World Cup Special - Uzbekistan



I always try and find recipes during the World Cup from countries that I would never normally think of.  With Uzbekistan qualifying for the world cup this year I knew I had to try some recipes from this area. I happened across this colourful dish Shivit Oshi with it's bright green noodles made with dill and rich topping and knew I had to adapt it; normally it is topped with a meat and vegetables.  The dish's origin can be traced from the ancient Silk Road city of Khiva. This central Asian region saw the exchange of not just silks and spices, but a diversity of ideas and philosophies. Perhaps it was this confluence of ideas and goods that led to people of Khiva producing this bright green noodle; a recipe from China that flavoured noodles with spinach; that is what Anna Ansari author of Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing proposes.  


I took Anna Ansari's recipe and attempted to veganise it... a tall order for this meat heavy dish.  I thought if I used soya chunks then perhaps some of the 'meatiness' might prevail... I was sadly a little disappointed.  Next time I will use lions mane mushrooms which might add the correct texture and add umami.

Vegan Dill Noodles

Ingredients

  • 2 cups/ 240g '00'flour
  • 1 cup/50g dill (very large handful of dill)
  • 1⁄2 cup / 100ml water
  • 1⁄4 tsp turmeric
  • 1⁄2 tsp salt
  • 1⁄8 tsp black salt
  • 1⁄3 cup / 78ml reduced aquafaba (originally 3/4 cup / 177 ml) - one can of chickpeas can produced 3/4 cup of aquafaba
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a blender place the dill and the water and blitz until fully mixed.
  2. Set aside the dill and water for at least an hour to allow the dill time to infuse with the water. (Whilst this is infusing you can start on the topping below.)
  3. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, turmeric, salt and black salt) in large bowl. 
  4. Make a well in the centre.
  5. Add the reduced aquafaba and olive oil. 
  6. Slowly add the dill infused water about tablespoon at a time and combine the ingredients.
  7. Gently knead the dough until it forms into a ball, adding more of the dill infused water. Your dough should feel pretty stiff. You may need to add some more water if you run out of the dill infused water.
  8. Let the dough rest for at least one hour in the fridge.
  9. Roll the dough out into 3mm/ 1/8″ thickness. Cut the noodles into 25mm / 1″  strips or if you prefer thinner 6mm / 1/4″.  I used a pasta maker that made the process so much quicker.
  10. Twist the noodles twice and place on a baking sheet to air dry for 30 – 60 minutes.
  11. Cook immediately or freeze for later use.


Shivit Oshi

Ingredients

  • 75g / 2-3oz soya chunks
  • 250ml / 1 cup vegetable stock 
  • 1½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Couple of dashes of vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 200g / 7oz bell peppers (colour of your choosing), cut into 2cm / ¾" (2 cm) pieces
  • 1–2 spicy chilies (such as jalapeños), seeded and minced (optional)
  • ½ tsp hot or sweet smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 250ml (1 cup) milk
  • 200g / 7oz tomatoes, roughly diced (I used tinned tomatoes)
  • 300g / 10oz waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm / ¾" pieces
  • 200g / 7oz carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm / ¾" pieces
  • plain yogurt, to serve (I used an oat yoghurt)


Instructions

  1. Rehydrate the soya chunks in the vegetable stock. Let is soak for about 30 minutes.
  2. In a frying pan add some of the olive oil and add the rehydrated soya chunks and fry them for about 10 minutes. Remove the soya chunks and set aside.
  3. Add some more olive oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, peppers and chillies and stir to combine the ingredients.
  5. Stir in the paprika, cumin and tomato paste.
  6. Add the potatoes, and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.
  7. Pour the milk in gradually and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  8. Add the soya chunks back in with the tomatoes and cook for a further 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
  9. Unlike the meat version you do not need to cook the dish for quite as long.
  10. Once at the end of the cooking of the vegetables add the dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
  11. To cook the noodles boil a large saucepan of water with salt. Once the water is boiling add your noodles and allow to cook (they should only take about 3-4 minutes).
  12. Serve the noodles with the vegetables on top, a sprinkle of fresh dill and a large dollop of yoghurt. 








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