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Shorwa
Lamb and vegetable soup
Shorwa (شوربا): Afghan lamb and vegetable soup with chickpeas
Shorwa is the everyday soup of Afghan homes from Kabul to Herat, simmered on winter evenings and during Ramadan, when a bowl of it breaks the fast. Lamb on the bone cooks slowly with onion, tomato, chickpeas and a little turmeric and coriander until the broth turns golden, then potatoes and carrots go in for the last half hour. The family tears naan into their bowls and eats it with fresh mint, onion and green chilli on the side. It is a gentle, clear soup rather than a thick stew. The common mistake is boiling it hard, which makes the broth cloudy and the lamb tough; keep it at a lazy simmer. Chef's tip: skim the broth carefully in the first 10 minutes, as soon as the grey foam rises, for a clean golden shorwa.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bonein large pieces
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onionchopped
- 4 cloves garlicchopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 8 ¼ cups water
- 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeasdrained (1 tin)
- 3 potatoesin large chunks
- 2 carrotsin thick slices
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 handful fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Brown 2 lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bone in two batches, 3–4 minutes a side, then lift onto a plate.
10 minStep 2: Lower the heat, add 2 onion and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cloves garlic, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp black pepper for 1 minute.
9 minStep 3: Add 2 tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes until the tomato softens. Return the lamb, pour in 8 ¼ cups water, add 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Skim off any foam.
10 minStep 4: Turn the heat down so it barely bubbles, half cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the lamb is nearly tender.
60 minStep 5: Add 3 potatoes, 2 carrots, 8 ½ oz cooked chickpeas and the rest of 1 tsp salt. Simmer for 30 minutes more, until the potatoes are soft and the lamb pulls easily from the bone (at least 160°F in the thickest part).
30 minStep 6: Lift out the bones if you like and pull the meat into bite-sized pieces. Taste the broth and adjust the salt.
Step 7: Ladle into bowls, scatter with 1 handful fresh coriander and serve with Afghan naan torn into the soup (leave out the bread for a gluten-free meal). Cool leftovers quickly and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does shorwa take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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