Shurpa from mutton: a satisfying first course of Central Asian cuisine

In Central Asia, they love and are able to cook all kinds of mutton dishes. Shurpa is a rich soup of meat and vegetables. In principle, for this first dish, a bird (small game) can be used, but it is the sheep's lamb from the lamb that is considered to be the true pearl of the Uzbek and, in general, oriental cuisine.

Do not be afraid that due to this type of meat, for which a specific flavor is characteristic, soup will not be liked by your loved ones. Due to the fact that there will be enough spices (4-5 species) in the composition of this dish , mutton soup with lamb and taste, and flavor will be simply excellent. Therefore it is necessary to try to cook it.

Shurpa from lamb: what meat to choose?

Choosing meat for shurpa is a very important point. At home for this soup is used almost the whole carcass of a ram. You can give preference to the neck, brisket or costal part of the animal carcass. In general, what you will find, since lamb can now be purchased not in every market. And it is desirable that the meat is paired.

Shurpa can be cooked in two ways - with preliminary cooking (roasting) of meat and vegetables or without it.

Shurpa from mutton: recipe number 1

Take lamb (1 kg) and cut the fat. Salo cut finely, and the meat - into pieces of medium size. Throw fat on the hot cast-iron cossack. Wait until it melts and cracklings are formed. In them, then fry the mutton meat and finely chopped vegetables (4 onions and 4 tomatoes). After 10 minutes, add a half a kilo of potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes or slices. After 5 minutes, mix all the ingredients and pour water (2.5 liters). Before the boil, salt the soup to taste, and when the water boils, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook the shrew for another hour. Approximately half an hour before the end of cooking, drop into sliced sour apples (2 pcs.). And 5 minutes before the preparation of the first dish, send the same pod of hot pepper, ringlets of Bulgarian pepper, 4 laurushki, a handful of zira, turmeric or coriander, chopped fresh greens (dill, coriander, parsley - your choice).

By the way, in Central Asia, mistresses, as a rule, lay all spices "by eye," and for a Russian person this can be a problem. Therefore, you can simply go to the market and buy from the merchants ready-made mixes of seasonings for shurpa, pilaf or other oriental dish, which they themselves make up.

Shurpa from mutton: recipe number 2

This recipe, which means no preliminary cooking of meat and vegetables, is used much more often to make shurpa than the recipe that was described above.

Piece of lamb together with a bone (1 kg) entirely put in a saucepan and pour cold water (2.5 liters). Cook the broth on the smallest fire for two hours, taking off the "noise." Then take the mutton, put it aside, and cut into the pan a large enough (!) Vegetables: onions (250 g) and carrots (2 pcs.), And garlic (4 teeth). After 30 minutes, put potatoes in a saucepan (3 pcs.). Now boil the soup until it is ready, that is, about 25-30 minutes. Minutes for 5-7 before the end of cooking season the shurpa with spices (pepper, turmeric, laurel leaves, coriander), salt and add fresh herbs (coriander or parsley, as well as dill).

During the time that the shurpa is being prepared, cut the boiled mutton into medium pieces, after removing the bone, and spread it over the plates. Pour the soup. Also, fresh herbs are recommended to be added directly to plates with the first dish and before serving on the table for even more scent aroma.

Since lamb chowder is a thick, rich and very hearty soup, you do not need to worry about making a second course for lunch for your family. Also this Central Asian soup can take a worthy place on your festive table. And if you plan to make a sortie to nature or gather with friends in the country, then the shurpa will be a good substitute for traditional shish kebabs. Soup, cooked at the stake, will be even more flavorful and tastier.