Uzbek national dishes   - These are the bright colors of nature, centuries-old traditions and the aroma of the East, food that will not leave indifferent any gourmet and connoisseur of true taste. Sensing the aroma of the dish, and even more so seeing it, your stomach will immediately shout to you, "I'm hungry!" Believe me, there are no fewer gastronomic joys in Uzbekistan than there are stars in the sky!

Recipes   cooking dishes uzbek national cuisine   formed over many centuries. It was not without the culinary influence of other nationalities, which more than once conquered the lands of Central Asia, however, Uzbek dishes still acquired their own specifics. A distinctive feature of Uzbek cuisine is the use of all. Most dishes are prepared using a large amount of oil: cotton, sunflower or sesame, with the addition of fat tail fat. In the formation of recipes for dishes of Uzbek cuisine, there is a contribution not only to culinary masters, but also to doctors. According to one legend, pilaf recipe   composed by Abu Ali Ibn Sino (Avicenna).

Main ingredients uzbek dishes   - flour, meat (mainly lamb), tail fat (lard), vegetables, herbs and spices. There are dishes that are prepared exclusively by men, or only women. The preparation of some special dishes is associated with holidays, memorable events, and beliefs.
Uzbek dishes are usually very nutritious and high-calorie. Of great importance in their preparation are herbs and spices   - coriander (cilantro), zira (zra, cumin), barberry, sesame, rayon (basil), etc. Spices increase your appetite, so you want to eat these dishes as soon as you learn their aroma. Often, recipes of Uzbek national dishes use katyk (sour milk, classic yogurt), as well as green radish. It is less burning than black radish, and in combination with butter and carrots it is even sweet;

During cooking uzbek dishes   often you can not do without specific Central Asian cooking appliances and utensils:
- casakan   (mantyshnitsa). Some national Uzbek dishes are cooked exclusively for a couple - this is a variety of manti and khanums. For their preparation, a special pan is used - a caskan with removable grills (mantyshnitsa, double boiler);
- tandoor   - Central Asian clay oven. Make it by hand. It resembles a large clay jug. Tandoor are vertical and horizontal. For example, horizontal ones are more suitable for baking cakes, and vertical ones are more suitable for;
- cauldron   - a cast-iron boiler with thick walls. It turns out that many dishes can only be prepared in a cauldron, since it preserves and evenly distributes heat.

National dishes, which traditionally serves food:
- kasushka   - a large bowl for food;
- lagoon   - A large dish decorated with traditional murals. The lagans serve pilaf and many other dishes.
- bowlfrom which they drink tea.

By tradition, they eat in Uzbekistan at a low table - dastarkhan, on the floor, in summer - on aivan (trestle beds). Around the dastarkhan lay motley kurpachi   (view of a Central Asian mattress) and small pillows so that you can have a tasty meal and relax without getting up from the table.
Pork is categorically not used in food.

Uzbek cuisine   - This is a delicious, juicy lamb, golden hot cake, many fragrant spices, marvelous green tea, sweets, a thousand delicious fruits and vegetables, and most importantly - infinitely cordial Asian hospitality!

Welcome!

Dishes of Uzbek cuisine

In general, the Uzbek traditional cuisine is rich, fragrant and moderately spicy dishes. However, Uzbek cuisine must be divided into two parts, because it is very prone to seasonality: in the summer mainly fresh fruits and vegetables and dishes with their use are eaten here, in the winter - dried fruits, pickled vegetables, fatty meat. Seasonings are very actively used: hot red pepper, black pepper, basil, coriander. It is impossible to imagine the local cuisine without vegetables, the most popular of which are carrots, pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, garlic. The most popular vegetables are grapes, watermelon and melon.

If Ukraine is associated with borsch, then Uzbekistan is associated with pilaf. This is undoubtedly the most popular and most famous dish of Uzbek cuisine, which, roughly speaking, is pieces of meat with rice, carrots and onions. In Uzbekistan, dozens of varieties of pilaf are known, which differ both in the method of preparation and in situationality - there are different types of festive and ceremonial pilaf. Pilaf is not just a dish, it is a real cultural symbol of the country. According to tradition, if pilaf is prepared for guests, then the landlord must certainly cook it. In many families, this tradition is observed today.

However, jokes that Uzbek cuisine consists of hundreds of dishes, 99 of which are varieties of pilaf, are hardly appropriate. Uzbeks do not live alone, they have something to be proud of without this dish. Other widely known dishes of Uzbek national cuisine: shurpa (soup from a large piece of fatty meat and fresh vegetables), lagman (a noodle-based dish that can be served as a soup or as a second dish), manti (large steamed dumplings) , mastava (vegetable soup with lamb and rice), chuchvara and samsa (stuffed dough pies, served as an appetizer and as a main dish), dimlama (meat stew with vegetables) and a great variety of kebab and kebab.

If the choice of soups and hot dishes of Uzbek cuisine is wide enough, then the assortment of desserts is really very limited. A typical meal ends with fresh fruit or dried fruit compote, less often nuts or halva are served. Sweet pastries are less common than in other countries in the region.

The traditional Uzbek national drink, as in many other countries of Central Asia, is green tea. Green tea for Uzbeks is a drink that has not only gastronomic, but also cultural significance. This drink always accompanies the meal, it is a symbol of hospitality. If the owner of the house offers tea to the guest, then he is glad to this guest. Green tea is considered traditional tea, but black tea is no less popular in Tashkent.

Alcohol in Uzbekistan is consumed much less than in European countries, but wine is popular relative to other Muslim countries. In Uzbekistan there are more than a dozen wineries producing quite decent wine from local grapes.

Uzbek national cuisine is not only dishes, but also a special ceremony of a meal, table setting. In many Uzbek families, special serving dishes are still used, table etiquette is observed, which allows preserving the folk flavor and turning an ordinary meal into a real ceremony.

Bright and unusual, hearty and fragrant Uzbek dishes are known throughout the world. The cuisine of Uzbekistan has absorbed the customs and culinary traditions of various peoples. Original and rich Uzbek dishes are made from simple products. Appetizing dishes such as pilaf, kebab, manti, lagman, shurpa, samsa have a special magical aroma that is not conceivable to keep calm. Tourists who visit Uzbekistan want to immediately taste all this and enjoy the extraordinary taste. Uzbek cuisine is loved and appreciated all over the world. It is a diverse and vibrant cuisine in the East.

Features of Uzbek cuisine

Many recipes of Uzbek dishes have a long history, and the preparation of food is accompanied by various rituals that have survived to the present. Over a thousand-year history, Uzbek cuisine has developed its own characteristic features.

The national Uzbek cuisine is a separate layer of the culture of the Uzbek people. Compared with their nomadic neighbors, Uzbeks have always led a settled lifestyle, engaged in farming and livestock farming. From time immemorial, in their fertile valleys, they grew vegetables, fruits and cereals. Cattle, which was a source of meat, were bred. Its abundance can be seen in many dishes.

Undoubtedly, the Uzbek cuisine has incorporated the culinary traditions of the Kazakh, Turkic, Uigur, Tatar, Tajik and Mongolian peoples who inhabited this territory and other neighboring peoples. Among the borrowed dishes there are such as kebab, roast, baursak, brushwood, manti, dumplings, lagman and others. But, in turn, such Uzbek dishes as different types of pilaf, booglam, dimlama, mastava, shurpa and others decorate tables in many countries of the world.

Many recipes in Uzbek cuisine are associated with the fact that not only meat products are widely used here, but vegetables, fruits, cereals, spices, herbs - everything that is abundantly grows on this fertile land. Uzbekistan harvests large crops of rice, wheat, barley, corn, and legumes. Thanks to the warm climate, a rich variety of fruits, vegetables, melons and grapes, as well as greens, citrus fruits, berries and nuts, are growing here. All these products are used in the preparation of Uzbek dishes.

An important role in Uzbek cooking is played by flour products, as well as dairy products. The national Uzbek cuisine is characterized by intensive use of meat, namely lamb, beef and horse meat. Incidentally, in different areas of the country they cook differently. In the north, they prefer fried meat, pilaf, pastry and tortillas. In the south, many types of complex dishes of rice and vegetables are prepared, as well as great desserts.

Regarding the meal itself, in Uzbekistan, like many nations, the meal is three meals a day: nonushta (breakfast), tushlik ovkat (lunch) and ketchy ovkat (dinner). Nonushta literally means “breaking flat cakes” or “eating bread.” Uzbeks eat mainly with their hands, and sit on the floor or at a low table - dastarkhan - with a wide tablecloth. First, fruits and sweets are served on the table. After them, tea and vegetables are served salads. Then comes the line of soups - thick mastava, fragrant shurpa. And the main course completes the feast - lagman, manti, pilaf and kebab.

Dishes of Uzbek cuisine

Soups

Soups occupy an important place in the national Uzbek cuisine and are popular both among ethnic Uzbeks and other nations that inhabit the republic. Uzbek soups are thick and saturated with vegetables, such as beets, carrots, onions, as well as herbs and various seasonings.

Shurpa is considered the most popular soup. There are dozens of types of shurpa: “shurpa-shepherd” - meat soup from potatoes, tomatoes and onions, “shurpa-mash” - soup from lamb and a special kind of beans “mash”, “kaurma-shurpa” - soup with turnips, carrots and potatoes , “Sholgom-shurpa” - mutton soup with turnip, “kiyma-shurpa” - meatball soup, “kifta-shurpa” - soup with meat sausages, vegetables and peas.

Mastava enjoys no less fame - a soup of meat and vegetables, to which, when served, add sour milk, herbs and pepper to taste. Mashhurda is also popular - soup with mash, potatoes and rice, which is seasoned with sour milk, onions and herbs, cholop - a cold soup of radishes, cucumbers and herbs on sour milk and many others.

By the way, the use of dairy products in soups dates back to the time when the Turks, the ancestors of the Uzbeks, were still nomadic tribes. All sour-milk soups are called katykli.

Pilaf

Pilaf is a symbol of Uzbek cuisine. It is cooked in all houses of Uzbekistan, no matter what family. Uzbek pilaf is an integral part of the mentality of the country's inhabitants.

Traditionally, Uzbek men cook this dish. There are more than a thousand recipes for cooking pilaf with different ingredients and there are even books that are dedicated only to this dish.

Uzbek pilaf also varies by region. So, the Samarkand pilaf is light in color, and the Ferghana pilaf, on the contrary, is dark. In Samarkand, meat, carrots, rice are laid in layers, and then steamed. In Tashkent pilaf, all components are first overcooked.

To cook the Uzbek pilaf, they usually take rice of a new crop, fresh mutton or beef, yellow or red carrots, large heads of onions and vegetable oil. This pilaf is cooked in a deep cast-iron pot (cauldron), which heats up equally and does not allow food to burn.

Meat dishes

It is impossible to imagine national Uzbek cuisine without meat dishes. Usually, lamb is popular among the local population. Beef is eaten less often, and horse meat, from which sausage is made - kazy, is even smaller. Fish are eaten mainly by residents of coastal areas. Pork, like other Muslims, is banned by the Uzbeks, because it is considered the meat of an unclean animal.

Traditional meat dishes are tukhum-dulma (meatballs), kebab (barbecue), kaban (stewed meat in a cauldron), kavurdak and hasib (cold meat snacks), roast meat (roast), dimlama (stewed meat and vegetables) other.

Meat dishes are usually served with salads of fresh vegetables or cooked meat with vegetables. To prepare many dishes, the meat does not separate from the bone. To improve the palatability of meat dishes, the meat is fried in calcined sunflower oil, the smell of which increases appetite. Some meat dishes are steamed.

Bread

Bread is considered sacred to the Uzbek people. In accordance with traditions, when someone leaves home for a long time, he has to bite off a small piece of cake, which remains until a person comes back and eats it.

Uzbek bread is called flat cake or non. It is baked in a clay oven - tandoor, as a result of which it comes out crispy and rosy.

There are obi-non (ordinary) and patyr (festive) cakes. And there are a lot of their varieties. Puff and rich, in taste and appearance they vary by region - Bukhara, Samarkand cakes and others. At the same time, each region of the country can surprise with its special bread, which is made only here. Each region uses a different sourdough for bread, an original technology of preparation, so bread that is baked and differs in appearance and taste.

Thus, the Ferghana Valley is known for delicious katlama non (puff cakes). Each of the layers of such a product during cooking is lubricated with sour cream or oil. They also make zhizali-non (tortillas with cracklings), zogora-non (tortillas from cornmeal), cook patyr (tortillas on grassy infusion) and many other species. Some cakes are prepared with meat or onions.

Traditionally, tortillas are broken with your hands, and not cut with a knife. At the same time, putting broken pieces of bread “face” down is prohibited by Uzbek table etiquette: this is considered disrespectful of cakes.

Flour dishes

Uzbek flour dishes make up almost half of all dishes of national cuisine. The most famous is fresh dough, although yeast dough is also used in cooking. Most often, products that are baked in a tandoor are made from yeast dough.

In the preparation of the second flour dishes, such methods of heat treatment are used as: cooking in water, milk, in broth, stewing, sautéing, languishing, frying and others.

Samsa - pies from puff pastry with meat or other filling, khanum - paired roll with potato filling, manti - paired dough products with meat or vegetable filling and other dishes are very popular.

Many Uzbek flour products are baked in a tandoor, where the baking temperature is high, which gives the dishes a distinctive taste.

Uzbek noodles are used in the preparation of the first and second Uzbek flour dishes, among which the most popular are Lagman, Naryn, Keskan-Osh. Also, Uzbek dumplings - chuchvara are no less famous.

Vegetables and fruits

Juicy fruits and vegetables are a symbol of prosperity and abundance of the Uzbek people. Dastarkhan (the Uzbek table) is impossible to imagine without greens, vegetables, fruits, as well as melons and bunches of grapes filled with the sun.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as dishes from them occupy a considerable place in the human diet. They are a source of vitamins and minerals, which for normal functioning of the body must be eaten every day. In the harvesting season, Uzbeks buy large quantities of vegetables and fruits in order to preserve them, and thereby provide themselves and guests with tasty treats on the table and healthy substances in the winter.

Uzbekistan grows a lot of fruits, citrus fruits and berries, which are rich in useful vitamins: juicy red watermelons, fragrant melons, sweet grapes, bulk apples, lemon, cherry, red pomegranate, persimmon, dates, figs, quince and many others.

Uzbek vegetables and fruits are used in many dishes of traditional cuisine, and not only. Yellow carrots, red tomatoes, purple eggplant and many more colorful vegetables complement Uzbek dishes. And some culinary masterpieces in general can not be imagined without them.

Many fruits and vegetables are used to make snacks and salads. In the summer heat, an Uzbek family often gathers at a table where fresh fruits and cakes are the main treat.

Spice

To cook aromatic and tasty dishes, Uzbek chefs use various spices, spices and herbs, which increase appetite. The Uzbek spices are mainly used for cooking: zira, zirk, black pepper, fresh, ground and dried red peppers, coriander, cinnamon, bay leaf, anise, and others.

Greens - parsley, dill, cilantro, celery, rayon, mint, jambil and some types of vegetables, such as garlic, onions, radishes and radishes are often used as the main components for dishes, as well as spices. Some fruits have the same role: sour pomegranate seeds, quince, fresh and dried plums, raisins.

The main drink of Uzbekistan is tea. It is with him that the meal begins; he completes it. The most popular in the country is kok-choy (green tea). The capital mainly uses bark-choi (black tea).

In most cases, tea is drunk without sugar. Uzbek tea with sugar is called Kand-cho here. Often, various aromatic herbs and spices are added to tea. In Karakalpakstan they drink both black and green tea, but preferably with milk, which is akin to the English traditions of tea drinking.

Tea, like a ceremony, is one of the finest oriental customs. In any house, the guest will certainly be offered a bowl of aromatic tea, which is a drink of hospitality. Uzbek tea drinking is characterized by its features and canons.

The teapot is poured into a well-warmed kettle, then a little boiling water is poured, keeping it steamed. Then the kettle is first topped up to half, then up to three quarters of the volume and to the top, while pausing for several minutes.

The hospitable owner himself brews, pours and brings tea. There is a tradition: the more respectable the guest, the less tea is poured to him, so that he often turns to the owner for a new portion of tea.

Sour-milk dishes

Sour-milk dishes occupy a special place in the national cuisine of Uzbekistan. They arose as a result of the nomadic lifestyle of the ancestors of the Uzbeks.

The most famous products of the Uzbek sour-milk cuisine are katyk - almost sour milk, and suzma - thick sour milk. In addition to them there is also kurt - a ball of dried sour milk, which is seasoned with salt and pepper, as well as kaymak - a type of fat cream. All of them are used both separately and as ingredients in dishes.

The most popular among sour-milk dishes are soups, which are divided into meat and vegetarian, as well as hot and cold. It is worth recalling about ayran, a drink made from sour milk, which is diluted with cold water and seasoned with herbs. This drink perfectly invigorates and quenches thirst. Uzbek sour-milk dishes are prepared from sheep, cow and goat milk.

Eastern sweets

An important component of Uzbek cuisine are oriental sweets. The most popular of them are halva and nawat. Halva is a sweet treat, for the preparation of which is used flour, sugar, nuts. Navat is a boiled crystalline grape sugar with spices and dyes.

Unusual taste is characterized by baking of Uzbek masters-confectioners. Everyone is surprised by fancy curly cookies - kush-tili, cheesecakes - zangza, fancy balls - boogirsack, nuts in sugar and sweet brushwood. A special delicacy is caramel candy floss - pashmak and quince stuffed with nuts - behi-dulma.

You should also mention such oriental sweets as Nisholda and Sumalak. Nisholda represents protein whipped with sugar and herbs, and sumalak is a sweet, uniform and dense mass of wheat germ. These oriental goodies are closely related to the main Uzbek holidays. Oh, they usually cook on the eve of the Uzbek New Year - Navruz.

National cuisine is one of the main attractions of Uzbekistan, which will be an opening for all gourmets.

Uzbek cuisine is a food that has been familiar to many since childhood. It is unlikely that many will name more than two or three dishes, and it will most likely be pilaf, manti or lagman, but the Uzbek cuisine is rich and diverse.
  Most importantly, the dishes are prepared from natural products, there are no complex ingredients, and the taste is amazing.
Lagman   - This is an Uzbek soup with homemade noodles, a kind of Central Asian version of ramen with a very spicy and fatty lamb broth and a lot of vegetables and meat. Depending on the recipe, there is a thinner or thicker lagman.


Eggplant appetizer Badamjan   - These are baked or fried eggplant with slices of bell pepper and radish, sprinkled with finely chopped greens and sprinkled with oil.


Chuchvara   - This is a soup with small dumplings, which is usually served with suzma (a fermented milk product such as sour cream) and contains black pepper, onion, tomato paste and bell pepper.


Pilaf   - A delicious combination of rice, slices of beef, veal or lamb, carrots, onions and a special set of spices. It is easy to prepare in large quantities in the boiler, so this dish is often the basis of the festive table.


Salad "Tashkent"   - branded capital salad, made from boiled beef tongue, radish and herbs, seasoned with sour cream sauce and garnished with fried onions.


Manti   - A dish of meat and dough, which is steamed. As the filling, beef, lamb or veal is used, although there is an option with pumpkin. The filling must be cut into pieces, otherwise all the juice will flow out. Onions and spices are also placed inside. If desired, a little fatty fat is sometimes added for flavor. Manti is eaten with kaymak (not to be confused with curd cheese, which is sold in stores), but it is not found in Russia, so it is better to eat with sour cream, not forgetting to sprinkle with fresh herbs.


Samsa   - triangular pies from homemade puff pastry stuffed with meat or pumpkin, onions, lamb fat and spices. As in manti, the filling is cut into cubes. Samsa is baked in a clay oven - tandoor, but at home you can cook in the oven. When samsa is ready, it is smeared with egg yolk and sprinkled with black sesame seeds.


Salad "Achik-chuchuk", also known as Achichuk, are fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs. This dish is perfect for vegetarians and fasting.


Naryn - This is a national Uzbek dish of homemade noodles and boiled meat, which is served with broth. Naryn is usually made from lamb, horse meat or kazy (boiled horse meat sausage) and sometimes from veal or beef. The main secret of this dish is that before you cook the meat, it must be covered with salt and dried for 24 hours. This is done for the transparency and saturation of the broth. Onion is added to meat and noodles. In the original recipe, they take ordinary fresh onions, chopped, rubbed with their hands and added to the dish. You can also fry the onion, and grease the noodle dough with the remaining oil.


Shurpa   - rich and fatty mutton and vegetable soup. The most famous varieties are kaitnam, where the meat is put fresh, and kovurma, where the meat is first fried in oil.


Dimlam   - The Uzbek version of the roast, which uses beef, lamb, various vegetables, including potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, as well as fresh herbs and - necessarily - spices.


Kutaby   - fried flat pies from the finest dough stuffed with meat, herbs, tomatoes, cheese - individually or together.


Kabob (kebab)   - beef, lamb or veal strung in small pieces on skewers and cooked over an open fire. As a rule, meat is pre-marinated. Slices of lamb alternate with slices of fat tail fat, which is browned over a fire and acquires a delicate taste, and when served, all this splendor is sprinkled with fresh finely chopped onions and herbs and sprinkled with table vinegar. Spicy tomato or adjika is suitable as a sauce.


Halvitar   - This is the liquid embodiment of halva. Add flour to the overheated fat or oil, stir, then add sugar, and nuts and vanilla - only at the end of cooking.


Tea with sweets   - This is an Uzbek tradition. There are plenty of options for making tea in Uzbekistan, and this drink is certainly served with nuts, dried fruits and other natural and healthy goodies. By the way, the Uzbeks never give guests a full bowl, showing that they are very happy and want the guest to sit longer. A full bowl means that the owner is in a hurry to convince you.

Uzbek national dishes are bright colors, oriental flavor and centuries-old traditions, carried from the past to the present. The first thing that is associated with the cuisine of Uzbekistan is, of course, aromatic pilaf, delicious kebabs, lush golden cakes with hot heat and amazing sweets. It is impossible to resist the abundance of local dishes! We can say with confidence that there are no less goodies in sunny Tashkent, Samarkand or Bukhara than there are stars in the sky! The culinary traditions inherent in Uzbek cuisine have evolved over many centuries. It was not without the influence of other nations, which once conquered the lands of Central Asia. The nomadic way of life and the assimilation of cultures, in particular the neighborhood with Persians and Tajiks, helped diversify the range of traditional dishes.

DISHES OF THE UZBEK CUISINE

The local cuisine, although formed under the influence of Asian traditions, still has features and specific features. It is characterized by the use of meat. Lamb, horse meat, beef, poultry - without this it is difficult to imagine a table in Uzbekistan. The food here is very hearty and high in calories. Cooking is also inconceivable without spices - coriander, saffron, hot pepper, agar-agar, caraway seeds, rosemary, etc. Such an abundance of fragrant herbs and seasonings nourishes the dishes with a unique, refined aroma. Spices immediately arouse brutal appetite, therefore, smelling these delicacies, there is a desire to try them. And there are so many goodies that your eyes run wide: snacks, hot first courses, meat products, fragrant pastries, desserts. You definitely won’t have to starve! In Uzbek cuisine, there are hundreds of recipes and names of different dishes. Naturally, it’s impossible to list everything, so it’s worth highlighting the most popular of them.

Uzbek snacks

In the local kitchen there are specific snacks. Juicy home-made sausages and dishes from fat tail fat can hardly be classified as light dishes. Khasyp is considered one of the most original snacks. Fragrant, enchanting with pleasant smells of oriental spices, home-made boiled sausage made of lamb meat, liver and rice porridge - this is heavenly pleasure for true gourmets. Khasyp doesn't seem to look very attractive, but in fact it is a real delicacy. Perhaps the presence of mutton giblets and guts will not please everyone, but when you try a piece of sausage, you forget about everything, even this little nuance.
In the list of delicious Uzbek sausages, an honorable second place belongs to a dish under a simple name - kazy. This amazing meat delicacy can be eaten at least every day - it is unlikely that it will bother anyone. By the way, they cook it, if not strange, not from lamb, but from horse meat, using meat from the rib part of the carcass. Serve the sausage in a cold form, slicing into thin slices seasoning with spices, decorating with herbs and onion rings. Kazy may not look very impressive, but the taste is incredible. In addition, horse meat is very healthy and easily absorbed by the body. In general, there are more pluses than minuses, which is already good!
  For lovers of salty, perhaps, there is nothing tastier than the Uzbek kurt. Truly, this is a universal dish: it will go both to beer and to soup, and on a long journey, it will help quench your thirst with hunger. On hot summer days, it retains water in the body longer. What is it? In general, kurt is known to Asians from ancient times. Its recipe was invented with the aim of preserving sour-milk products that savvy wives supplied their husbands when they went along with trade caravans far beyond their native lands. Kurt is dried salted cottage cheese made in the form of small balls. It is prepared from suzma (the product remaining in the manufacture of cottage cheese) and salt. To improve the taste, various seasonings are added to it, mainly basil and red pepper. Kurt is a magical snack. It is easily digestible, equivalent in calorific value to meat dishes, although it is stored much longer - from 7 to 8 years, is light and takes up little space.

First meal

Hot dishes in any kitchen are represented primarily by soups. In Uzbekistan, they are quite satisfying, high-calorie, differ in a thick consistency. They are prepared on the basis of meat or fish broth with the addition of meat, cereals, beans, peas, different varieties of pumpkins and a huge amount of herbs and spices.
  Two types of soups are distinguished depending on the method of cooking meat. The first is with roasting; pre-fried lamb is used for it. It is customary to cut vegetables and other ingredients into small pieces. For a richer flavor, add bell pepper, tomatoes and many seasonings. The second option (Shurpa, Naryn) is prepared from raw meat, which is cut into large pieces and seasoned with fresh or sour milk.
One of the main national dishes of Uzbek cuisine is mastava, or mastoba. The composition of the main ingredients and cooking technology, it resembles pilaf, so in everyday life it is often called "liquid pilaf." In fact, mastava is a filling soup made from rice and fresh mutton with the addition of carrots, onions, turnips and tomatoes. Many spices act as its integral components, in particular cilantro, basil, black and red capsicum, parsley and berries of barberry. Before serving, the mastava is seasoned with a small amount of sour milk and garlic, additionally decorated with greens.
  An easily digestible and satisfying dish among Uzbeks is katykli khurda - this is a soup cooked in meat or vegetable broth. The main components here are rice and wheat groats, in some regions of the country it is customary to add beans and mung beans (mung bean). Katykli Khurda belongs to the category of diet foods. Unlike other soups, a little sour milk is definitely added here, which gives it a light, delicate taste and a pleasant aroma.
  One of the options for katykli is a chalop - a cold sour-milk soup, popular among many Turkic peoples. In Uzbek cuisine, it is a mixture of katyk (sour milk), finely chopped greens and vegetables. It is cooked mainly on hot summer days.
  Sour-milk soups include karakum. The set of ingredients in this dish is really minimal. It is prepared on the basis of katyk and finely chopped onions. Season with red pepper and add a little boiled water. Serve karakum in bowls with small cakes.
  Shurpa is very popular in the East - filling soup made from pre-fried meat and vegetables. As a rule, it is made from lamb, sometimes birds are used. In some regions, you can find another option - "Asa Shurpa", which is based on fish broth. It is characterized by the use of a large amount of herbs and spices. A distinctive feature is that, along with the traditional set of vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions), apples, plums, dried apricots and dried fruits are used for cooking in an unlimited amount, which gives the soup a sweetish flavor and fresh fruity aroma.
There are several varieties of traditional soup in the cuisine of Uzbekistan. The mutton shurpa with fry, or kaurma shurpa is widely known. It is prepared from the costal part of a ram carcass. A lot of vegetables are added to the dish: carrots and potatoes, chopped onions and tomatoes. It is served in special cups, decorating when served with cilantro and black pepper. No less well-known corn shurpa.
  Among the first dishes, it is worth highlighting Piev - onion soup with lamb and tomatoes. A erma is also considered a popular and satisfying dish - a broth made from crushed wheat, meat and tomatoes. By adding red capsicum it is quite sharp, so it is often washed down with sour milk.
  Shurpa-shepherd - a soup based on a broth of lamb ribs with chopped onions, tomatoes and potatoes, is also a common dish. It is served in an unusual way: at the bottom of the plate put the remaining portion of fresh onion, grated with black pepper, and then pour the soup. Onion with spices perfectly sets off the taste of lamb and vegetables and gives the dish a richer flavor.
  Among the first dishes made from beef, kiyima-shurpa is popular - it is a bone soup soup with meatballs, sautéed onions, finely chopped carrots and potatoes. During serving, separately boiled rice, sour milk or a little sour cream are added to it, sprinkled with chopped herbs.
  Uzbek cuisine is also known for hearty and unusually fatty dishes. These include suyuk-osh - a regular beef meat soup with onions, carrots and potatoes. It is also customary to add a little noodles to it. When serving, suyuk-osh must be seasoned with sour milk.
  Universal food can be considered Naryn. Due to its thick consistency and high calorie content, it is often served as a second course. Prepare a soup of finely chopped lamb and lard. Separately, salt is boiled in noodles. Mix it with pre-fried meat, fill everything with broth and decorate with herbs.

Uzbek pilaf

The pearl of the local cuisine is pilaf, which appeared a long time ago. The technology of its preparation was first developed in the East and since then it has occupied a special, honorable place in Asian cuisine. In the East, it is consumed daily: not a single event in the family can do without it! Uzbekistan was no exception to the rule.
There are many recipes for cooking pilaf, but its main feature is a harmonious combination of two components - the grain part and the filling (zirvak). Unlike other dishes, several nuances are taken into account when preparing it. The first is the proportions of meat and cereal, which determine the taste. In each region, this combination is different, which is displayed on the taste characteristics. When preparing pilaf, great attention is also paid to grain, therefore cereals are also prepared using a special technology - it must be solid and crumbly. To achieve this effect, it is not boiled, but stewed on a small fire.
  In the East, there are two key options for cooking pilaf - Iranian and Central Asian. In the first, rice and filling are prepared separately for it and these components are combined only at the time of serving - this is how dishes are prepared in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Central Asian version is more popular in Uzbekistan - when zirvak and grain are cooked together and served as a whole dish.
  In Uzbek cuisine, there are many regional variations on the preparation of pilaf, differing in the set of basic ingredients and the ratio between the amount of meat and cereal. Here you can find the option with wheat, fresh and dried apricots, garlic and beans. Also, fruits, in particular quince, barberry, raisins and dried apricots, are often added to zirvak.
  Among the many varieties of pilaf in the cuisine of Uzbekistan, the toga gourmet is very popular. It is cooked in two stages: 1/4 of the meat, carrots and onions languishes with rice, the rest of the filling is cooked in another pot. They are joined together during serving. Separately, pickled wild onions are served to it.
  Tontarm pilaf is no less famous, it differs from the traditional one only in that the rice is still fried in melted butter before cooking until a red crust is formed. Then the grain part is laid in cast-iron boilers and cooked according to the usual recipe, mixing it with passivated onions and carrots.
  In some regions, safaki-palah, or separate pilaf in Samarkand, is popular. In this case, the zirvak, which includes lamb, carrots and onions, cut into thin slices, is stewed separately from the grain. Rice is boiled in another boiler. When serving, first place the cereal on the plate, pour hot oil on top of it, and only then put a delicious filling.
There is also a vegetarian option in Uzbek cuisine - this is Bukhara pilaf without meat. To cook it, use only rice, a set of vegetables and fruits, lots of herbs, spicy herbs and spices. Cereals are mixed with carrots and onions that are previously passivated in vegetable oil. Then add a little washed raisins, as well as chopped root and parsley. A rich combination of spices, herbs and dried fruits gives the dish an unusual aroma.
  It is also worth mentioning and bakhsh, or green pilaf. The specificity of this dish is not only in the unusual color palette, but also in the fact that for it all the components are cut very finely. The dish looks extremely exotic and quite unusual, and its taste will be remembered for a long time.
  Another of the traditional foods of Uzbekistan is shawl. The people call it nothing more than "improperly prepared pilaf." In fact, it consists of the same ingredients as pilaf, just the ratio of these products is slightly different. In this case, be sure to add a lot of fat (1/2 of the entire portion), onions and vegetables, and meat, on the contrary, lay less. There are also tomatoes. All this affects the consistency and taste characteristics, makes the dish unlike traditional pilaf.

Second courses

In Uzbek cuisine, lamb dishes are preferred. Beef, horse meat and chicken are used much less frequently. The main feature in the preparation of meat dishes is that the meat to both the first and second is boiled or fried along with the bone. Asian cuisine is not distinguished by a wide range of side dishes: meat is served mainly with vegetables, onions and herbs.
  Bright, hearty and fragrant dish is basma. It consists of meat and vegetables, stewed in their own juice. For cooking, they use a large cast-iron cauldron, on the bottom of which a little fat tail is put. Next, coarsely chopped lamb and a whole mountain of vegetables - onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, eggplant and cabbage are laid out in layers. Everyone is sure to crush with salt, spices, herbs and add a lot of fresh herbs. The ingredients are poured with water and simmer over low heat until cooked.
Popular among the Turkic peoples is the smoke, common in the agricultural regions of Central Asia. It is an assortment of stewed vegetables (cabbage, bell pepper, onions, eggplant, carrots and potatoes) with the addition of lamb and fat tail fat. It is cooked in large cauldrons. All components are laid out in order, poured with water and simmer on low heat. After cooking, the dish is thoroughly mixed and served on the table on large plates.
  Dolma is also characteristic of the national cuisines of all countries and peoples that have ever experienced Turkic influence, in the Uzbek version it is called tokosh. To some extent, this is an "eastern" relative of Russian cabbage rolls. Dolma is minced meat wrapped in young grape leaves. Usually, lamb and rice are used for it. For a richer flavor, lemon juice, nuts, olive oil and onions are often added. Dolma in Uzbekistan is prepared from beef meat and round rice. Greens, mainly cilantro, a couple of sprigs of mint and onions are definitely added to the filling. Serve it hot with sour cream and finely chopped herbs.
  The second course includes Kovurdak - an ordinary roast of meat and offal with the addition of vegetables and herbs. For greater richness, potatoes, chicken and a little pumpkin are added to it. To create a richer flavor range, kovurdaks are seasoned with many spices and spices that blend perfectly with the main ingredients.
  An analogue of Kovurdak is Behili Zharkop, or Roast with Quince. It is quite simple, for cooking they take the meat of a young lamb, onions and a little quince. Ground ingredients are simmered over low heat. Serve it with finely chopped greens or several sprigs of cilantro.
  Uzbek, like any other Asian cuisine, is difficult to imagine without a barbecue (kaboba). Before gourmet, fragrant meat fried on charcoal, not a single gourmet can resist. In Uzbekistan, there are many options for cooking it. Here you can find kabob from fresh mutton, beef, chicken and even liver (kabob gig).
In the classic version, the food is prepared on the coals of saxaul - the so-called "desert tree". The meat is pre-marinated. For marinade take vinegar, lemon juice, spices and onions. If the meat is too hard, then it is initially rubbed with mustard, and after half an hour it is lowered into the marinade. To make the barbecue juicy when frying meat, fat tail fat is added to it. Serve the dish along with fragrant hot cakes and pickled onions. And after a hearty dinner, guests are offered a cup of strong green tea.
  Among the meat dishes, one can also distinguish thum-dulma, or Uzbek-style zrazy - a very fatty, but at the same time quite satisfying meal. It is made from ground beef, outwardly it resembles simple meat cakes, inside which hard-boiled eggs are wrapped. Thum dulma is breaded in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. It is served at the table along with a side dish of fried potatoes and fresh tomatoes. Separately, zrazi relies on hot sauce of red pepper and tomatoes.

Dough Products

In Central Asian cuisine, often cooked dishes from boiled unleavened dough. One of them is chuchvara, or varak chuchvara - the Uzbek version of traditional dumplings. Prepare them from minced ground beef. The dough for them is cut into small squares, in the center of which a little meat mixture is put, then rolled up in the form of an envelope. Chuchvara is always served with tomato broth. As seasoning, use table vinegar or spicy sauce of paprika, red capsicum and tomatoes. When serving, pour it with sour milk and sprinkle with finely chopped greens.
  Uzbeks are considered the national culinary pride of manti - a traditional dish of the Central Asian peoples, consisting of finely chopped minced meat wrapped in thinly rolled unleavened dough. In shape, they resemble large dumplings, they are steamed in a "mantyshnitsa" - a fixture of steam Kaskan pots built in several tiers. They use minced meat, mainly lamb. To make it more juicy, some poultry meat and fat tail fat are added to it. There is also a vegetarian version of the filling - from potatoes or pumpkins. The dough for dishes should be fresh, not yeast and very thin (1-2 mm thick). Finished cakes are oval or square. They are served at the table with meat broth. As an additional seasoning, sour milk and herbs are used.
Another pearl in the cuisine of Uzbekistan is the lagman. It can be served as a first and second course. With a considerable amount of broth, it resembles soup, but if you just change the cooking technology a little, it immediately turns into noodles with aromatic gravy on meat infusion and complex filling. This food is in great demand among the Uighurs, Chinese and Uzbeks. For its preparation, a huge assortment of vegetables is used (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell pepper, onions, carrots, beans and radishes), lamb and noodles made from unleavened dough. Many spices complement the dish, in particular garlic, bitter pepper, various spices and herbs. Serve it hot, in deep bowls or kes.
  Among flour products, samsa is extremely popular - ordinary pies with meat filling, having a triangular, oval or square shape. As the filling, use lamb or beef, less often chicken, as well as vegetables - pumpkin, lentils, potatoes and peas. The dough for pies should be fresh. They are baked in an oven or tandoor (special clay ovens), served with pickled onions and table vinegar.
  Also popular with Uzbeks are pies with liver or lamb giblets called gumma - they are deep-fried in cotton oil. There are dishes from the dough, prepared exclusively for a couple, and khanum also belongs to them - small cakes stuffed with minced meat and mashed potato and pumpkin. The main highlight of this dish is the finest dough, which in the capable hands of the Uzbek hostess turns into elegant roses, simple rolls or original lace "envelopes" with the most delicate, fragrant and juicy filling. It may seem to an inexperienced guest that the khanum is the same as manti, but as they say, "east is a delicate matter," so even though these dishes are similar, they should not be confused. It is better to try both the first and the second - then even the most fastidious gourmets will receive double pleasure.

Uzbek sweets

Without sweets, the life of any person does not seem so joyful. Uzbeks probably agree with this statement, because in their kitchen there are many unique recipes for cooking different goodies. Eastern delicacies are popular in many countries. This is largely due to the fact that they are made exclusively from natural products, without any dyes or preservatives.
According to the legends, earlier the recipes of the best Uzbek sweets were kept in the strictest confidence: only the ruler and his entourage could enjoy various delicacies. Centuries have passed, views have changed, now everyone can try these truly divine dishes, the main thing is to want to!
  According to local etiquette, guests are always treated to hot tea, and a lot of goodies are served to it. Fragrant sweet cakes, homemade sweets, golden caramel, nuts, dried fruits, snow-white nishalda and insanely delicious halva - this is the minimum list of what can be seen on the Uzbek table.
  The list of local delicacies consists of several dozen names, but among the huge abundance of sweets, halva is called the most famous by many, or in the Uzbek version - halvaitai. This is an original oriental treat, incredibly tasty, which will appeal to everyone, without exception. There are about a hundred recipes for halva, but it is often made from wheat flour, sesame and walnuts. In some regions, it is customary to add almonds and pistachios. For it, sugar syrup is separately prepared, which is mixed with fried flour, nuts and other ingredients are added to it. The delicacy is very sweet and has an amazing taste.
  For tea in Uzbekistan, it is customary to serve flavored crystallized sugar, or Navat. It is prepared on the basis of concentrated grape juice. For a richer flavor add a lot of spices. Navat is not only tasty, but also healthy. Sugar itself is used as lollipops for a cold cough and sore throat, and tea with it has an excellent warming effect, gives a person energy and vitality, helps to quickly recover strength after a cold.
  If sweets in the form of white pillows, carefully sprinkled with flour, were brought to the table, then this is nothing more than a parvard - national Uzbek sweets. The process of their preparation is quite laborious. To make them tasty, the main thing is to cook the caramel correctly, because this is the main component. Essential components are also fragrant herbs that give delicacies delicate taste shades and endow with healing properties.
  Delicate, fragrant, crunchy, and simply melt in your mouth sweet cakes of the finest flour threads - this, of course, is pashmak, served in Uzbekistan for hot tea. The delicacy is not subject to long storage, therefore it should be eaten fresh. This is the only way to experience the amazing taste and delicate structure of these cakes.
Among Uzbek sweets, it is worth highlighting a nishalda separately - according to tradition, it is prepared in March, for the holiday of Navruz. It is very soft to taste, it is a whipped egg whites with sugar and a decoction of licorice root. In appearance and consistency resembles thick sour cream. Very popular among Uzbeks is brushwood (small pieces of unleavened dough thoroughly fried in oil, sprinkled with powdered sugar) and chak-chak (sweet cakes in the form of balls or square sticks served with honey syrup).
  The Uzbek cuisine menu cannot be imagined without delicious peanuts wrapped in sweet sugar fondant and gozinaki made from sesame or sunflower seeds held together with chalk water in the form of small bricks. In the skillful hands of local confectioners, fragrant cookies are born - kush-tili, graceful, light sweet cheesecakes, zangza, delicious caramel and many other goodies. Quince stuffed with walnuts and almonds (behi-dulma) is the ultimate dream!

In general, what else can I say ?! Uzbek cuisine is rich and original in its own way. Perhaps these dishes are rustic and look at home, but the main thing, probably, is not a beautiful wrapper, but what is inside. As practice shows, in skilled hands, and even if you put your whole soul into your favorite business, then even the simplest dishes can be turned into real culinary masterpieces!