Kazakh Shorpa Lamb Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb lamb shoulder on the bone, cut into pieces
• 12 oz potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 3 carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 8 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 garlic cloves, whole
• 1/4 cup chopped dill
• 4 flatbreads, to serve
• Salt

Steps

1. Put the lamb in a large pot, cover with the cold water, and bring it slowly to a boil over medium heat.
2. Start from cold water and heat it gently. A fast boil from hot water clouds the broth and shorpa is judged on its clarity.
3. As the water comes to temperature, skim off the grey foam that rises with a spoon, repeatedly, for the first 10 minutes, until no more appears.
4. Reduce the heat until the surface barely trembles, add the peppercorns, bay leaves, and whole garlic, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
5. Never let it reach a rolling boil. Agitation emulsifies the fat into the broth and turns it murky and greasy.
6. Add the onion and carrots and simmer for 20 minutes, then the potatoes and cumin and coriander, and simmer 20 minutes more, until everything is tender.
7. Skim the fat from the surface with a spoon or a folded paper towel and season the broth generously with salt.
8. Serve the meat and vegetables in deep bowls, ladle the clear broth over, and scatter with the dill, with flatbread alongside.

Allergen note: Contains gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.