You will not have a chance to prepare this soup too many times a year; perhaps once or twice only. It is spring now and even in your garden, nearby parks and forests you can find some. Occasionaly in Turkish markets you will find and old person selling them. Do not miss the chance.
Be careful, the name of this plant is not a joke, this plant does sting. So while picking them up or washing, make sure you wear gloves. Throw away the stiff stems, you do not need to use a knife, tear them off. Other than this there is no big issue about preparing this healthy soup.
It will be no surprise to anyone that there are many health benefits of eating nettles. The most known benefits are that they are diuretic, laxative, used in curing cancer and diabetes, besides relieves headache and eczema as it is a blood purifier.
Below is a soup recipe, you can also make boreks with this plant.
Stinging Nettle Soup
Ingredients
- 500 grams stinging nettle
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons corn flour
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 meat boullion or meat stock
- 1+ litre water
Instructions
- Wear gloves. Tear off the stems of the nettles and discard. Rinse well.
- Add the olive oil and butter in a large pot.
- Add chopped onions. Saute until translucent.
- Add chopped garlic if you choose to and cook for an additional minute.
- Add tomato paste and cook mixing for another minute, until you start smelling the tomato paste.
- Add the flour and the corn flour, again cook mixing until you start smelling the flour.
- Add the nettles, mix until well blended with the other ingredients.
- Add the warm water and cook over first high and then medium heat.
- Add the meat stok or meat boullion. Make sure these dissolve completely.
- When the nettles change color and look like they are ready add salt. This soup tolerates quite a lot of salt, so taste and adjust according to your taste.
- Close the heat, use a blender to reach a thick, smooth soup. It will still have some particules, if children do not like it like that, you might choose to filter it with a thin wire colander.