What We Had For Dinner: String Bean And Beef Soup

Ingredients (5-6 servings)

1/2 kg (1 lb) string beans
2 onions
2 -3 carrots
300g (10.5 oz) beef round
1 egg
2 cloves garlic
150g (5 oz) sour cream
250ml (8.5 fl oz) milk
1 spoon paprika
1 stock cube
1 tsp flour (optional)
salt, pepper
oil


Dice the onion and cook it in a heated pot with a little oil. Stir occasionally and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the carrots (sliced), the string beans (stalks and ends removed and then cut into two or three pieces - approximately 1 - 1.5 in/3-4 cm long), the garlic (chopped finely) and the meat. I cut the meat into thin strips to make sure it's done at the same time as the vegetables. Add enough water to just about cover the ingredients (if there's too much water, the string beans' skin turns tough. The same thing happens if you salt them before they're done!), and simmer for about an hour. Don't forget to keep adding a bit of water occasionally! After an hour everything should be cooked, but make sure you check. If it is, add the stock cube and pepper to taste. Check if it needs salt (the stock cube is salty already). In a separate container, mix the milk with the paprika and the sour cream. When you get a homogenous mass, pour it into the soup. Beat the egg in a separate cup, and when the soup starts boiling, stir the egg in vigorously - it will give the soup an interesting texture and a bit of thickness. If you want it thicker still, you can dissolve 1 tsp of flour in a few spoons of water and pour it in (make sure you bring it to a boil).