Name: Mastava
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Uzbek
Ingredients: 400g lamb shoulder, cut into small cubes; 1 cup short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed; 2 onions, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 tomatoes, chopped; 1 bell pepper, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1.5 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp paprika; Salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1.5 liters warm water or broth; Fresh cilantro and basil; Sour cream or yogurt to serve

A thick Uzbek rice and lamb soup with tomatoes, carrots, and fresh herbs — somewhere between a soup and a porridge, eaten at midday when something restorative and filling is needed.

The Cultural Story

Mastava occupies the comforting middle ground between a broth and a stew. It is made with lamb and rice and whatever vegetables are in season — carrots, tomatoes, bell pepper — simmered together until the rice has softened and thickened the broth into something approaching a porridge. It is the lunch dish of Uzbekistan, the mid-day meal eaten with a spoon in a deep bowl, often with a piece of non (Uzbek flatbread) on the side. Mastava is particularly associated with autumn and winter, when the body wants warmth and mass rather than delicacy. Unlike plov, which requires technique and a kazan and ceremony, mastava can be made in any pot in 45 minutes and feeds a family. It is the dish a working parent makes on a Tuesday. The herbs are critical: fresh cilantro and basil stirred in at the end give the soup a brightness that prevents it from feeling heavy. A dollop of sour cream or strained yogurt on top is common, the acidity balancing the richness of the lamb-fat-enriched broth.

Ingredients

400g lamb shoulder, cut into small cubes
1 cup short-grain or medium-grain rice, rinsed
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 liters warm water or broth
Fresh cilantro and basil
Sour cream or yogurt to serve

Instructions

1Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown lamb cubes well, turning once, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2Saute diced onions in the same pot until golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir 1 minute.
3Add carrots, bell pepper, chopped tomatoes, cumin, and paprika. Stir and cook 5 minutes.
4Return lamb to the pot. Add warm water or broth and bring to a boil. Skim any foam.
5Add rinsed rice. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is fully cooked and has thickened the soup.
6Season generously with salt and black pepper. The soup should be thick but still pourable — add more hot water if needed.
7Serve in deep bowls topped with fresh cilantro and basil. Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt if desired.

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