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Kurban chorba
Lamb and rice feast soup
Kurban chorba (курбан чорба): village feast soup of lamb with rice, onion, peppers and herbs
On saints' days such as St George's in May or St Dimitar's in October, Bulgarian villages set big cauldrons over fires in the churchyard or square, and the kurban, the shared offering, is ladled out as a rich lamb soup to everyone who comes, neighbours and strangers alike. Lamb on the bone simmers gently with onion until tender, then the meat is pulled into pieces and returned to the broth with rice, carrot, red pepper, tomato, paprika, dried mint and plenty of parsley. It tastes deep, meaty and herby, sharpened with a squeeze of lemon, and bread on the side is traditional. The usual slip is skipping the skimming at the start; grey foam left in the pot muddies the broth. Chef's tip: rub the mint and savory between your palms over the pot in the last five minutes, so the herbs stay bright.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 10 ½ cups cold water
- 2 onions
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 carrotdiced
- 1 red pepperdiced
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 ripe tomatoesgrated, skins discarded
- 3 ½ oz long-grain ricerinsed
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp dried savory
- 1 bunch fresh parsleychopped
- 1 lemon (optional)cut into wedges
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ⅝ lb lamb neck or shoulder on the bone in a large pot with the 10 ½ cups cold water, 2 bay leaves and one of the 1 onions, halved. Bring slowly to the boil over a medium heat and skim off the grey foam for about 10 minutes, until the surface stays clear.
20 minStep 2: Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 1½ hours, until the meat falls away from the bone.
90 minStep 3: Lift out the lamb and strain the broth. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones, gristle and excess fat.
10 minStep 4: Chop the remaining 1 onions. Heat the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in the cleaned pot over a medium heat and fry the onion, 1 carrot and 1 red pepper for 8 minutes, until soft.
8 minStep 5: Take the pot off the heat, stir in the 1 tbsp sweet paprika, then add the 2 ripe tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes over a medium heat until pulpy.
3 minStep 6: Pour in the broth, add the lamb and the 3 ½ oz long-grain rice and simmer for 15 minutes, until the rice is tender.
15 minStep 7: Season with the 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, rub in the 2 tsp dried mint and 1 tsp dried savory and simmer for 5 minutes more.
5 minStep 8: Stir in the 1 bunch fresh parsley and serve hot with 1 lemon wedges to squeeze over.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kurban chorba take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 130 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 bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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