That is what makes it shurpa: whole vegetables give their flavour to the broth without breaking up into it. The broth stays clear, and the vegetables are cut up in the bowl.
Shurpa is a clear Uzbek meat soup, simmered gently on lamb bones for about an hour and a half. What sets it apart from an ordinary broth-based soup is the size of the pieces: the vegetables go in whole or in large chunks, and the meat goes in on the bone. It is a soup to eat over a long conversation: people take their time and lift each piece out in turn. It is usually served in piyola bowls with hot non flatbread and a wedge of lemon.
Method
- 1
Rinse the meat, cover it with cold water and bring to the boil.
- 2
Skim off the foam, turn the heat down as low as it will go and simmer the broth for 1.5 hours.
- 3
After 45 minutes, add the whole onions, the carrots and the garlic.
- 4
After another 30 minutes, add the whole potatoes and the pepper.
- 5
15 minutes after the potatoes, add the tomatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- 6
Season with salt and add the zira and coriander seed. Do not stir hard, so that the broth stays clear.
- 7
Turn off the heat and let the shurpa stand, covered, for 15 minutes.
- 8
Serve in piyola bowls: a piece of meat at the bottom, the vegetables over it, then the broth. Scatter with herbs and put a wedge of lemon and a piece of non alongside.
Cook's tips
- Starting with cold water is essential for a clear broth.
- Do not let shurpa boil hard, or it will turn cloudy.
- Whole vegetables keep the broth clear; chopped ones turn shurpa into an ordinary soup.
- Add the salt towards the end: salting early can make the meat tougher.
Arkan Bazar
Halal meat for this recipe
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FAQ
Lamb shurpa: common questions
Beef will do, though the shurpa will have a different aroma. Lamb breast or neck on the bone is ideal.
About an hour and a half over a low heat, then another 15 minutes under the lid to let the shurpa rest.
Hot Uzbek non, a wedge of lemon and fresh herbs. Sometimes fresh chillies, too, in a separate bowl.
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Get the ingredients at Arkan Bazar
You will find rice, spices, dried fruit, nuts, non flatbread and tea for most of these recipes on our counter at Riga Central Market, Nēģu iela 7, open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.