KYRGYZSTAN: Chilled Noodle Soup (Ashlyamfu)

When I first started this journey, in 2011, it was hard to come by recipes from countries that were lesser known in the States. Most of the recipes I cooked for my young children I had tasted before. I am happy that more than a decade later the wealth of recipes online is such that it's much easier to find foreign recipes. I am also thrilled that I am now delving into cuisines I've not yet tasted. This soup was a perfect post-run meal — light, refreshing, and unique. Would make an ideal summer luncheon main course, as it's packed with vegetables, eggs, and noodles!

While this took only about 20 minutes to prepare, it does need to be made ahead of time and chilled for 4-24 hours.

Chilled Noodle Soup (Ashlyamfu)

8 oz fettuccini-width rice noodles or udon

8 oz mung bean or starch noodles (I used GF ramen)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium carrots

1 long hot chili pepper or jalapeño pepper thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper

2 large (beefsteak) or 3 smaller (on the vine or Roma) tomatoes

2 pieces scallion

½ teaspoon black pepper

4 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar OR 2 tablespoons rice vinegar plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

2 eggs

2 tablespoons whole milk

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 large Persian cucumber

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan or frying pan with high sides over medium heat. Peel the carrots, then julienne them into large matchstick size pieces. Add them to the oil and sauté 3 minutes.

2. Slice the chili pepper thinly stopping before you get too close to the stem, mince the garlic, and core and slice the red pepper thinly. Add all 3 to the pan and cook stirring occasionally, 2 more minutes.

3. Core and chop the tomatoes into large dice. Slice the scallions into long, thin pieces. Add the tomatoes, scallions, 4 cups of water, black pepper, vinegar(s), and soy or tamari to the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Adjust for seasoning. Move to a large bowl and store in fridge for 4-24 hours to meld and chill.

5. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk. Lightly grease a nonstick pan and place over low heat. Pout in egg mixture and swirl pan to expand into a large, thin circle like a small crepe. Cook until top os set, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Repeat with second egg. Allow to cool. Roll each circle into a long thing cylinder, and slice at 1/4-inch intervals to make egg "noodles". Store in airtight container in fridge.

6. Just before serving, cook both noodles, separately, according to each of their directions. Dice the cucumber and chop the cilantro.

7. When the noodles are ready, first drain the wider noodle and run under cold water. Lay 1/4 of them into the bottom of a bowl. Repeat with the thinner noodle. Place a ladleful of the chilled "soup" and vegetable medley over top the noodles. Top each bowl with 1/4 of the egg noodles, 1/4 of the cilantro, and 1/4 of the cucumbers. Drizzle some more broth on top and serve cold.

#chilledsoup #noodlesoup #walnuts #kyrgyzstan 

FUN FACTS:

• The world's largest walnut forest is in Kyrgyzstan, and workers live in the small town near the forest for months at a time during harvest.

• The Kyrgyzstan currency, the som, is one of the few currencies in the world to have coins that come in the denomination of 3.

• Bread is considered holy in Kyrgyzstan. It is considered bad manners to ever waste it, throw it away, or even put a loaf upside-down on the table.