Moshoba doesn’t pretend. It’s not the kind of dish you dress up in an Instagram filter or shove into a listicle of “must-try exotic soups.” No. Moshoba is real and unapologetically itself—a quiet, unassuming bowl that’s been filling stomachs and healing souls for generations in Bukharian kitchens.
It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t want to be. There’s no elaborate choreography of spices or a long manifesto of ingredients. Moshoba is about essentials—things that survive the test of time. Mung beans, meat, bones, vegetables, rice. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s the winter kitchen distilled to its bare, comforting bones.
Compared to its cousin, the Uzbek Mashkhurda, a peasant dish that generally contains peppers and tomatoes, Moshoba strips things down even further. Mashkhurda might flirt with a longer list of ingredients, but Moshoba stays rooted in simplicity. It leaves room for the ingredients to speak for themselves.
When you make Moshoba, every ingredient plays its part with confidence—there is no main character. The bones and meat start things off, adding depth and warmth. The mung beans and rice come together to create a silky, nourishing texture. And when the steaming pot simmers away, the aroma fills every corner of your home with the kind of comfort only a heritage dish can provide.
If the soup thickens a little too much, don’t worry. A splash of hot water at the end can easily bring it back to your preferred consistency. But even its hearty thickness feels like a reassuring hug on the coldest of days. Here’s how you make it:
Ingredients (Serves 4-6):
- ⅔ lb (300 g) meat, cut into small cubes (2/5 inch or 1 cm)
- Scrap bones (marrow or meaty bones preferred)
- 1¼ cups mung beans, rinsed 3–4 times
- 3 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 3 medium turnips, sliced
- ⅓ cup rice
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 5–6 cups boiling water
- Cooking oil
Instructions:
Heat a splash of oil in a kazan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add finely chopped onions and cook until soft and golden. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss in the meat cubes and scrap bones. Brown them lightly, letting them release their flavor.
Stir in the sliced carrots and turnips, coating them in the flavorful base.
Add 5–6 cups of water to the pot.
Add the mung beans.
Add the rice.
Bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover it, and cook for 30 minutes. Allow the flavors to meld together and for the soup to thicken to a rich, hearty consistency.
If the soup becomes too thick, adjust with hot water to reach your desired texture.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve it warm, ladled into deep bowls.
Moshoba doesn’t need embellishments. No parsley sprig, no unnecessary garnish. It’s a dish that carries itself with quiet confidence, knowing that its strength lies in its honesty.
Here’s the thing about Moshoba—it doesn’t rush to impress you, but it stays with you long after the last bite. It’s a dish that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t apologize for it. Give it a try. Listen to what it has to say. Because in its simplicity, Moshoba carries a legacy of comfort, connection, and home. It’s humble, hearty, and exactly what you need on a cold day—a spoonful of softness in a world that often feels too sharp.
Bukharian Bites celebrates the rich culinary heritage of the Bukharian community, aiming to connect people through food. Founder Abe Fuzaylov shares recipes in each English issue of Bukharian Times, starting with issue 1176.
Avraham Fuzaylov