If so, you’ll find Samsa, a Central Asian staple, to be quite similar. Paloo or Plov: This is a popular dish throughout Central Asia. Beef, lamb, and horse meat are the main meats, but finding pork or chicken isn’t impossible. If you’re a fan of grilled skewered chunks of meat Shashlik is must-try dish when visiting Kyrgyzstan. Updated on Dec 28 ... Like manty, they can be filled with a variety of things, including ground lamb, herbs, and, the most interesting traditional option, pumpkin. Thanks for that. One of the highlights of my trip to Kyrgyzstan was having the opportunity to eat many meals inside of a yurt, especially tea time. As a fun fact, prior to fermentation mare’s milk has a whopping 40% more lactose than what you’d find in cow’s milk. Now it is your turn. Kymyz (кымыз), a slightly alcoholic drink made from fermented mare’s milk might be an acquired taste for most foreigners sampling it for the first time. Here is an overhead shot of the various kinds of breads and jams you have at a typical Kyrgyz meal. It’s not a country that I’d recommend traveling to as a vegetarian or let alone a vegan. This project is aimed for Local Economic Development, to consolidate tourist service providers in Karakol. Tea plays a very important role in any kind of meal you’ll have in Kyrgyzstan. Thank you! They were the perfect snack anytime I felt peckish in between meals. That is cool to hear! One particular memory I have of eating Shashlik was with a group of friends where it tasted so good that almost all of us ended up ordering a second portion of it. Boorsoq, a popular fried dough bread, is typically dipped in jams, honey or butter and served with black tea. Prior to visiting Vietnam I already had slurped countless bowls of pho in Vietnamese restaurants all over the world. Other foods enjoyed include the many ways the Kyrgyz people prepare organ meats, intestines, and other animal by-products. Special cups – like Turkey has a certain shape of glass without handles for tea… Was it flavored (like the mint tea from Morocco) or served with a sweetener? Thank you! Have questions? It’s a culture full of nomads and herding families. Food tour in Osh. This dish features thick noodles covered in chopped peppers and various other kinds of vegetables, all coated in a spicy vinegar-base sauce. This very popular noodle dishes can served fried or in a soup and I ate it more than any other dish during our three week stay in the country. They are quite similar. Wow…it is truly amazing to see you around so much delicious food and still not put on too much weight. Although it can be made from chicken, beef or fish the most common kind (and one I’d recommend the most) is skewered chunks of mutton. To be honest, that was what I was most looking forward to as well! The kebobs are marinated for hours before getting grilled over open coals. Vegetables are pretty confined to cucumbers and tomatoes for some reason. If so, you’ll find Samsa, a Central Asian staple, to be quite similar. Sold on the street or served in restaurants it is very similar to shish kebab. Geographically located in the heart of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan historically featured three major routes of the Silk Road gaining influence from cuisine from nearby neighbors such as China and present day Kazakhstan. The following is an introduction to traditional Kyrgyz cuisine featuring some must-try dishes. I was really excited to experience the foods of Kyrgyzstan, a country I knew next to nothing about. Geographically located in the heart of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan historically featured three major routes of the Silk Road gaining influence from cuisine from nearby neighbors such as China and present day Kazakhstan. At your service Visit Karakol project, who specialises in giving our clients/tourists in-depth information about their holiday destination in Karakol, and making sure you have all the facts to help you make the right choices. Have you tried Kyrgyz food before and/or do any of these dishes leave you intrigued to try them for the first time? [CDATA[ // ]]> I absolutely love hot black tea and I can’t think of a better way to enjoy it than while enjoying an adventure! For centuries, much of the population was nomadic, travelling with their animals between the best pastures. Similar to manti, they are filled with lamb or beef and an extra helping of lamb fat for flavor. Here is a video of us eating all of the dishes mentioned in this article They’re typically served as a side dish as opposed to being a main dish, but whenever they were in front of me I kept popping them in one after the other. Biryani, however, has large portions of chicken or meat. The foods of Kyrgyzstan pretty much rely on their ingredients to pack their flavor punches. Before heading to South Korea for the first time I had bibimbap, samgyeopsal and tteokbokki numerous times in Canada. HI, I'M SAM! Considered an Uyghur dish with Chinese roots lagman is a staple dish you’ll find in most Kyrgyz restaurants. I do want to try Kymyz and Tea with boorsoq. In general, the traditional food of Kyrgyzstan has been developed through necessity. I like both but when push comes to shove I prefer it fried. Cooking techniques can be traced back to the nation’s nomadic way of life. These baked pockets consist of layered pastry dough and are often stuffed with lamb, cheese, chicken, beef, potato or pumpkin. Done by: http://nomadicsamuel.comOriginal material: http://nomadicsamuel.com/photo-essays/traditional-kyrgyz-food. It consists primarily of rice, garlic, onions, sometimes beans and shredded carrots and topped with slow-cooked mutton or beef. My favorite meal in Kyrgystan was Lagman (лағмон). Plov, is a staple dish in Central Asian cuisine and every country in the region has its own unique way of preparing it. Lagman: Comes in two forms, fried or as a soup. Have you tried Kyrgyz food before and/or do any of these dishes leave you intrigued to try them for the first time? As a fun fact, prior to fermentation mare’s milk has a whopping 40% more lactose than what you’d find in cow’s milk. Required fields are marked *. Traditional Kyrgyz food is meat intensive with beef, mutton and horse meat being staples along with numerous types of dairy products. This dish features thick noodles covered in chopped peppers and various other kinds of vegetables, all coated in a spicy vinegar-base sauce. Food found in Kyrgyzstan maintains links to the country’s nomadic traditions and also is influenced by food from Russia, Turkey, the Middle East and other Central Asian countries.