Shurpa

Two methods

Shurpa — shoʻrva in Uzbek — comes in two main styles. For qaynatma, or boiled, shurpa, lamb brisket and ribs go into cold water and simmer slowly; whole carrots, tomatoes, salt and spices follow, with whole potatoes at the end. The broth comes out clear and fragrant, and the meat and vegetables are served on a separate plate. For qovurma, or fried, shurpa the meat is first browned in tail fat with onion and tomato before water is added, giving a richer, darker soup.

Depending on what goes into the pot there are more than twenty kinds — with chickpeas, turnip, cabbage or stuffed vine leaves, among others.

Shurpa in a jug

A special version is ko‘za shoʻrva: meat, chickpeas, carrot and onion go into a small clay jug, one per person, and stew slowly beside a tandoor or over embers before being served in the jug itself. A common way to eat shurpa is to tear bread into the bowl and pour the hot broth over it. In teahouses and neighbourhood canteens it opens the midday meal, and in winter it is the most requested dish of all.