Kovurma Lagman

Knead a firm dough: mix 500 g flour, 1 egg, 200 ml water, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into strips about 2 cm thick, brush them with vegetable oil, cover and let rest for another 20 minutes. Then stretch the strips by hand into long, thick noodles.

Cut the beef into thin strips, the onion into half-rings, the carrot into julienne, the sweet and hot peppers into strips, dice the tomatoes, and mince the garlic.

Heat most of the vegetable oil in a wok or a large heavy-bottomed skillet. Fry the beef for 10–15 minutes until nicely browned, then add the onion, carrot, sweet pepper, hot pepper and tomatoes; cook over high heat, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly.

Add the garlic, 1 tsp cumin, black pepper to taste, the remaining salt and the tomato paste. Stir, pour in 5–6 tbsp water and simmer covered over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro at the end.

In a large pot, bring the remaining water with salt to a boil. Cook the stretched noodles until they float and turn tender, drain, rinse quickly with cold water and toss with a little vegetable oil.

Beat 2 eggs with a pinch of salt. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a skillet, pour in the eggs in a thin layer, fry the omelet on both sides, cut into strips and mix with the hot noodles.

Add the noodles with the omelet to the meat-and-vegetable sauce, toss over high heat 3–4 times and serve immediately, piping hot.