Food in Kyrgyzstan: The 5 most delicious Kyrgyz dishes & drinks

Are you interested in the food in Kyrgyzstan? Then you've come to the right place! When visiting Kyrgyzstan, it is a must to try the many delicious and traditional dishes of the country. Kyrgyz cuisine is very similar to that of neighbouring Kazakhstan. Mutton, beef, horse meat and various dairy products are the main ingredients. The preparation techniques and main ingredients have been strongly influenced by the nation's historically nomadic way of life. Therefore, many cooking techniques are conducive to long-term food preservation.

Paloo: rice with meat

Paloo is the Kyrgyz version of what is commonly called plov in Central Asian cuisine. It consists of pieces of meat (generally mutton or beef) roasted in a large qazan (a cast-iron cauldron) and mixed with roasted shredded carrots, jiucai (garlic chives) and cooked rice. The dish is garnished with whole fried garlic cloves and hot peppers. 

Uzgen Paloo is made from locally grown rice from the southern Uzgen district of Kyrgyzstan. Shirin Paloo, a close relative of Shirin Plov in Kyrgyz cuisine, is a vegetarian dish in which meat is replaced by dried fruits such as plums, apricots and raisins.

Beschbarmak: Traditional rice dish

Beschbarmak is the national dish of Kyrgyzstan, although it is also popular in neighbouring countries. It consists of horse meat (mutton or beef) cooked in a broth for several hours and served over homemade noodles with parsley. Beschbarmak means "five fingers" in the Kyrgyz language. The name comes from the tradition that the dish is usually eaten with the hands. Beschbarmak is usually prepared on festive occasions, for example to celebrate the birth of a new child, an important birthday or a death in the family. 

A special tradition when mutton is used instead of horse meat is to place a boiled sheep's head on the table in front of the most honored guest. The latter then cuts off pieces of the head and is allowed to offer them to the other guests at the table.

Bread variations like Naan, Kattama and Boortsog

Common breads in Kyrgyzstan include the typical Central Asian flatbread (naan), which is baked in tandoori ovens over coals and has a typical round and relatively flat shape. Traditional bread products also include kattama and boortsog, two types of fried bread. 

The Kyrgyz usually eat their bread with jam, honey or butter. Bread is considered sacred in Kyrgyz culture and a good host always offers at least one guest bread (often with tea), even if the guest only stays for a short moment.

Laghman

Laghman is a very popular noodle dish. It consists of thick noodles made by stretching a very simple flour dough. These are then covered with chopped peppers and other vegetables and served in a spicy vinegar sauce. 

Kumys: fermented mare's milk

A popular Kyrgyz drink is Kumys, a slightly alcoholic drink made by fermenting mare's milk. This drink is considered the hallmark of Eurasian nomadic culture, as it is also consumed in Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Fresh kumys is only available in the summer from about May to August. In the mountainous areas, it is then usually sold by the roadside. 

You want to try the food in Kyrgyzstan?

This was just a small glimpse into the diversity of the popular Kyrgyz cuisine. The best way to discover the culinary specialties of the country is, of course, to travel to Kyrgyzstan yourself. If you want to discover even more dishes and try the food in Kyrgyzstan, check out our Kyrgyzstan trip take a closer look. In addition to the traditional cuisine, you can gain many other authentic experiences to get to know this special culture, the country and the people.