Laghman: Traditional Hand-Pulled Noodles with Lamb Stew

Name: Laghman: Traditional Hand-Pulled Noodles with Lamb Stew
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 150 g lamb leg cut into chunks; 250 g plain flour; 1 red pepper, sliced; 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 30 g black ear mushrooms rehydrated in boiling water and sliced; 0.5 onion, sliced; 1 clove garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus 1 tsp; 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for brushing; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp tomato puree; 1 tsp cornflour; 1 pinch salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper

Experience the rich flavors of Central Asia with Laghman, a hearty dish featuring chewy hand-pulled noodles topped with a savory lamb and tomato stew. Perfectly spiced with cumin and loaded with fresh vegetables, it's a comforting meal that's as impressive as it is delicious.

Servings2 Portions

Prep Time30 Mins

Cook Time30 Mins

Difficulty

Advanced

Ingredients

lamb leg cut into chunks
150 g
plain flour
250 g
red pepper, sliced
1
tomatoes, roughly chopped
2
black ear mushrooms rehydrated in boiling water and sliced
30 g
onion, sliced
0.5
garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 clove
vegetable oil plus 1 tsp
2 tbsp
vegetable oil, for brushing
1 tbsp
ground cumin
1 tbsp
tomato puree
1 tbsp
cornflour
1 tsp
salt
1 pinch
black pepper
0.3 tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the noodle dough by combining the plain flour, 130ml of water, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Stir with a spoon until a rough dough forms, then knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until the texture is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough rests, prepare the lamb. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, cornflour, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Add the lamb chunks and massage the marinade into the meat. Set aside to marinate.

Roll the rested dough into a flat circle, then cut it into 1cm wide strips. Brush each strip with vegetable oil and roll them against your work surface to form 10cm-long ropes. Coil the ropes onto an oiled plate in a spiral pattern, ensuring the ends touch. Cover and rest for another 20 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Take one rope at a time and gently pull from both ends until it stretches into a thin string about 0.3cm thick and 35cm long. Drop the noodles into the boiling water and repeat with the remaining dough. Once cooked, drain the noodles, reserving 4 tablespoons of the cooking water.