Lamb and Vegetable Soup, also known as Shurpa (Sho’rpo) is a well-known Central Asian soup. I’ve prepared it to many of our American friends and every time I get very good compliments on how heart warming, rich and tasty this soup is. There are different types of Shurpa and you can use different vegetables. Another type involves pre-frying the ingredients (qovurma sho’rpo), which I am not very much fond of. I love the one which is slow cooked (simmered). Thus, I decided to share this recipe with you. I should note that everyone makes shurpa differently. If you stumble upon a different type of shurpa, do not be surprised. I chose the one with relatively basic ingredients. Most often there are chickpeas (garbanzo beans) added to give it an authentic taste. But my husband is not a big fan of garbanzo beans in this soup, so I don’t add them. If you want to try, be my guest :)
Recipes
Chicken and Mushroom Julienne Recipe
Chicken and Mushroom Julienne is where the French cuisine meets the Russian cuisine. Despite the name, Julienne is an Eastern European dish, which is made by sautéing a small amount of flour in a hot, dry skillet until it is golden brown and adding clarified butter. The latter method reminds me of French ‘roux’ – the traditional thickening agent for classical French sauces and gravies. Not only flour slightly thickens the sauce, it also gives the dish such a rich taste that you will definitely want to grab some more of that deliciousness. There are ways to substitute the sauce with a simple Russian smetana or heavy whipping cream. But if you ever want to try this recipe, PLEASE do not look for a substitute. You will not regret that you went along with what this julienne has to offer you :)
Meatball Soup Recipe
Meatballs and cutlets are always a hit in our family. This is one of my favorite recipes since I was a little kid. It is very soft and doesn’t require much chewing :P The combination of herbs, vegetables and all the other ingredients involved in this dish makes it a perfect dinner, lunch but not breakfast! :)
Okroshka Recipe
Come summer it gets too hot to eat hot food. So, we tend to deviate towards more refreshing, cooler entrees. Okroshka is one of those refreshing soups served cold and is mostly made of raw vegetables. Most people may not know what Okroshka is and may not like the fact that it is made with Kefir or butter milk. If it makes any difference, original Okroshka is made with Kvas as a soup base. Kvas is a beer-like non-alcoholic drink. It is slightly sweet and has a very rich taste. Well, we chose a leaner and healthier version of Okroshka :)
Cabbage Salad Recipe
After a long break I am back documenting my favorite recipes :D My come back recipe is this fabulous and very easy cabbage salad. This salad can also be used as a bruschetta topper.
Chana Masala Recipe
Chana masala became one of my favorite side dishes while I lived in Texas. I had a loving Indian family who would invite me to their house on weekends and offer amazing treats along with some great dinner. I decided to post this recipe in honor of Aziz and her family, who showed me the meaning of sincere friendship and for introducing me to the Indian Cuisine :)
Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe
During the first months of pregnancy with my first son Omar, the only dish I could eat and keep in my stomach, was Curry Chicken. From there on, the Indian cuisine became one of our favorite cuisines. Not to mention my oldest son’s passion for Curry. I have already posted my favorite recipe of Curry Chicken. Chicken Tikka Masala uses a slightly different technique and tastes a little different from Curry Chicken. Don’t get scared of the ingredient list – it might look slightly complicated, but you will get everything in a heartbeat :) Plus isn’t it all worth it when you enjoy your Chicken Tikka Masala with some nice home-made Naan?
Naan Recipe
I have a special relationship with Naan (we call it “Non” in Uzbek language) – I like it with everything! In fact, my whole family likes bread with everything. Indian Naan and Uzbek Non share something more than the similarity of the names. They are both baked in a clay oven and resemble in taste. Naan translates from Persian as bread and it is very popular in many Middle-Eastern, South Asian and Central Asian countries.
Turkish Breakfast Eggs and Sausage Recipe
This recipe belongs to my friend Husnora. She is a photographer herself and loves taking all kinds of beautiful pictures in her spare time. Husnora lives in Turkey, one of my dream destinations of all time. Turkish culture, food and its mother nature mesmerizes me. So, I decided to start adding more recipes from the Turkish cuisine. I asked Husnora to write a simple recipe and we decided this simple breakfast meal would be a good jump start and inspiration for me to post more Turkish recipes. Breakfast Eggs and Sausage Recipe may not be something extraordinary, but it never hurts to be more simple, right? :)