Everyone who has been to Kyrgyzstan remembers with delight the deliciouslocal cuisine. Here, on the Great Silk Road, the traditional nomadic cultureharmoniously intertwined with the sedentary one that is reflected in thevariety of national dishes. Each region has something to boast of and no tripis complete without tasting signature dishes.
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The city of Osh is the southern capital of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is famous not only for its vegetables and fruits, but also for delicious samsas, the recipe of which ismore than a thousand years old.
These famous samsas are popular through out Kyrgyzstan. Unlike traditional triangular ones, Osh samsas are round, and only men can cook them. The cook rolls elastic strands of dough into round flat cakes. Minced meat for samsas is made from selected meatand onions with obligatory addition of sheep tail fat.Masters make samsa so that there is no air access to the meat, and the weightof a good samsa ranges from 500 grams to a kilogram. They are baked in atandoor at temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius.
Osh samsas areeaten according to strict rules: bottom of the samsa is cut off with a knifeand then you can enjoy the filling.
A legendary dish of oriental cuisine. People specially go to the eastern shore of Issyk-Kul laketo try it.
The name of the dish comes from the Chinese "liang-fen" (the so-called cold snack inthe form of cubes made from bean starch) and the Kyrgyz word "ash" -food.
This dish has Dungan origins; it came to the Kyrgyz Republic with the resettlement of the Dungan people in the middle of the 18th century. Here it has acquired a special taste. Unlike the Dungan and Chinese versions, the Kyrgyzashlyan-fu includes meat, greens and a specially prepared sauce made ofvinegar, water, burnt sugar and hot spices.
It is one of themost beloved Kyrgyz dishes, which has Turkic roots. Beshbarmak is chopped meatserved with noodles, onions and strong meat broth. According to tradition,beshbarmak should be eaten with the hands. Actually, this word is translatedfrom the Kyrgyz language as “five fingers”.
Beshbarmak iswidespread mainly in Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan, but you can also try it in other regions.
The Central Asiandish that has already become a classic comes from the Fergana Valley. It is most common in the south of the republic.
The basis of plovis rice, carrots and meat. At the same time, there is no canonical recipe forthis, each village has its own recipe for cooking. Types of meat, rice andcarrots may vary. Someone adds additional ingredients: garlic, raisins, driedapricots, nuts and boiled eggs. But the most delicious plov is made from Uzgenrice in Osh and Uzgen cities.
Lagman is boilednoodles seasoned with fried and stewed vegetables and meat. Lagman has Dunganorigins, but like plov it has many varieties: fried lagman, liquid lagman andothers. However, the quality and taste of the lagman is more dependent on the noodles, which are pulled by hand. Lagman is popular throughout the Kyrgyz Republic.
Shorpo is a strong meat broth with potatoes, noodles and fresh herbs. At the same time, practically no seasonings are added to shorpo in the northern regions of Kyrgyzstan, wanting to make an emphasis on long-term cooking of meat broth, inwhich the meat is laid several times. Many spices are added to shorpo in thesouth of the republic.
Manti is a doughstuffed with meat, steamed in a special multi-level metal steamer called mantyshnitsa. Pumpkin or jusai (chives) are often added to the meat. In Kyrgyzstan, the mostcommon manti is made from finely chopped lamb or beef with onions. Manti isserved with spicy seasoning (“lazy”) or vinegar. This dish is also common through out Kyrgyzstan.
Known since ancient times, kuurdak is pieces of meat fried with onions and potatoes. Compared to other dishes, it cooks quickly – in about an hour and a half, so itis served both as a second course and as a small plate.
Chuchuk is a horsemeat delicacy. Pieces of horse rib meat are rolled up and cooked with spices. Chuchukis usually dried, boiled or smoked.
