A rich dark soup made with lamb, black-eyed peas, dried herbs, and tomato paste, simmered slowly until thick and deeply savory.
Ingredients
-
400g lamb, diced small
-
200g dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
-
3 tbsp tomato paste
-
1 large onion, diced
-
2 carrots, diced
-
1.5L water
-
1 tsp cumin
-
1 tsp black pepper
-
1 tsp dried basil
-
1 tsp salt
-
2 tbsp sunflower oil
-
Fresh cilantro
Instructions
-
1
Soak black-eyed peas overnight then drain and rinse them before starting the soup preparation the next day.
-
2
Brown diced lamb in oil in a large pot then add onion and cook five minutes until softened and lightly colored.
-
3
Stir in tomato paste, cumin, dried basil, and black pepper, cooking one minute to bloom the spices in the hot oil.
-
4
Add soaked peas, diced carrots, and water then bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for one hour stirring occasionally.
-
5
Check that the peas and lamb are both tender then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to achieve a rich deep flavor.
-
6
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, serving with crusty bread on the side.
Did You Know?
The name gara means dark or black in Turkmen, referring to the deep color the soup develops from long slow cooking.