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Latvian cuisine

Skābeņu zupa (sorrel soup)

A tangy soup of sorrel, potatoes and stock, with hard-boiled egg and sour cream.

Well-cooked hot dish

Skābeņu zupa (sorrel soup)LATVIAN CUISINE
Skābeņu zupa (sorrel soup) — Latvian cuisine. Photograph of the dish.

Ingredients

  • sorrel
  • potatoes
  • meat stock
  • onion
  • carrot
  • hard-boiled egg
  • sour cream
  • salt

How it is prepared

Potatoes cook in stock; chopped sorrel is added and simmered for 5–10 minutes, served with egg.

Food safety with low immunity

  • Eggs should be fully cooked, with firm whites and yolks.
  • Use only pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and cheese.
  • Cook meat right through: steaming hot inside, with no pink parts or pink juices.

How to prepare it during treatment

Wash the sorrel well and cook it in the soup. The egg should be hard-boiled. Being sour, it may sting with mouth sores or reflux; use pasteurised sour cream.

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

  • Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
  • Taste changes. Aromatic spices, herbs or a little sourness can help when food tastes bland or metallic (if there are no mouth sores).

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. Can be acidic from tomato, lemon or vinegar; keep this in mind with reflux, gastritis or mouth sores.
  • Heart disease. Lots of green herbs or leaves (vitamin K). If you take blood-thinning medicine, discuss keeping the amount steady with your team.
  • Stomach and gut. Contains dairy. With lactose intolerance or bowel problems, discuss suitability 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

Latvia: food database → · Country page →

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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