Jump to content

Soups


ediecago

Recommended Posts

Help!

 

I just returned from Hayastan and I must have aveluk-lentil soup. I also need a better recipe for spas. The soups in Armenia are wonderful and different from the soups I've had elsewhere. And where, pray does one get AVELUK in Chicago? I know one of the secrets to the lentil-aveluk soup is aveluk and the other is garlic (imagine that?).

 

Is there a decent substitute for this lovely, lemony green?

 

Please help! :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to the forum ediecago, hope you enjoy your stay. How are things in Chicago, I was there about two years ago, and loved it. Just a bit of adivse, stay away from Armen and Sasun, they're bad news. :P

 

Azat and Maral would be the ones to help you with this. They're great cooks. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Help! 

 

I just returned from Hayastan and I must have aveluk-lentil soup.  I also need a better recipe for spas.  The soups in Armenia are wonderful and different from the soups I've had elsewhere.  And where, pray does one get AVELUK in Chicago?

==

 

Please help!  :o

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

Where?

Look in your backyard or front yard at that!

 

Oxalis!!

 

Beside the secondary meanings of "aveluk" as "leftover", self explantory, or the stuff that we sweep with an avel...

Aveluk is also known as "thrthnjuk" which in turn points to Oxalis. The sour lemony taste is from the oxalic acid...

 

Did you guess already?

 

Tataaaa.....!!!

 

Clover!

 

 

Caution!

Oxalic acid is toxic. Before you poison yourself find out exactly which clover it is and how it is prepared/cured.

 

Edit: Upon further reading it seems that what we are talking about, rather than the common lawn clover, it may be this;

 

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consume...son/Oxalisp.htm

Edited by Arpa
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the warm welcome.

 

I'm confused though: Why would they make entire salads of the poached stuff if oxalis is toxic? Also, the clover you cited has three round leaves (regular, front-yard clover), whereas aveluk I'm looking for has long dark green leaves (8-10 inches long?) that are braided together and dried.

 

I think I'm looking for something closer to dinosaur kale or swiss chard?

 

Besides, I don't like the answer that the yummy stuff is toxic. Give me another answer!

 

How about aveluk makes you thin and beautiful and brings good luck?

 

Chicago is wonderful. Like New York but cheaper, cleaner, less-dense, and friendlier.

 

Edie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why Extra? You don't like a "Holy soup" with candels? I though you're a romantic  :angry:  :)

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

AHAHAAHHAHAHAHAH! That was great! :D "Vi menya v krasku zagnali, Armen." :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the warm welcome. 

=====

I think I'm looking for something closer to dinosaur kale or swiss chard? 

 

Besides, I don't like the answer that the yummy stuff is toxic.  Give me another answer!

 

Edie

style_images/master/snapback.png

I lied. Not really! :) :)

 

I was not totally convinced with the clover story as in Armenian the clover is known, obviously, as "ereqnuk", trifolia.

I did not look in the most likely places.

Aveluk is Rumex. You will note that it also contains oxalic acid. To be more precise it is Rumex acetosa, common name Sorrel, like this;

 

http://www.gardenguides.com/articles/sorrel.htm

 

How is this?

http://www.gardenguides.com/recipes/sorellentilsoup.htm

 

Are we friends now?

 

BTW. Welcome Edie!

Edited by Arpa
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Edie,

Welcome to Hye Forum and welcome back from Armenia.

I am not sure if you are going to be able to make soups(food in general) to taste as good as they taste in Armenia. But here is a bit of info

 

Here is the recipe for Spas

http://www.armenians.com/cookbook/viewrecipe.php?id=116

 

As for Aveluk, do you have any relatives in LA? Some Armenian sores import it from Yerevan and you can ask them to just send it to you as it is very light as they are dried. If not, just PM me and I will send it to you right after the holidays when all the lines go down in the post office)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Az, is that the same as tanapur? We call it something else too (more common word) but it escaped my mind right now. Sip?? You know what I mean?

 

But your recipe looks more complicated. I think ours is yoghurt, water, broken rice, a few spices (not sure which, but I can smell them), salt and pepper, Spanish peppers and garlic cloves for taste (not supposed to be eaten!!). That's it. But I know they use wheat a lot in Hayastan instead of rice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anytime :)  For those who might be curious, "mast" means yogurt in farsi and ash is well ... ash  :huh:  :D

style_images/master/snapback.png

Mast means intoxicated/drunk.

As to its maning of yogurt.. I did not know and neither can I find it. Is it not tantalizingly homophonous with "mats" as in "matsun"?

 

Ash is an Arabic word that literally means life/living/sustenance.

 

Here is a test.

What culinary Armenian word is also based on life/living/sustenance as well?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Help! 

 

I just returned from Hayastan and I must have aveluk-lentil soup.  I also need a better recipe for spas.  The soups in Armenia are wonderful and different from the soups I've had elsewhere.  And where, pray does one get AVELUK in Chicago?  I know one of the secrets to the lentil-aveluk soup is aveluk and the other is garlic (imagine that?).

 

Is there a decent substitute for this lovely, lemony green?

 

Please help!  :o

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

one place you can get Aveluk is the Victory Produce in Van Nuys - next to KArabagh Meet market

sorry don’t have the phone number for you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a take-home exam, so don't worry ;) :)

 

My guess is at apur..

style_images/master/snapback.png

 

Apur-is Nairi!

I mean, APRIS!

:clap: :clap: :thumbup:

 

It is obvious now that "apur" is based on "april", to live/life. It would be interesting, I'll have to look it up, as to which came first the (chicken) soup or the (egg drop) soup. Whether live/life is based on apur or apur is based on april.

Consider another word also based on the same root- apranq/supplies, not to forget "aprust"/livelihood.

Edited by Arpa
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mast with the a as in 'Andrew' is that. I meant mast with the 'a' as in 'Azat'... I was thinking of writing "must", but for some reason, changed my mind.

 

By the way, no one told me about no test today  :o

style_images/master/snapback.png

Once again you failed the test Sip.

You'll have to stand in the corner with this :dunce: on.

Just you wait! You just wait!

One of these days you will face the acid test! :) :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mast with the a as in 'Andrew' is that. I meant mast with the 'a' as in 'Azat'... I was thinking of writing "must", but for some reason, changed my mind.

style_images/master/snapback.png

Btw. I did know the difference. It is also used in Turkish, i.e. mast as in the mast of a ship, sounds like last is drunk/intoxicated aad mast as in wasp is the other, just like in "matsun".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Arpa, MosJan and others:

 

Thanks all for the aveluk advice.

 

I DO have friends in LA -- but most stores send things by mail to us in the hinterlands. There's a market here I need to try and now that I know it's SORREL -- I can try chi-chi organic food stores too.

 

I THOUGHT it was lemony like sorrel is supposed to taste. Only I'd never cooked with sorrel and only had a bad sorrel soup once. Now I've had lots of great sorrel soup in Hayastan!

 

Thank you for the spas recipe. One of my favorite memories of Hayastan is my 7 year old daughter being served spas without being asked if she wanted any. I shuddered to think what would happen as this american kid (who does NOT eat madzoon plain -- she likes the dannon stuff with sprinkles etc.) tried a hot soup made with plain yogurt. But she tasted it, smiled at our hostess (a wonderful nun no less) and me and said "Mommy, this is delicious, can we have this at home?" I breathed many sighs of relief. I knew I had a good kid, but it's just the best when they rise to the occasion isn't it? I asked her later and she said it really was ok - tasting.

 

She loves lentil soups so we'll try the lentil-aveluk soup soon!

 

I know spinach is bad for babies until age 1 because of the oxalic acid they can't digest (although there is plenty of spinach babyfood out there). I gather aveluk is the same. The good news is that I am 43 and can therefore eat it happily.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok Azat. I guess I will need to just bring home dried aveluk from Hayastan on my next trip and compare it to dried sorrel. It sounds to me like a wonderful excuse to eat a lot.

 

My husband still dreams of the old days when I decided to make a perfect Spanish flan like Siete Puertas in Barcelona. We had good to great flans every other day for several months. He liked eating my "good" attempts.

 

At least a combination of spinach and sorrel might taste good in a lentil soup though -- right? And it would be good for you. Time to hit the kitchen as soon as I tackle my house. We have guests coming for the holidays and there's no place for them to sleep until I clean up my "study".

 

Edie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

Dear Ed, I am almost sure that aveluk is not sorrel. But I could be wrong. We had a different name for sorrel in Armenia.

http://www.asgteach.com/blog/gail/photos/photos_2007/Sorrel.jpg

http://www.plant-identification.co.uk/images/polygonaceae/rumex-acetosa-3.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Nordens_flora_Rumex_acetosa.jpg

http://www.armenianow.com/features/mama_makes_it_better/21752/armenian_cuisine_sorrel_soup

 

According to the Hanragitaran Aveluk is Rumex, the most popular of which being Rumex acetosa. There is a method to this madness, see here the chemical content- Oxalic acid., the reason why it has to be soaked for a long time. I had written about this, that Zeituntsis of Aleppo were the experts in the art of this recipe. They were the experts, and when in season they gathered and prepared it the entire neighborhood would be invited. I do remember that the leaves had to be soaked in water for a long time,changing the water several times I.e. to exude the “acid”.

Btw, “sorrel” seems to be French while the English is “dock”.

PS. In searching one will see that Sorrel soup is a very popular Jamaican dish.

Rumex Acetosa.

History and Chemical Composition.—The leaves of this and the following plant (see Rumex Acetosella) are the parts used in medicine. They are inodorous, and have an agreeable, acid, slightly astringent taste. The leaves chiefly contain acid oxalate (binoxalate) of potassium, tannic acid, and nitrogenous matter. By drying, their acidity is lost. They are used alone, or in the form of an infusion of the fresh leaves, The root contains a substance allied to crysophanic acid, and an iron-greening tannin. In the early stage of its growth, it abounds in oxalic acid (5 per cent soluble, and about 9 per cent insoluble).

Dman it! Why are we still speaking furkish? Who knows that the Armenian word for "bulgur" is "dzavar"?

----

Mama Makes It Better | 19.03.10 | 16:47

Sorrel Soup: Bringing the taste of the hills home

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN

ArmeniaNow

By Gayane Mkrtchyan

ArmeniaNow reporter

When at the beginning of summer Anahit Harutyunyan goes to gather sorrel in the hills of Geghard, it means that she is preparing for the winter cuisine.

 

“Sorrel is a plant with green wide leaves; it grows in almost all regions of Armenia. However, the taste of sorrel grown in mountains is tastier. After gathering sorrel, we plait it like wheat and hang it to dry,” Anahit explains.

 

Sorrel soup is made of dried sorrel, white bulgur, cut potatoes, stewed onions, walnuts, and dried plums.

 

The dried plant, twisted into braids, can be bought in markets.

 

Anahit says that the plaits of sorrel are called ‘gyal’ in Armenian villages. She takes a sorrel ‘gyal’, cuts it with scissors, and puts it into a bowl. She washes it with boiled water two or three times. She says that the plant is too bitter if not washed properly.

 

Later she adds 1.5 liters of cold water to 200 grams of sorrel and puts it on a gas fire to cook. When it starts boiling, Anahit stirs it constantly with a ladle.

 

When boiling, Anahit adds half a tablespoon of salt (depending on taste), then 200 grams of white bulgur, and a tablespoon of oil.

 

“When we add the oil, the bulgur opens like a rose in the soup, it becomes even whiter and more beautiful,” Anahit says.

 

She adds potatoes cut into large and small cubes. When the potatoes have cooked, she takes out the large cubes and mashes them, then returns the potatoes to the soup. Using the mashed potatoes makes the soup thicker.

 

As if spring has found its way into the soup pot, the sorrel leaves become fresh green and loosen the smell of the mountains.

 

There are 12 varieties of sorrel in Armenia; six types are used for soup, and nearly every Armenian housewife keeps it on hand. It is often used to relieve stomach problems. (In this case, sorrel is simply cooked and the juice is given to the person who has a stomach problem.)

 

Anahit cuts onions for stewing and puts them into a frying-pan, where she has put 150 grams oil, and puts the pan on a gas fire. After stirring for about three minutes, she adds cayenne pepper, and when the onions turn a golden color, she adds them to the soup and cooks over a low flame.

 

After about five minutes Anahit adds chopped walnuts, dried plums and sour lavash (made of plum juice). Anahit says garlic may be added for those who prefer a more pungent soup.

 

Sorrel is usually cooked in Armenia during lent; however, many prefer decorating their New Year or Easter table with the colorful dish.

 

The following ingredients are necessary to cook sorrel soup:

 

200 grams sorrel

200 grams bulgur

1 potato

2 onions

200 grams oil

100 grams walnut

dried plums (depending on taste)

sour lavash (depending on taste)

½ tablespoon of salt

garlic (depending on taste)

 

How to cook sorrel soup:

Cut 200 grams of sorrel, put into a bowl, wash it three times with hot water. Put sorrel into a pot, add 1.5 liters of cold water and put on heat. When boiling, add half a tablespoon of salt (depending on taste), 200 grams white bulgur, and one tablespoon of oil. Mix sorrel with a ladle several times. Then peel one potato, cut it into small and large cubes, and add to mix. After potatoes have softened mash the large cubs and return to soup.

Peel two onions and cut into small pieces; add 150 grams oil and prepare stewed onions. Mix constantly, then add half a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. When the stewed onions become golden add them to the soup. After a few minutes add chopped walnuts, dried plums, and sour lavash depending on taste. Serve with garlic, for an additional taste.

 

Top of Form 1

Bottom of Form 1

 

Mama Makes It Better | 19.03.10 | 16:47

Ավելուկով ապուր. տարածելով սարերի բուրմունքը տան մեջ

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN

ArmeniaNow

By Gayane Mkrtchyan

ArmeniaNow reporter

Երբ ամառվա սկզբին Անահիտ Հարությունյանը Գեղարդի լեռներում ավելուկ հավաքելու է գնում, նշանակում է` պատրաստվում է ձմեռային խոհանոցին:

 

«Ավելուկը կանաչ լայն տերևներով բույս է և աճում է Հայաստանի գրեթե բոլոր շրջաններում: Բայց լեռներում աճած ավելուկի համն ուրիշ է: Քաղելուց հետո հյուսում ենք ցորենի նման ու կախում չորանալու»,- ասում է Անահիտը:

 

Ավելուկով ապուրը պատրաստում են չորացրած ավելուկով, սպիտակ աղացած ձավարով, կտրատած կարտոֆիլով, սոխառածով, ընկույզով ու սալորաչրով:

 

Եթե ամռանն ավելուկ չեք հավաքել, ապա այն կարելի է ձեռք բերել երևանյան շուկաներից:

 

Անահիտն ասում է, որ գյուղերում ավելուկի կապերին «գյալ» են անվանել: Նա վերցնում է ավելուկի «գյալը», մկրատով կտրատում ու լցնում թասի մեջ: Գրեթե երեք անգամ եռացրած է ջուր լցնում վրան ու նորից թափում: Ասում է, որ դա արվում է, որպեսզի բույսի դառնահամը դուրս գա:

 

Այնուհետև 1,5 լ սառը ջուրը լցնում է 200 գ ավելուկի վրա ու դնում գազօջախին եփելու: Երբ սկսում է եռալ, անընդհատ շերեփով խառնում է ավելուկները, որոնք մինչև եռալը բարձրանում են ջրի երես:

 

Եռալու ժամանակ Անահիտն ավելացնում է կես ճաշի գդալ աղ (ըստ ճաշակի), հետո 200 գ աղացած սպիտակ ձավար և մեկ ճաշի գդալ ձեթ:

 

«Երբ ավելացնում ենք ձեթը, ձավարը վարդի պես բացվում է ապուրի մեջ, դառնում ավելի սպիտակ ու սիրուն»,- բացատրում է Անահիտը:

 

Ու մինչ ապուրը եփում է, նա մանր քառակուսիների նման կտրատում է կարտոֆիլը: Մի քանի կտոր կարտոֆիլ չի մանրացնում: Մանր կտրատածների հետ խոշորները նույնպես լցնում է ապուրի մեջ: Երբ կարտոֆիլը եփում է, խոշորները հանում է, լցնում ափսեի մեջ ու պատառաքաղով ճզմում: Հետո արդեն ճզմած կարտոֆիլը նորից ավելացնում է ապուրին, որ ապուրն ավելի թանձր լինի:

 

Կաթսայի մեջ ասես փոքրիկ գարուն լինի: Ավելուկի տերևները թարմ կանաչի երանգ են ստացել: Օդում տարածվել է սարերի բուրմունքը:

 

Հայաստանում տարածված ավելուկի 12 տեսակներից վեցն է օգտագործվում ապուր եփելու համար, և այսօր էլ հայ տնային տնտեսուհիներն իրենց խոհանոցի մի անկյունում միշտ ավելուկ ունեն: Հաճախ ավելուկն օգտագործվում է ստամոքսի խանգարումները բուժելու նպատակով: Այս դեպքում ավելուկը պարզապես խաշում են և հյութը տալիս ստամոքսի խնդիրներ ունեցող մարդուն:

 

Անահիտը կտրատում է սոխառածի սոխը,այն լցնում թավայի մեջ, որտեղ նախապես լցրել է գրեթե 150 գ բուսական յուղ և դնում գազօջախին: Սոխառածը մի երեք րոպե խառնելուց հետո ավելացնում է աղացած կարմիր պղպեղ: Երբ սոխառածը դառնում է ոսկեգույն, ավելացնում է ապուրին և եփում մարմանդ կրակով:

 

Խոհանոցի սեղանին մանր կտրատած ընկույզն է, սալորաչիրն ու թթու լավաշը (այն պատրաստում են սալորի հյութից): 5 րոպե եփելուց հետո Անահիտն ապուրին է ավելացնում ընկույզը, սալորաչիրն ու թթու լավաշը: Անահիտն ասում է, որ ցանկացողները ավելուկով ապուրը համտեսում են սխտորով, ըստ ճաշակի:

 

Ավելուկն ընդունված է պատրաստել հատկապես Պահոց շրջանում: Սակայն շատերն իրենց Ամանորյա կամ Զատկի սեղանը զարդարում են այս գունագեղ ճաշատեսակով:

 

Ավելուկով ապուրի համար անհրաժեշտ է

200 գ ավելուկ

200 գ ձավար

1 հատ կարտոֆիլ

2 գլուխ սոխ

200 գ ձեթ

100 գ ընկույզ

Սալորաչիր` ըստ ճաշակի

Թթու լավաշ` ըստ ճաշակի

Կես ճաշի գդալ աղ

Սխտոր` ըստ ցանկության

 

Պատրաստման եղանակը

200 գ ավելուկը կտրատել, լցնել թասի մեջ: Երեք անգամ եռացրած ջուր լցնել վրան ու ջուրը թափել: Այնուհետև ավելուկը լցնել կաթսայի մեջ,ավելացնել 1,5 լ ջուր ու դնել գազօջախին: Երբ սկսում է եռալ, ավելացնել կես ճաշի գդալ աղ (ըստ ճաշակի), 200 գ աղացած սպիտակ ձավար և մեկ ճաշի գդալ ձեթ: Ավելուկը մի քանի անգամ հարկավոր է շերեփով խառնել: Այնուհետև մեկ կարտոֆիլը կտրատել, նաև խոշոր կտորներ թողնել: Հետո այդ ամբողջը լցնել ավելուկի ապուրի մեջ: Երբ կարտոֆիլը եփում է, խոշորները հանել, դնել ափսեի մեջ ու պատառաքաղով ճզմել, ապա նորից լցնել ապուրի մեջ, որպեսզի այն ավելի թանձր լինի: Այնուհետև 2 գլուխ սոխը մանր կտրատել, լցնել թավայի մեջ` ավելացնելով 200 գ ձեթ և դնել կրակին: Անընդհատ խառնել, ավելացնել կես ճաշի գդալ կարմիր պղպեղ: Երբ դառնում է ոսկեգույն, ավելացնել ապուրին: Մի քանի րոպե անց ավելացնել մանր կտրատած ընկույզը, սալորաչիրն ու թթու լավաշը` ըստ ճաշակի: Կարելի է ճաշակել նաև սխտորով համեմած, ըստ ցանկության:

Source URL: http://www.armenianow.com/node/21754

Source URL: http://www.armenianow.com/features/mama_makes_it_better/21752/armenian_cuisine_sorrel_soup

Edited by Arpa
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...