Uzbek Shurpa (Шўрпа) — Lamb and Vegetable Soup

• 1.2 kgbone-in lamb shoulder or neck (cut into 6 large serving pieces)
• 40 glamb tail fat (optional but traditional for richness)
• 3 lcold water
• 150 gdried chickpeas (soaked overnight and drained)
• 2large yellow onions (about 300 g total, peeled and quartered)
• 3large carrots (about 300 g total, cut into large diagonal chunks)
• 4waxy potatoes (about 600 g total, peeled and halved)
• 2small turnips (about 250 g total, peeled and quartered)
• 1red bell pepper (about 180 g, seeded and cut into wide strips)
• 3ripe tomatoes (about 360 g total, halved)
• 6 clovegarlic (lightly crushed)
• 2 tspcumin seeds
• 1 tspcoriander seeds
• 1 tspblack peppercorns
• 2 leafbay leaves
• 2.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 bunchfresh cilantro (about 20 g leaves and tender stems, chopped)
• 0.25 bunchfresh dill (about 10 g, chopped)
• 1lepyoshka or Uzbek non (torn into wedges at the table)

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the soaked chickpeas in a small saucepan, cover with 1 l fresh water, and simmer for 45 minutes until partly tender. Drain them well, because the main shurpa broth should stay clean and clear rather than cloudy with soaking liquid.

2. 2

   Place the lamb, lamb tail fat, and 3 l cold water in a large heavy pot and bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat. Skim the foam carefully for 15 minutes, keeping the liquid below a rolling boil so the Uzbek shurpa broth remains bright and clean.

3. 3

   Add the par-cooked chickpeas, quartered onions, garlic, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 2 tsp salt. Simmer uncovered for 60 minutes, adjusting the heat so only small bubbles break the surface and the lamb gradually softens.

4. 4

   Add the carrots and turnips, then continue simmering for 25 minutes. Keep the vegetable pieces large, because classic shurpa is served with whole-looking chunks rather than finely diced vegetables.

5. 5

   Add the potatoes, tomatoes, and red bell pepper, then simmer for 30 minutes more until the potatoes are tender and the lamb pulls easily from the bone. Taste the broth and stir in the remaining 0.5 tsp salt if the soup needs a fuller, rounder flavor.

6. 6

   Lift out the lamb pieces and vegetables with a slotted spoon, then arrange them in deep serving bowls so each person receives meat, chickpeas, potato, carrot, turnip, tomato, and pepper. Ladle the hot broth over the top, making sure the bowls look abundant rather than sparse.

7. 7

   Scatter cilantro and dill over each bowl immediately before serving. Bring the shurpa to the table with torn lepyoshka or Uzbek non, which is used to soak up the broth and makes the meal feel complete.