Laghman (Kyrgyz Hand-Pulled Noodles with Meat and Vegetables)

  • Total Time - 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Preparation - 45 minutes
  • Cooking (Sauce) - 45 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Kyrgyzstan
A bowl of Laghman with thick noodles, rich meat sauce, and fresh vegetables.

Quality Laghman requires fresh, long, hand-pulled noodles. If you don't have time to pull them, you can use thick wheat noodles (e.g., udon) or homemade noodles. The Vadja sauce should be thick and intensely flavored with garlic and Chinese spices.

Ingredients

For the Vadja Sauce

  • 400 g Beef or Lamb, diced into small cubes (1 cm)
  • 1 pc Onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 pc Green Bell Pepper, cut into strips
  • 2 stalks Celery Stalks, chopped
  • 2 pcs Tomatoes (or 3 tbsp paste), chopped
  • 200 ml Water or Broth
  • 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • to taste Spices (Chinese five-spice, star anise, coriander, to taste)

For Hand-Pulled Noodles (Läghmän) and Serving

  • 400 g Thick Wheat Noodles (or homemade udon/läghmän noodles)
  • for garnish Fresh Dill, chopped
  • for garnish Fresh Coriander, chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Vadja Sauce (Meat)

Heat oil in a large pot (or wok) and brown the meat until golden brown. Remove it and set it aside.

Sauté the onion in the rendered fat until soft. Add minced garlic, and fry briefly (1 minute).

Step 2: Preparing the Vadja Sauce (Vegetables and Simmering)

Add the bell pepper and celery stalks. Stir for 5 minutes. Add the meat back.

Stir in the tomatoes/paste, soy sauce, and spices (star anise, ground coriander). Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in water/broth so that the sauce is thick but not dry. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is well-combined.

Step 3: Cooking the Noodles

Cook the noodles according to instructions (cook homemade läghmän noodles for 5-7 minutes) in salted water. Drain them.

Step 4: Serving

Place a large portion of the cooked noodles in a deep bowl.

Generously pour the hot Vadja sauce with meat and vegetables over them.

Garnish with fresh dill and coriander. You can also add a little chili oil for spiciness.