In the JNF Kitchen: Oxalis soup from an authentic Georgian kitchen

The Oxalis flower, for which this dish is named. 

This week's #RecipeOfTheWeek features a delicious Georgian delicacy found at Shota.

If you're searching for a special culinary experience, look no further than Shota in the Western Galilee. Shota serves Georgian cuisine in a brightly colored restaurant that plays upbeat music and serves dishes steeped in Georgian tradition. On your plate you'll find fresh salads; pastries such as khachapuri filled with meat or cheese; khinkali, or Georgian dumplings; meat and vegetable stews; and Georgian wine, beer, and cocktails.

Khinkali, a traditional Georgian dish found at Shota. 

Leah and Bella, the two dynamic co-owners, named this authentic restaurant after the 12th-century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. 

They say that "celebration is for all, no matter how old you are or where you come from. Kids and adults, locals and tourists, all enjoy at the bar, often drawn into interesting conversations over a dish of Khinkali...Just make sure your glass is always, but always, full. Gaumarjos (cheers)!" The women stay true to this thinking, encouraging spontaneous dancing and drinking from a communal ram horn, traditions harking back to their motherland. 

More on the Western Galilee:
Off the beaten path in the Western Galilee, Israel's Napa Valley, in photos
Festival connects Israelis of all backgrounds with a traditional Christmas

Shota is a member of JNF partner organization Western Galilee Now, a consortium of small businesses in the region. To get more of a sense of the treasures the Western Galilee offers, visit our photo gallery below (hover over a picture if you want to spend more time on it).

The bustling Shota restaurant. 

Enjoy this #RecipeOfTheWeek, and if you make any of these recipes, be sure to send a photo of your creation to teddyherzl18@gmail.com or tweet it to @JNFUSA with the hashtag #JNFfoodie. We might share it! 

Ingredients (serves 6)

4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium leek (whites only)
2 white onions
5-1/4 cups water or chicken broth
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch mint
1 bunch oxalis
3 tablespoons tamarind paste
3 ground garlic cloves
1/2 green hot pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup walnuts
salt

Directions

Cut the leek into thin slices and dice the onion.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan.
Add the leek and onion until they become golden.
Add the water or broth.
Cut the herbs and dice the garlic.
Add the rest of the ingredients except the walnuts. 
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, cooking on medium for 30 minutes. 
Blend the soup until it is thin and add the walnuts, ground up. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Add salt to taste.
Serve hot or cold. Optional garnishes include sour cream or slices of hard-boiled eggs.

Enjoy!

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