Avgolemono facts for kids
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| Type | Sauce and soup |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Eggs, lemon juice, broth |
Avgolemono (which means "egg-lemon" in Greek) is a special kind of sauce and soup. It's made by mixing eggs and lemon juice with warm broth. This mixture is then heated carefully until it becomes thick and creamy.
You can find Avgolemono in many different cuisines, including Greek, Arab, Sephardic Jewish, Turkish, and Balkan cooking. It's known by different names in various cultures. For example, in Sephardic Jewish cooking, it's called agristada.
History of Avgolemono
Even though many people think Avgolemono is purely a Greek dish, its roots are actually with the Sephardic Jewish people. They had a similar dish called agristada.
Long ago, before lemons were widely used, the Jewish people in Spain made agristada with sour juices from fruits like verjuice (from unripe grapes) or pomegranates. They did not use vinegar. Over time, as lemons became more common, they became the main sour ingredient in this delicious dish.
Avgolemono as a Sauce
Avgolemono is often used as a creamy, tangy sauce for many dishes. It adds a bright flavor to different foods.
- It's often poured over warm dolma (stuffed vegetables) or roasted meats.
- In some Middle Eastern countries, it's used as a sauce for chicken or fish.
- For Italian Jews, it can be served over pasta or meat.
- A dish called terbiyeli köfte in Turkey uses Avgolemono. Meatballs are cooked, and then the sauce is made by mixing the egg-lemon blend with the juices left in the pan.
Avgolemono as a Soup
Avgolemono is also very popular as a soup. It helps to thicken soups and stews, giving them a rich texture and a tangy taste.
- A famous Greek meatball soup called Yuvarlakia uses Avgolemono to make it thick and creamy. The meatballs, often made with rice, are cooked in broth, and then the Avgolemono is added.
- Another Greek soup, Magiritsa, is a traditional Avgolemono soup made with lamb parts. It's often eaten to break the fast of Great Lent.
- For some Sephardic Jews, a similar soup is a traditional way to break the Yom Kippur fast.
Most Avgolemono soups start with chicken broth, but sometimes people use lamb, fish, or vegetable broths. Often, ingredients like rice, orzo (a type of pasta), or tapioca are cooked in the broth before the egg and lemon mixture is added. The soup can be thick like a stew or thinner like a broth. It's often served with pieces of meat and vegetables that were used to make the broth.
The soup is usually made with whole eggs, but sometimes only the yolks are used. The egg whites can be beaten separately to make a foam before being mixed with the yolks and lemon juice. The starch from the pasta or rice helps to make the soup smooth and stable.
See also
In Spanish: Avgolemono para niños
