Top 13 dishes of Kyrgyzstan that everyone should try.

Beshbarmak is one of the most beloved and traditional Kyrgyz dishes, which has Turkic roots. Beshbarmak is minced meat served with noodles, onions, and a strong meat broth. It is noteworthy that traditionally beshbarmak is eaten with hands. In translation from Kyrgyz, “beshbarmak” means “five fingers”.

Plov is a traditional Central Asian dish, originally from the Fergana Valley and common in southern Kyrgyzstan. The basis of the dish is rice, carrots and meat, first fried and then boiled. There is no canonical recipe for preparing pilaf; additional ingredients can be added, such as garlic, raisins, dried apricots, nuts, etc. However, the most delicious pilaf is considered to be made from Uzgen rice, which is prepared in the cities of Uzgen and Osh

Lagman is boiled noodles seasoned with fried and then stewed vegetables and meat. Lagman has Dungan roots and has been one of the favorite dishes of national cuisine since ancient times. Also notable are the noodles for lagman, which are stretched by hand.

Shorpo is a strong and fatty meat broth that may contain carrots, potatoes, noodles and herbs. In the northern regions of Kyrgyzstan, practically no seasonings are added to shorpo and the entire emphasis is on long-term cooking of the meat broth. In the southern part of the country, a large number of aromatic seasonings and ingredients are added to shorpo.

Manti are steamed dough stuffed with meat and onions. This is a traditional Central Asian dish with Chinese roots. In Kyrgyzstan, the most common filling for manti is finely chopped lamb or beef with onions.

Samsa is baked dough, often flaky, with a variety of fillings, primarily meat. In cities and large villages, samsa is a popular street food option. Traditionally, samsa is baked in a tandoor - a clay oven, but in cities, samsa is also baked in ordinary ovens and has a triangular shape.

Kuurdak is fried meat with potatoes, onions and a lot of spices.

Dimdama is stewed vegetables in a cauldron with the addition of meat. Vegetables used for smokedama include cabbage, potatoes, carrots, eggplant, peppers, onions, celery and many others.

Ashlyan-fu is a cold soup of Dungan origin, prepared from hot and sour vegetable broth, lagman noodles and starch. The most delicious is Ashlyan-fu, which is prepared in the city of Karakol, where Ashlyan-fu is served with a small fried pie with potatoes.

Kurut is a fermented milk product in the form of small dried balls, a kind of Central Asian cheese. The history of kurut goes deep into the nomadic antiquity of the Turkic peoples. Making kuruts was one of the few ways to stock up on provisions for a long time. Kuruts are remarkable precisely because they can be stored literally for years. Kurut tastes salty and sour.

Chuchuk (or kazy, kazy-karta, etc.) is a Central Asian sausage made from horse meat. To make it, a whole piece of horse meat from the rib part of the horse, rich in fat, is stuffed into the horse intestine, along with salt and spices. Chuchuk is consumed dried, boiled or smoked. Considered a delicacy.

Lepeshka is a national Kyrgyz bread baked in a tandoor and has a flat and round shape. Flatbreads are baked with onions, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc.

Boorsok is the most favorite type of bread for the holidays. It consists of small pieces of yeast dough fried in oil. Boorsoks are loved for their taste; they can be either salty or sweet.