Mongolian Guriltai Shul (Hearty Noodle Soup with Meat)

  • Total time - 70 minutes
  • Active preparation - 20 minutes
  • Broth simmering - 50 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Mongolia
Rich meat soup with thick homemade noodles, pieces of meat, and vegetables, served in a bowl with chopped scallions.

Guriltai Shul is typical Mongolian cuisine in its purest form: it utilizes simple, available ingredients and achieves maximum comfort and nutrition through long cooking.

Unlike Tsuivan, the noodles here are not steamed but cooked directly in the broth. The noodles are usually cut thick so they do not overcook during the long simmering process.

It is recommended to use fattier meat, which provides the best flavor and texture to the soup.

Ingredients

Noodle Dough

  • 200 g Wheat flour, all-purpose
  • 100 ml Water, cold
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 200 g Or: dried thick Asian noodles

Soup Base

  • 500 g Mutton or beef (ideally with fat), cut into cubes (2-3 cm / 0.8-1.2 in)
  • 2 l Water or broth
  • 1 medium piece Onion, sliced
  • 2 medium pieces Potatoes, diced (2 cm / 0.8 in)
  • 1 piece Carrot, diced
  • 1 small piece Turnip or white radish, diced (optional)
  • 2 tbsp Oil for sautéing
  • 1 to taste Salt and black pepper

For Finishing

  • 0.5 bunch Scallions, chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Noodle Preparation (or dried)

Knead a stiff but smooth dough from flour, salt, and water. Let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

Roll the dough into a thin sheet (approx. 2 mm / 0.08 in) and cut into thick noodles (width 5-7 mm / 0.2-0.3 in). Set aside.

Step 2: Preparing the Meat and Base

Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the diced meat until golden on all sides.

Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in 2 liters of water (or broth). Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the meat begins to tenderize. Skim off any foam.

Step 3: Adding Vegetables and Noodles

Add the diced potatoes, carrots, and turnip. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not falling apart.

Increase the heat. Add the prepared (homemade or dried) noodles to the boiling soup. Homemade noodles should be cooked in 5-7 minutes; dried noodles according to package instructions.

Simmer the soup until the noodles are cooked (al dente). Re-season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4: Serving

Serve immediately and hot. The soup thickens quickly in the bowls as the noodles absorb the liquid.

Garnish each portion with a generous amount of chopped scallions.