Shurpa | Uzbek-Style Chunky Lamb and Vegetable Soup

Cut the bone-in meat into large, palm-sized pieces and put them in a wide pot. Pour in 3 liters of cold water and heat over medium. As the water approaches a simmer, gray-brown foam will gather on the surface; skim it off and repeat four or five times, until the broth is clear. Do not add salt yet; it makes the foam harder to skim.

Add the peppercorns and bay leaves and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. The surface should barely quiver, never bubble vigorously. Leave the lid slightly ajar. Check the meat by pushing one piece with a fork; if it separates easily from the bone, continue to the next step.

Cut the onion into thick half-moons and the carrots into thick 4 cm pieces; vegetables in shurpa are not finely chopped but left large enough to break up with a spoon in the bowl. Add them to the pot, season with salt, and continue cooking over low heat.

Peel the potatoes, cut them in half or into quarters, and add them to the pot. After fifteen minutes, add the quartered tomatoes, whole green peppers, and ground cumin. Add the tomatoes later because their acidity can slow the potatoes from softening. The soup is ready when a knife enters a potato with slight resistance.

Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves, and sprinkle the finely chopped cilantro and dill over the soup. Stir gently. Do not boil the herbs; the residual heat releases their aroma, while boiling would dull their color and flavor. Ladle the meat, vegetables, and broth into bowls.