)
- 1/2 red bell pepper I use a paste blend with hot chili peppers
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 medium potato
- 1 cup short grain rice I use California Rose (sushi rice will work)
- 1-1/2 liters of water
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika optional
- 1/4 cumin powder optional
- 1 Tbsp salt
- black pepper optional
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried mint
- Fresh herbs like dill or cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- You will need to cut all the vegetables and meat about the same size. I cut them all in small cubes to have a very uniform soup. Onion on the other hand, the thinner the better. Prep all your cutting in advance, so that you do not get distracted while things are getting fried. You do not want to burn anything.
- Heat the soup pot on medium high and add the oil of your choice. If you are using ghee, about 3 tbsp are enough. When the oil is hot enough, I add the meat to give it an instant sizzle. Fry the meat until it is golden brown. Add the chopped onions and keep stirring occasionally in order not to burn them. When the onions turn nicely golden (not burnt) I add the chopped garlic, giving it a couple of minutes to mingle with meat and onions.
- Add thinly sliced tomatoes to the mixture and fry until it fried and incorporates really well. While the tomato is getting fried, use this opportunity to stir and crush the tomatoes by pressing on them occasionally. This will breakdown the tomatoes faster and your soup will taste great. The color of your soup is also determined at this stage. Once the oil starts to seperate from tomatoes it is time to move on to other ingredients.
- Add diced peppers and also add the salt, cumin and the smoked paprika at this state. Add the diced carrots and give everything a nice stir.
- Add water and wait until the soup starts boiling. Once it does, turn the heat down to medium low and keep on boiling the soup for about 40-60 minutes.
- hen 40-60 minutes passed, add diced potatoes and cook until potatoes get soft, usually for about 20 minutes.
- Wash the rice and add to the soup. I do not like my rice to be overcooked. So I turn the soup off while the rice is still slightly bit harder in the middle. After adding the dried herbs, I move the pot to a different burner (which is cooler) and let it sit there until the rice is fully cooking in the heat of the soup (but not overcooked). If you like the rice fully cooked and a little on a mushier side, at this point you can cover the soup with a lid.
- Check the taste of the soup and adjust the salt, black pepper as needed. If the soup is too thick for your taste, you can add a little bit of boiled water to it. WE serve this soup with fresh herbs and some plain yogurt (I love mine with sour cream).
Love hearty soups like this for the winter right now! I have to try this recipe out.
Thank you. Thalia! Let me know how yours turn out!
Made this two days ago – my goodness it is SUCH comfort food! The whole family loved it – going to add to my “go-to” meal list, thank you!