Zeama is a traditional Moldovan soup, known for its anti-hangover properties. I actually tried it, when I was in Moldova years ago, and in combination with fresh air and local white wine it does the job.
I wanted to make this soup at home, but the recipe called for borș acru (fermented wheat bran juice), which sounded like a witchcraft to me, so I forgot about that idea. But few weeks ago the memories of my crazy Moldovan adventure came back to me and I decided to create Vegan Zeama no matter what.
According to the Internet, you can replace borș acru with sauerkraut juice or even lemon juice. This made my task a lot easier. As for a chicken replacement, I used chickpeas as usual. I just love chickpeas in soups!
I haven’t tried if my vegan version works as hangover cure or not, but if I will, I will let you know.
LET’S MAKE OUR VEGAN ZEAMA!
First make the dough for noodles. Add semolina and all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl and stir. Slowly pour hot water and continue stirring. Alternatively, you can do it in a food processor.
Knead the dough for few minutes until it’s pliable and forms a nice ball. Divide the dough ball in two pieces, wrap in a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat generous amount of coconut oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and carrot until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, non-chicken bouillon cube, dried lovage and stir for a minute until fragrant. If using fresh lovage, add it closer to the end of cooking together with parsley and dill.
Pour 6 cups of water and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
In a separate small bowl or cup combine nutritional yeast and boiling water. Set aside.
While vegan zeama is cooking, make the noodles. Sprinkle a little bit of semolina onto a working surface. Roll each dough ball out as thin as you can.
Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut it into very thin strips, as thin as your patience allows. If you’re not planning on eating whole soup in one go, toss the noodles in a little bit of semolina to prevent sticking and store in a fridge. Cook portions of noodles separately for 2-3 minutes and then mix them with the soup.
After 30 minutes of cooking add diced tomato and chickpeas. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
Finally add noodles, followed by sauerkraut juice, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, depending of a size of your noodles.
Pour nutritional yeast liquid, leaving the sediments in a cup. This will infuse your vegan zeama with umami flavor, while keeping the soup clear. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/sauerkraut juice/lemon juice if needed.
Stir in chopped parsley, dill and lovage (if using fresh). Switch off the heat, cover and let all the flavors mingle together for 5 more minutes before serving.
Traditionally zeama is served with cut-up hot pepper on a side. You dip it in for a little spice kick.
Note: if you don’t have any lovage, use couple of celery stalks. Dice them up and sauté together with onion and carrot.
PrintVegan Zeama (Traditional Moldovan Soup)
Vegan Zeama – chickpea “chicken” soup with homemade noodles and herbs.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Moldovan
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cube of non-chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp dried lovage (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 6 C water
- 1 medium tomato, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 C cooked chickpeas
- 4 tbsp sauerkraut juice (or 3–4 tbsp lemon juice)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast + 1/2 C boiling water
- small bunch of parsley, chopped
- small bunch of dill, chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- coconut oil for cooking
For noodles:
- 1/2 C semolina flour
- 1/4 C all-purpose flour
- 1/4 C hot water
Instructions
- Make the dough for noodles. Add semolina and all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl and stir. Slowly pour hot water and continue stirring. Alternatively, you can do it in a food processor.
- Knead the dough for few minutes until it’s pliable and forms a nice ball. Divide the dough ball in two pieces, wrap in a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat generous amount of coconut oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and carrot until onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, non-chicken bouillon cube, dried lovage and stir for a minute until fragrant. If using fresh lovage, add it closer to the end of cooking together with parsley and dill.
- Pour 6 cups of water and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl or cup combine nutritional yeast and boiling water. Set aside.
- While vegan zeama is cooking, make the noodles. Sprinkle a little bit of semolina onto a working surface. Roll each dough ball out as thin as you can.
- Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut it into very thin strips, as thin as your patience allows. If you’re not planning on eating whole soup in one go, toss the noodles in a little bit of semolina to prevent sticking and store in a fridge. Cook portions of noodles separately for 2-3 minutes and then mix them with the soup.
- After 30 minutes of cooking add diced tomato and chickpeas. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Finally add noodles, followed by sauerkraut juice, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, depending of a size of your noodles.
- Pour nutritional yeast liquid, leaving the sediments in a cup. This will infuse your vegan zeama with umami flavor, while keeping the soup clear. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/sauerkraut juice/lemon juice if needed.
- Stir in chopped parsley, dill and lovage (if using fresh). Switch off the heat, cover and let all the flavors mingle together for 5 more minutes before serving.
Notes
If you don’t have any lovage, use couple of celery stalks. Dice them up and sauté together with onion and carrot.
Nutrition
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 6.1g
- Sodium: 222mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2g
- Carbohydrates: 45.3g
- Fiber: 7.6g
- Protein: 10.9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
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