Uzbek Lagman (Beef and Vegetable Noodle Stew)

Method

1. Cut the meat (leave a little fat on) into strips 1 cm thick and 4 cm long and pat dry with paper towel. Slice the onion thickly and the garlic thinly. Dice the carrot, radish, pepper and potato into 1 cm cubes, chop the tomatoes roughly and cut the cabbage into 2 cm pieces. Same-size vegetables cook evenly.

2. Heat the oil in a 22 cm heavy pot or wok over high heat until it barely smokes. Add the meat, leave it alone for the first minute, then stir-fry for 6 min in total until browned and all the juices have evaporated. If the heat is too low, the meat stews and turns tough.

   Add in this stepvegetable oil 2 tbspbeef or lamb (shoulder or chuck) 200 g

   high heat

3. Add the onion, garlic and carrot and fry over medium-high heat for 4 min, until the onion is translucent and golden at the edges.

   Add in this steponion 1garlic cloves 3carrot ½

   medium-high heat

4. Add the radish and pepper, then the tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes, and fry over medium heat for 4 min. When the tomatoes collapse and the oil turns red, the spices are properly cooked. If anything catches, add a spoonful or two of water and scrape.

   Add in this stepdaikon or green radish 80 gbell pepper 1tomatoes 1tomato paste 1 tbspcumin (ground or seeds) 1 tspground coriander ½ tspred chilli flakes ½ tsp

   medium heat

5. Add the water, potato, cabbage, salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil over high heat, then turn down to medium-low heat, half-cover and simmer for 25 min, until the meat splits easily with a fork and the potato is soft. Taste and adjust the salt.

   Add in this stepwater 500 mlpotato 1white cabbage 80 gsalt ¾ tspblack pepper ¼ tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

6. While it simmers, bring a separate pot of water (2.5 L) to a rolling boil over high heat, loosen the noodles into it and cook for 3 min. When a strand is cooked but chewy, drain and rinse once with warm water so the noodles don't stick together.

   Add in this stepfresh thick wheat noodles (udon or lagman noodles) 240 g

   high heat

7. Divide the noodles between deep bowls, ladle the meat and vegetable sauce generously over them, scatter with coriander or dill and eat piping hot. In Uzbekistan vinegar and a fiery chilli paste are served alongside for everyone to add to taste.

   Add in this stepchopped coriander or dill 2 tbsp