Zakarpatska chahanahy
Description
The recipe won't take much time. The preparation of Zakarpattia-style chanakhi is quite simple and helps preserve all the beneficial nutrients of the ingredients used. Traditionally, this dish is considered autumn or winter fare, as it's hearty and contains mushrooms—back in the day, mushrooms weren't available in stores. Originally baked in a stove, we'll prepare it in clay pots. So here is the recipe for Zakarpattia-style chanakhi with photos—let's start cooking. Serve hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Soak the beans in cold water overnight. In the morning, drain the water and cook the beans until done.
- 2
Step 2
We wash the meat and cut it into medium-sized pieces. It's better to use fatty meat since we won't be frying it, and no fat other than what comes from the meat itself will be used in the dish.
- 3
Step 3
Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes.
- 4
Step 4
Peel the onion and cut into cubes.
- 5
Step 5
You can use fresh, frozen, or dried mushrooms. I prefer using dried mushrooms in this dish—they give it a special aroma. You can soak them and then boil. I tried grinding the mushrooms in a coffee grinder and adding the mushroom powder directly to the pots. I liked it.
- 6
Step 6
All ingredients are ready, let's start assembling the dish. I have 4 pots. Place the meat at the bottom of each, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add bay leaves.
- 7
Step 7
Now we lay the potatoes and beans.
- 8
Step 8
Grate the carrots and place them on top of the beans, then layer the onions on top. The layers do not necessarily need to be in this order. You can place the onions and carrots directly onto the meat.
- 9
Step 9
Prepare the sauce. Peel the tomatoes and chop them finely. You can also use canned tomatoes or tomato sauce. Add herbs, mushroom powder, one and a half to two cups of water, and mix well.
- 10
Step 10
Distribute the sauce into the pots, cover them with lids, and place in the oven for 2 hours at 180 degrees. The liquid in the pots should be about 1.5 cm below the top. Otherwise, it will boil over. If you have too little sauce, add some water to the pots.