Nauryz Kozhe (Наурыз көже) — Seven-Ingredient Kazakh Spring Soup

• 700 gbone-in beef shank (or bone-in horse meat where available)
• 250 ghalal kazy horse sausage
• 2.5 lcold water
• 1yellow onion (peeled and halved)
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 8black peppercorns
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 120 gpearl barley
• 70 gshort-grain rice
• 60 gmillet
• 500 mlplain kefir (katyk may be used if available)
• 250 mlwhole milk

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the beef shank under cold water and place it in a large heavy pot with the cold water. Bring it slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat, then skim the foam carefully for 10 minutes so the sorpa stays clear and clean-tasting.

2. 2

   Add the halved onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the pot. Lower the heat, cover the pot partly, and simmer gently for 90 minutes, keeping the liquid at a quiet bubble rather than a rolling boil.

3. 3

   Rinse the kazy under cool water, prick the casing in 3 places with a toothpick, and add it to the simmering sorpa. Cook for 30 minutes more, then lift out the kazy and beef shank and set them on a plate until cool enough to handle.

4. 4

   Strain the sorpa through a fine sieve into a clean pot, discarding the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Measure the strained liquid and add enough water to return it to 2 liters, because the grains need generous broth to cook evenly.

5. 5

   Rinse the pearl barley, rice, and millet separately until the water runs mostly clear. Add the barley to the simmering sorpa first and cook for 25 minutes, then add the rice and millet and cook for 18 minutes more until all the grains are tender but not mushy.

6. 6

   While the grains cook, remove the beef from the bone and cut it into 1.5 cm pieces. Slice the kazy into 5 mm rounds, then cut the larger rounds in half so each bowl receives visible pieces of meat and sausage.

7. 7

   Return the beef and kazy to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes to warm them through. Stir in the remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt, then turn off the heat and let the soup cool for 10 minutes so the dairy will not split.

8. 8

   Whisk the kefir and whole milk together in a bowl until smooth, then ladle in 250 ml of warm sorpa while whisking constantly. Pour the tempered dairy mixture back into the pot in a thin stream, stirring steadily until the nauryz kozhe turns pale, creamy, and lightly tangy.

9. 9

   Warm the soup very gently for 2 minutes if needed, but do not let it boil after the kefir has been added. Serve it warm or at room temperature in deep bowls, making sure every portion includes grain, beef, and kazy.