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Bulgarian cuisine

Bob chorba (bean soup)

A monastery-style soup of white beans, carrot, pepper and summer savory (chubritsa).

Well-cooked hot dish

Bob chorba (bean soup)BULGARIAN CUISINE
Bob chorba (bean soup) — Bulgarian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • white beans
  • onion
  • carrot
  • pepper
  • tomato
  • dried savory
  • mint
  • oil
  • paprika
  • salt

How it is prepared

Soaked beans simmer with the vegetables for 1.5–2 hours until soft; paprika and dried herbs go in at the end.

Food safety with low immunity

How to prepare it during treatment

The beans must be completely soft. The dried herbs cook in the soup. It can cause bloating — keep the portion small with digestive problems.

Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →

Storage

Cool quickly (within 2 hours), refrigerate in shallow containers and eat within 1–2 days; with low counts many teams advise 24 hours. You can freeze portions.

Reheating

Reheat only once — bring to the boil, stirring. It should be steaming hot, not just warm.

Symptoms it may suit

  • Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
  • Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.

These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.

Treatment phases

  • Before treatmentmay suit
  • During a coursemay suit
  • Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
  • Between coursesmay suit
  • After treatmentmay suit

Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.

If you have other conditions

  • Stomach and gut. High in fibre. With bowel inflammation, diarrhoea or after bowel surgery, discuss suitability with your team.
  • Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).
  • Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.

Nutrition (per 100 g)

Nutrition figures from a reliable source have not been added for this dish yet.

More from this cuisine

Bulgaria: food database →

Related topics

Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination

Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
  2. FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
  3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
  5. Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
  6. World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
  7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
  8. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
  9. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)
Medical disclaimerThis information is for educational purposes only and does not replace medical advice.

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