Entree: Kyrgyzstan – Southern Culinary Region – Лагман ➤ Lagman (Hand-pulled wheat noodles with spiced lamb and stewed vegetables in a savory sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 50 min

Cook 1 hr

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

For the noodles:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil

For the lamb ragout:
- 1 lb (454 g) lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (25 mm) cubes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, about 10 oz (280 g) total
- 2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks, about 8 oz (225 g)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped, about 10 oz (280 g) (or 1 14-oz/400 g can diced tomatoes)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) smoked paprika or mild chili powder
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef or lamb stock (or water)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the noodle dough: in a large bowl, combine flour and 1 tsp (6 g) salt. Make a well, add warm water and 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil, and mix until a rough dough forms. Knead on a floured surface 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
2. While dough rests, prepare the ragout: heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season lamb pieces lightly with salt and brown in batches until well seared on all sides. Transfer browned lamb to a plate.
3. In the same pot, add sliced onions and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add carrots and bell pepper and cook 4–5 minutes until vegetables soften. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. Return lamb to the pot. Stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Cook 2 minutes to develop flavors. Add stock and soy sauce, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until lamb is tender, about 45–60 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper.
5. Shape and cook noodles: divide rested dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick, then either stretch and pull into long hand-pulled noodles or roll flat and cut into 1/4–1/2 inch (6–12 mm) strips to mimic pulled noodles. Dust with flour to prevent sticking.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente, about 2–4 minutes for fresh noodles. Drain and toss with a little oil to keep them separate.
7. To serve, place a portion of noodles in each bowl and ladle generous amounts of lamb ragout over the top, allowing some sauce to soak into the noodles. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Optionally serve with extra chili or vinegar on the side.