Sorpa

Sorpa is a Central Asian broth-first soup rooted in Kazakh nomadic traditions, built around slowly simmered mutton that releases rich flavor and nourishing gelatin into clear, golden stock. In many yurts across the steppe, families would gather to share the fragrant broth separately from the meat, often passing bowls of herbs and salt to season to taste. Today, this comforting dish remains a symbol of hospitality, with tender pieces of mutton, sweet root vegetables, and a pristine broth that showcases simplicity and respect for good ingredients.

Ingredients

• About 1.2 kg bone-in mutton (shank, ribs, or shoulder)
• 3 liters water
• 2 medium onions
• 2 carrots
• 3 to 4 potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 leaves bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• salt to taste
• Small bunch dill
• Small bunch parsley
• 2 to 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• (Optional) 150 g hand-cut noodles

Before you begin

Choose meaty, bone-in cuts of mutton for the best body and flavor, and trim only thick outer rind while keeping some fat for a supple mouthfeel. Keep your onions and carrots in large pieces so they perfume the broth without clouding it, and rinse the black peppercorns briefly to remove dust before adding them to the pot.

Preparation

1. Rinse the mutton under cool running water. Place it in a large, heavy pot and add the measured water, ensuring the pieces of mutton are fully submerged by several centimeters.
2. Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a bare simmer. Skim any foam that rises for the first 10 minutes, adding a splash of cold water as needed to help impurities rise.
3. Add the aromatics: halved unpeeled onions, chunked carrots, lightly crushed garlic, the bay leaf, and the black peppercorns. Maintain a very gentle simmer for about 2 hours, keeping the surface barely trembling to preserve clarity.
4. Toward the midpoint of cooking, add a first light pinch of salt to begin seasoning and to help the flavors deepen slowly.
5. Peel and cut the potatoes into large chunks. Add them to the pot and continue simmering until the potatoes are tender and the mutton yields to a fork, about 25 minutes.
6. (Optional) If using noodles, cook the noodles separately in boiling water for 5 minutes or until just tender; drain and rinse briefly, then hold warm. Alternatively, add the noodles directly to the broth for the final 8 minutes of simmering.
7. Carefully lift out the pieces of mutton and set aside. Taste the broth and adjust with more salt as needed. For a clear presentation, strain the broth, then return it to the pot along with the tender mutton and the cooked potatoes.
8. Finely chop the dill and parsley, and slice the green onions. Ladle the broth into warm bowls, add pieces of mutton and potatoes, then scatter with the fresh dill, parsley, and green onions. If using noodles, place a small nest in each bowl before ladling the broth.

How to enjoy

Serve Sorpa very hot so the aroma of mutton, gentle sweetness of onions and carrots, and the lift from dill, parsley, and green onions rise from the bowl. Offer extra salt and a pinch of lightly crushed black peppercorns at the table, and sip the clear broth first before enjoying the tender mutton and buttery potatoes. If you included noodles, twirl a small amount in each spoonful so they do not overshadow the delicate stock, and savor the balance that makes Sorpa so comforting.

Tips and notes

• Clarity comes from a gentle simmer. If the broth ever boils hard, lower the heat and skim again, then adjust salt at the end.
• Do not rush tenderness. Let the collagen in the mutton break down slowly; it should flake easily when ready, and the broth will taste round and full.
• Herb balance matters: use dill and parsley with a light hand so they perfume rather than overpower; the subtle bite of green onions should feel refreshing in each spoonful.
• Season thoughtfully: add salt in stages and finish with a light sprinkle of freshly crushed black peppercorns right before serving.
• Leftovers reheat gently; bring to a low simmer for about 5 minutes to preserve clarity and softness of the mutton and potatoes.