About this Dish
Afghanistan's most fundamental soup — a clear broth of lamb or chicken with vegetables, chickpeas and spices. Every Afghan home makes shorwa — it is sustenance, comfort and hospitality in a bowl. The broth is the achievement, built from bones simmered for hours with coriander, turmeric and dried fruits. Served with naan bread for tearing and dipping.
IngredientsServes 4
🍖Lamb bone-in pieces (shoulder or neck), 800g
🧅Large onion, 1 whole peeled and halved
🥫Canned chickpeas, 400g drained and rinsed
🥕Carrots, 3 medium cut into large chunks
🥔Potatoes, 3 medium peeled and quartered
🍅Ripe tomatoes, 2 large roughly chopped
🌿Ground coriander, 2 teaspoons
💛Ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon
🫙Dried apricots, 6 whole
🧂Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
1
Place the lamb pieces in a large pot and cover with 2 litres of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim off all the grey foam that rises to the surface — this step is important for a clear, clean broth.2
Add the halved onion, turmeric, ground coriander, a generous pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let everything simmer gently for 1.5 hours until the lamb is very tender and the broth smells deeply fragrant.3
Add the chopped tomatoes and dried apricots to the pot and stir them in. The tomatoes add a gentle acidity and the apricots give the broth a subtle sweetness that is very traditional in Afghan cooking.4
Add the carrots and potatoes, pushing them down into the broth. Continue simmering uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the vegetables are completely soft and beginning to absorb the flavour of the broth.5
Stir in the drained chickpeas and cook for a further 10 minutes to warm them through. Taste the broth carefully and adjust the salt — the broth should be well-seasoned, golden and aromatic.6
Remove the onion halves and discard them. Ladle the shorwa generously into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets good pieces of lamb, vegetables and plenty of broth.7
Serve immediately with warm naan bread for tearing and dipping into the broth — this is how shorwa is meant to be eaten, the bread soaking up every drop.User Reviews
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