Name: Shida Kartli Cornel Shechamandi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 500 g ripe fresh or thawed cornel (dogwood) fruit, washed; 1.5 L water, divided; 150 g yellow onion (1 medium), finely chopped; 40 g unsalted butter; 20 g wheat bread flour; 10 g garlic (2 medium cloves), finely grated; 8 g fine sugar, or to taste; 4 g fine salt, or to taste; 0.5 g ground black pepper, or to taste; 20 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped; 10 g fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Wide view of smooth Georgian cornel-fruit soup in a rustic bowl, lightly garnished with fresh herbs.

Yield6 small servings

Serving sizeabout 250 ml

Preparation20 minutes

Cooking35 minutes

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The dish

About Shida Kartli Cornel Shechamandi

### შინდის შეჭამანდი — tart Georgian cornel-fruit soup with onion, mint and coriander

Cornel shechamandi, made with Cornus mas, is a tart fruit soup associated with Kartli, where ripe cornel berries are cooked until soft, pressed through a sieve and returned to their cooking liquid. The Georgian National Tourism Administration describes both fresh and dried fruit versions and places this soup among the well-known dishes of Shida Kartli.

Home versions differ in the fat and seasoning used. This version keeps the butter modest and lets the tart fruit and fresh herbs lead; it is one practical preparation, not a rule for every household.

The finished soup is smooth, bright ruby-red and distinctly tart, with a lightly thickened body. Sieve the cooked fruit carefully to remove every stone, then balance its acidity with a little sugar and finish the pot with mint and coriander.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Shida Kartli Cornel Shechamandi

Cornel base

500 gripe fresh or thawed cornel (dogwood) fruit, washed
1.5 Lwater, divided
150 gyellow onion (1 medium), finely chopped

Thickener and seasoning

40 gunsalted butter
20 gwheat bread flour
10 ggarlic (2 medium cloves), finely grated
8 gfine sugar, or to taste
4 gfine salt, or to taste
0.5 gground black pepper, or to taste

Finish

20 gfresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
10 gfresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

Soften the cornel. Put the washed fruit and 1.25 L of the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the skins split and the fruit is very soft, 10–12 minutes. Let it cool until safe to handle; keep all the cooking liquid.
Sieve the fruit. Press the fruit through a food mill or fine sieve to separate stones and tough skins. Loosen the smooth pulp with some reserved liquid.
Cook the onion and pulp. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 6–8 minutes, without browning. Stir in the pulp and enough reserved liquid to make a soup; use up to the remaining 250 ml water if needed.
Thicken gently. Whisk the flour with about 120 ml cool reserved liquid until smooth. Gradually whisk this slurry into the gently simmering soup. Cook 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until lightly thickened and the flour no longer tastes raw.
Season. Add the garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes, then taste. Keep the soup tart; adjust sweetness and salt gradually, and thin with reserved liquid if necessary.
Rest and serve. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the coriander and mint, cover and rest for 5–10 minutes. Serve warm in small bowls.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Use ripe, sound cornel fruit. Frozen fruit can be thawed first; avoid fruit that smells fermented or looks mouldy.
Cook until the skins split and the pulp is very soft, then press through a fine sieve or food mill. Check the pulp for stones before returning it to the pot.
Whisk the flour with cool reserved broth until smooth. Add it gradually to a gentle simmer while stirring so the soup thickens evenly without lumps.

Practical notes

The cooked fruit must be sieved thoroughly: discard all stones and tough skins, and serve only the smooth pulp.
Start with the listed 8 g sugar. Cornel fruit varies in tartness, so adjust only after the soup is cooked and seasoned.
For a clearly different home variation, vegetable oil may replace the butter; that change also removes the dairy allergen. Do not add wine unless deliberately following a wine-based variant.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Energy: about 180 kcal.
Carbohydrates: about 32 g.
Protein: about 2 g.
Fat: about 8 g.
Fibre: about 3 g.
Sodium: about 400 mg.
Basis: one-sixth of the batch; fruit composition and seed-to-pulp yield make this estimate approximate.

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk (butter) and wheat/gluten. Check package labels for additional allergens or cross-contact. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4 °C or colder. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat throughout to at least 74 °C / 165 °F, or bring to a rolling boil while stirring. Discard any fruit stones removed during sieving.

The result

Expect a smooth, gently thickened soup with a vivid ruby colour and clear tart-fruit flavour. The herbs should lift the aroma without hiding the cornel.

Serve warm as a small first course or light meal.
Keep the garnish restrained; fresh mint and coriander are enough.