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.

Central Asian Noodle Stew | Lagman Shurpa

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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.

• CourseSoups
• LifestylePotluck Friendly, Weekend Projects
• Food TypeMeat, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Pasta, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Spicy

Servings	Prep Time
4 people	15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Servings Prep Time 4 people 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Central Asian Noodle Stew | Lagman Shurpa Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe 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. CourseSoups LifestylePotluck Friendly, Weekend Projects Food TypeMeat, Miss Ava's Favorite Recipes, Mr. Picky's Favorite Recipes, Pasta, Sasha's Favorite Recipes, Spicy Servings Prep Time 4 people 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour Servings Prep Time 4 people 15 minutes Cook Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb lamb (or substitute beef), cut in strips
• vegetable oil
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 hot chili pepper (or another bell pepper for mild)
• 2 tomatoes , sliced
• 1 onion , sliced
• 1 carrot , sliced
• 1 medium turnip , diced
• 4 cloves garlic , sliced
• 1 wuart beef broth
• 1/8 cup rice vinegar - OR -
• white vinegar
• red pepper flakes
• salt
• 1 batch homemade lagman noodles

Garnishes

• basil , cut into strips
• red pepper flakes
• Sirracha chili sauce

Servings: people

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Cut up all the veggies in thin strips and cube the turnip.
2. Do the same with the lamb.
3. 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.
4. Next, add in the veggies and garlic. Stir-fry a few minutes until softened.
5. Toss with salt and red pepper flakes—add as much as you like.
6. Add the beef broth and bring to a simmer.
7. Cook for 45 minutes or until the flavors come together and all the vegetables are tender. Add in the vinegar and taste for seasoning. The vinegar will brighten the stew's flavor.
8. Ladle over lovely homemade noodles and garnish with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce to taste.