Shurpa

Kaynatma is the version where lamb, chickpeas and vegetables go straight into the pot and simmer gently together, giving a clear, light broth. Kovurma sears the meat and vegetables in fat first, then adds the water, so the finished soup turns out richer, darker and more fatty. This recipe follows the kaynatma method. Both approaches are traditional — the choice mostly comes down to how rich you want the broth to taste.

Shurpa is meant to be a soup of chunks: the lamb and vegetables are eaten with a fork like a main course, and the broth is drunk on the side or afterward. Carrots, potatoes and peppers go in whole or halved rather than diced, which is why they need the staggered simmering times in the recipe to become tender without falling apart. Cutting everything small turns the dish into an ordinary vegetable soup and strips it of the presentation that defines shurpa. The large cut is also practical — it lets each vegetable finish cooking at the right point in the simmer instead of turning to mush.

Chickpeas are optional, but the version made with them, nohat shurpa, is a well-known variety. They add heartiness and a slightly creamy texture to the broth once they soften. If you use them, soak the chickpeas in cold water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight first — unsoaked chickpeas will not be tender by the time the lamb is done. Without chickpeas, simply skip that step and continue the recipe as written; the simmer times for the meat and vegetables stay the same.

The classic version uses lamb, but beef on the bone works well too and gives a similarly rich broth from the bone and marrow. A chicken version exists and cooks faster since chicken becomes tender well before an hour of simmering, so add the vegetables earlier than the lamb version calls for. Whatever meat you choose, keep it on the bone and keep the vegetables in large pieces — that is what makes the soup shurpa rather than an ordinary meat and vegetable soup.

Shurpa is traditionally served with flatbread — non or lavash — and a generous scattering of fresh herbs, most often cilantro, over the top. In many households the broth is served on its own in a small bowl, called a piala, and drunk first or alongside, while the meat and vegetables are eaten from a plate like a main course. A simple sliced-onion or tomato salad on the side cuts through the richness of the lamb broth nicely. If you like heat, offer chili paste or fresh chili separately so everyone can add as much as they want.