Shorba Sabzi (Vegetable soup)
Another traditional food of Isfahan which has many fans in all parts of Iran is called Shorba Sabzi. The big difference between this traditional soup and other soups is that it contains small meatballs that make it look different from other soups and have a delicious taste. It is really easy to order and you can have it in almost any old restaurants in Isfahan.
Talking about Shorba; If you are having a cold in winter days and you don’t feel like spending a lot of time making food because of your illness, but your body needs a hot, nutritious meal, the best option is to make a simple Shorba.
Shorba is a traditional food that has been very nutritionally perfect but unfortunately its cooking has been forgotten in Iranian families. Easily digestible, has a moderate hot and dry nature, and it is prepared very quickly.
How to make Shorba?
To make Shorba first you need to dice a large onion in small size, then add it into the pan. Add some oil and let the onion soften and golden. Then add salt, pepper and turmeric.
In a pot, pour 5 glasses of water and heat it. Then add the fried onions and half a cup of soaked rice to the boiling water. It is better to use half-grain rice to get it smashed. Reduce the heat after adding rice. Put the pot lid and let the rice cook properly.
In order to make Shorba for colds, you need to mix grated onion with minced meat. Then knead well until the meat and onion are combined. Add some salt, pepper, turmeric and garlic powder if you like. Then prepare them into small meatballs, and put them in a container.
In this step, add the vegetables to the mix of rice and water and let them be cooked with mild heat. Some people add a bit of dill, which is optional and depends on your personal taste. After a few minutes, add the meatballs. At this point Shorba should be boiling, but if you increase the heat, the meatballs will collapse. To give the meat a better taste and appearance, some people fry it in a pan for 1 to 2 minutes, with a small amount of oil and then add it to Shorba.
To make Shorba more helpful for colds, it is better to dice a turnip, the size of a finger, and add it to the soup.
After adding the meat, wait at least half an hour to be fully cooked. Then pour Shorba into a bowl. Decorate it with Nana Dagh (dried mint and oil) and fried onion. You can add some fresh lemon juice to it while eating. This makes it better to both taste and to supplement vitamins. Some people add sour grape juice to make it sour.
