Uzbek rice soup with tender lamb, tomatoes, and chickpeas — a lighter, brothier cousin of plov.
Mastava is Uzbekistan's rice soup — a lighter, more liquid expression of the same flavors as plov but in a warming, soupy form. Rice, tender lamb, chickpeas, and vegetables simmer together in a spiced broth fragrant with cumin and coriander. A dollop of sour cream or katyk (yogurt) on top adds richness. It's the everyday cooking of Uzbek kitchens, deeply nourishing and made with whatever is on hand.
Serves 6
Heat oil in a large pot. Brown lamb pieces over high heat. Add onion and cook until soft.
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes.
Add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes until lamb is tender.
Add rice, carrots, and chickpeas. Simmer 20 minutes until rice is cooked and carrots are tender.
Ladle into bowls. Top with fresh dill and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.
Rice thickens the soup as it sits — add water when reheating.
Any cut of lamb works; bone-in pieces give the richest broth.
Fresh dill is not optional — it lifts the whole dish.
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Add quince in autumn for a sweet note
Use beef instead of lamb
Make vegetarian with extra chickpeas and mushrooms
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. The soup thickens significantly — add water when reheating.
Mastava is the everyday home soup of Uzbekistan, distinct from the celebratory plov. Like shurpa, it represents the Uzbek approach to nourishment — simple ingredients, long cooking, generous portions. The name comes from the Farsi word for 'rice water.'
They share similar flavors and ingredients, but the cooking method and consistency are different — mastava is a soup, plov is a dry rice pilaf.
Yes — this is actually done in Uzbek households. Add leftover plov to water and heat — it becomes a delicious instant mastava.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Per serving · 6 servings total
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