Shurpa and Mastava: The Soups of Uzbek Cuisine
How shurpa differs from mastava, what moshkhurda and ugra are, and which soup to order on a cold day. A short guide to Uzbek first courses.
Uzbek cuisine is often reduced to plov and samsa, but the real pride of home cooks is soup. In a chaikhana or a family-run cafe, lunch almost always begins with a hot bowl, and the variety is wider than most visitors expect. Here is how the main soups differ and what to order.
Shurpa: the foundation
Shurpa (also spelled shurva) is the most famous soup in the country. The classic version is made with big pieces of lamb on the bone, potatoes, carrots, onions, bell pepper and tomatoes. The vegetables are cut large, often in whole halves. Fresh coriander and dill go in at the very end, together with black pepper and cumin.
What defines shurpa:
- a clear, not too fatty broth;
- large pieces of meat that you eat with your hands or a spoon straight from the bowl;
- flatbread on the side, plus raw onion or pickled pepper.
There is also a lighter version made with beef or chicken. If you dislike the smell of lamb, ask what meat the soup is made from. Locals take such questions in stride.
Mastava: soup with rice
At first glance mastava resembles shurpa, but the main difference is rice. It is cooked with finely diced vegetables and meat and is often served with a spoonful of sour yogurt (qatiq). That sour note makes mastava refreshing, and people eat it even in summer heat.
Good to know:
- the meat is cut into small cubes, so the soup is thicker and more filling;
- carrot, potato, radish or turnip are common ingredients;
- yogurt is optional, and you can ask for it on the side.
Mastava is considered home cooking, and in simple local cafes it is usually better than in tourist restaurants.
Moshkhurda: mung bean soup
Moshkhurda is made from mung beans, a small green legume. It is cooked with rice, potatoes, onion and meat, giving a thick, almost porridge-like dish with a mild flavour. It is served with yogurt and herbs.
It is a perfect choice for winter, or when you need a simple, filling lunch after a long road. Moshkhurda is gentle on the stomach and not too spicy.
Ugra osh and lagman soup
Ugra osh is a noodle soup made with dough that is rolled and cut by hand. The noodles are cooked in meat broth with vegetables. In some regions it is simply called ugra. It is especially loved in the Fergana Valley and in Tashkent.
Lagman deserves a separate mention. Strictly speaking it is not a soup but something between a main course and a soup: hand-pulled noodles, meat and a vegetable sauce. It comes in a fried version (guyru lagman) and a brothy one with plenty of liquid. If you want soup, ask for the brothy kind.
Which soup to choose
| Situation | What to order |
|---|---|
| Cold day, need warming up | Shurpa or moshkhurda |
| Something light but filling | Mastava |
| You like noodles | Ugra osh or brothy lagman |
| First time trying | Shurpa, the most recognisable flavour |
Practical tips
- Soup comes with flatbread. It is customary to tear it by hand rather than cut it with a knife.
- Portions in Uzbek cafes are generous, and one soup can replace a whole lunch. Do not order several dishes at once.
- Prices differ noticeably between cities and venues. A lunch of soup and tea is usually inexpensive, but check the exact amount on the spot.
- The best place for soup is not the fanciest restaurant but a simple eatery where locals have lunch.
- You can ask for herbs and onion on the side if you prefer a milder taste.
When and where to try them
In the hottest months soups appear less often on menus, but mastava stays available all year. In autumn and winter, chaikhanas usually cook shurpa in huge cauldrons, and that is when it is at its best. If you are travelling across the country, keep an eye out for roadside teahouses. They often cook soup in small batches, so it tastes fresher than at tourist spots.
Want to try several varieties in one trip? Plan your route so that you order a different soup in each city: shurpa in one, mastava in another. For short trips out of the capital, a shared ride is a convenient option. On the Tashkent — Angren route, drivers often stop at roadside teahouses, and the fare is lower than a taxi. You can pick a driver and book a seat in the Yo'ldosh app, and all directions are collected on the all routes page.
A food lover's takeaway
Shurpa gives a clean meaty flavour, mastava refreshes with the tang of yogurt, moshkhurda comforts and warms, and ugra osh pleases noodle fans. All of these dishes are made from simple ingredients, and that simplicity is where the real taste of Uzbek cooking lies. Order whatever is simmering in the cauldron today and do not hesitate to ask the cook what is in the dish.
Cover photo: Carpodacus, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
