Lag'mon (Uzbek Hand-Pulled Noodle Soup)
In short: Chewy hand-pulled noodles in a thick beef and vegetable soup with radish, peppers and cumin. A filling Uzbek lunch that is easy to scale up. It takes about 2 h 20 min in total and makes 5 servings.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 h 35 min
- Resting
- 45 min
- Total
- 2 h 20 min
- Servings
- 5
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 580 kcal
Lag'mon is a lunchtime favorite across Uzbekistan, ladled over noodles that the cook has stretched by hand just before boiling. The soup is thick with beef, carrots, radish and sweet peppers, spiced with cumin and finished with fresh herbs. Stretching the noodles takes a little practice, but even uneven ones taste wonderful, and fresh pasta or spaghetti works when time is short.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt and water and knead for 10 minutes until firm and smooth. Wrap the dough in oiled plastic and rest for 45 minutes.
- Brown the beef in the oil in a heavy pot over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the carrots, radish, pepper and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, paprika and salt and cook until the tomatoes collapse, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the hot water, cover and simmer on low for 60 to 70 minutes until the beef is very tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Cut the dough into 5 pieces and roll each into a rope about 1 cm thick. Coat with oil and rest 15 minutes.
- Take one rope, hold both ends and stretch it as you gently swing it until it is as long as your arms, then fold it in half and stretch again. Repeat 3 or 4 times until it is pencil-thin.
- Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until chewy but cooked, then drain.
- Divide the noodles among deep bowls, ladle the soup over them and scatter with cilantro and dill.
Tips
- Short on time? Boil fresh linguine or dried spaghetti instead of pulling noodles. Stirring a little oil through them keeps them from sticking.
- Daikon is traditional. If you cannot find it, use a turnip or an extra carrot, and add a spoonful of vinegar and chili sauce at the table, as many cooks do.
Questions and answers
Can I make lag'mon ahead of time?
Make the soup up to 3 days ahead and reheat it gently. Cook the noodles fresh each time, because they turn soft if stored in the broth.
Is lag'mon a soup or a noodle dish with sauce?
In Uzbekistan it is usually served as a thick soup with plenty of broth. Fried versions with less liquid are also cooked at home.
Can I use lamb or chicken instead of beef?
Yes. Lamb is very common and needs the same cooking time. Chicken thighs are ready in about 30 minutes, so add them after the vegetables.
How long does it take to make Lag'mon (Uzbek Hand-Pulled Noodle Soup)?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 45 min of preparation and 1 h 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Lag'mon (Uzbek Hand-Pulled Noodle Soup)?
About 580 kcal per serving, with 30 g of protein, 70 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 580 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 30 g |
| Carbohydrates | 70 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
