Mastova (Rice and Yogurt Soup)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Beef or lamb, cut into small pieces — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Carrot, diced — 1
- Chickpeas, soaked overnight — 100 g (½ cup)
- Long-grain rice — 100 g (½ cup)
- Water or stock — 1.5 L (6 cups)
- Vegetable oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
- Plain yogurt — 250 g (1 cup)
- Fresh dill and coriander, chopped — 3 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper, — to taste
Method
- Drain the soaked chickpeas.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the meat pieces, about 6–7 minutes.
- Add onion and carrot, cooking 4 minutes until softened.
- Add chickpeas and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45–50 minutes until the chickpeas and meat are tender.
- Add rice and continue simmering for 15–18 minutes until the rice is tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
- In a small bowl, temper the yogurt by whisking in a ladleful of the hot soup broth gradually, to prevent curdling, then stir this mixture back into the pot.
- Warm through gently without boiling (to avoid curdling the yogurt), season with salt and black pepper to taste, and serve garnished with fresh dill and coriander.
Introduction: Mastova is a comforting rice soup enriched with yogurt, chickpeas, and often small pieces of meat, offering a tangy, filling alternative to clear broths like shurbo.
Cultural Background: Mastova is a comforting rice soup enriched with yogurt, chickpeas, and often small pieces of meat, offering a tangy, filling alternative to clear broths like shurbo. Popular across Tajik households, it reflects the deep-rooted use of yogurt in Central Asian everyday cooking, both as an ingredient and a finishing touch.
Tips: Tempering the yogurt with a little hot broth before adding it to the pot, and avoiding a hard boil afterward, prevents the yogurt from curdling or separating.
Variations: A vegetarian version can be made by omitting the meat and using vegetable stock, relying on the chickpeas for protein.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the yogurt-based broth is best kept refrigerated and gently reheated rather than frozen.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently and avoiding a full boil to keep the yogurt from separating.
FAQs:
Q: Why did my yogurt curdle in the soup?
A: Adding cold yogurt directly to a boiling pot, or boiling hard after adding it, are the main causes — always temper the yogurt first and keep the heat gentle afterward.
Q: Can I use canned chickpeas to save time?
A: Yes, add them later in the cooking process since they only need to warm through rather than fully cook.
Q: Is mastova naturally gluten-free?
A: Yes, as written it contains no gluten ingredients.
- Beef or lamb, cut into small pieces — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Carrot, diced — 1
- Chickpeas, soaked overnight — 100 g (½ cup)
- Long-grain rice — 100 g (½ cup)
- Water or stock — 1.5 L (6 cups)
- Vegetable oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
- Plain yogurt — 250 g (1 cup)
- Fresh dill and coriander, chopped — 3 tbsp
- Salt and black pepper, — to taste
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