Serves 4
Are you in need of some revitalization?
A breath of fresh air?
Are you worn out, tired, or just plain sad?
Are you cold?
I’m with you. I’m all of the above.
When I feel like this I just don’t know what I want. I want everything. And nothing. All at once.
I want to sleep. I want to watch movie after movie. I want soup. I want lots and lots of noodles. And then I feel guilty and want some veggies. But not the crunchy, raw kind. Nope, the cozy cooked kind.
Kazakhstan has the answer. Lagman Shurpa, a.k.a. noodle stew.
According to the old Kazakh saying “Meat brings strength, shurpa brings beauty” (from Please to the Table), it sounds like it will help just about every ailment.
It is also the perfect dish if you can’t decide what continent you’d like to eat from. It acts like a stir-fry, a stew, and a hot pot all at once. And it has turnips in it.
Great for lifting you out of a heavy day.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs lamb or beef, cut in strips
vegetable oil
2 peppers (I recommend one sweet, one spicy)
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 carrots, sliced
1 medium turnip, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 quart beef broth
1/8 cup rice or white vinegar (more to taste)
red pepper flakes
salt
1 batch homemade lagman noodles
Garnishes:
basil, cut into strips
red pepper flakes
Sirracha chili sauce
Method:
Let’s find a peaceful place. Perhaps a bubbling brook or a grassy valley. Imagine yourself there. Imagine long lost friends happily exploring the terrain with you.
Mountains in Kazakhstan. Photos by Kalvis Vitolins and DenRu
Find a comfortable nook to build a fire and make some stew.
Now, cut up all the veggies in thin strips and cube the turnip.
Do the same with the lamb.
Then, heat a wok or large skillet over high heat and swirl in a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil. When it’s extremely hot, toss in the meat and stir quickly, browning it.
Next, add in the veggies and garlic. Stir-fry a few minutes until softened.
Toss with salt and red pepper flakes – as much as you’d like.
Ruins near Shal (kheyrabaad). Photo by Vahidjankouk.
Ladle over lovely homemade noodles and garnish with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce to taste. The fresh basil makes it totally addictive.
Take the time to enjoy this one with a dear friend or a memory of a friend.
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Looks good! And Please to the Table is one of my favourite cookbooks! Love the title of it too.
Yes – a fantastic collection of recipes. I think it is out of print now, though. My copy is used…
Sash: You remind me of:.
Someone wrote: “I really believe it is the spirit behind cooking, that spirit of doing for others and taking care of others, that is our way forward…when we cook we create better futures for those around us….The true beauty of our connectedness is that every act of kindness, no matter to who or where it is extended makes each and every one of our lives better and more valuable.”
PS The entire editorial is by Bill Penzy of Penzy’s spices -current issue
….
Beautiful quote! Love that company and what they represent.
That looks amazing! If I had the stuff, I’d make that for dinner! For now it has inspired me to go make a big pot of chili (and all the while I’ll be thinking of what you made instead)!
Awesome! I bet the chili was wonderful.. perfect for the chilly weather we’ve been having.