Cuisine—Central Asia

Central Asian cuisine encompasses the traditional culinary practices of the region's five countries, whose methods of food preparation can be divided into two groups. Historically, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were populated primarily by nomadic peoples, who for centuries herded sheep, camels, and horses. Their constant movement left no time for agriculture or complex cooking; the people of these countries relied mainly on the meat and milk provided by their herds, with very little else to diversify their diet. In contrast, inhabitants of the more settled regions of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan cultivated crops and developed sophisticated cooking techniques, thanks to greater availability of produce as well as their ability to spend time at the hearth.

Central Asia's largely harsh and arid climate meant that even in the agricultural regions people relied heavily on meat and cultured dairy products, with relatively few vegetables beyond hardy root crops. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, however, many new crops were introduced, and as the traditional nomadic way of life began to disappear, more garden crops were sown, a process accelerated by the use of widespread irrigation during the Soviet period. Today, after more than a century of change and outside influence, the differences among the Central Asian countries are far less pronounced than they once were, and it is possible to make certain generalizations about the foods of the region.

Meat remains an important food source throughout Central Asia. Lamb is the most popular, although the Turkmens favor mountain goat or kid, while Kazakhs are partial to organ meats. The Kyrgyz consider horsemeat sausage a delicacy. The two most wide-spread

methods for preparing meat are grilling and boiling (or steaming). Uzbekistan is renowned for its many varieties of kabob (skewered grilled meat, either in whole pieces or ground). The excellent kiyma kabob is made by shaping seasoned ground lamb around a skewer.

Turkmen and Tajik meat cookery also depends on the grill, but in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan boiled meats are more common. An ancient dish still eaten today is kavurdak, meat that has been stewed in its own fat and then stored in vessels for long keeping. Meat is also preserved by drying it on tall poles in the sun. Both methods reflect the necessities of itinerant life.

Meat is used to flavor a variety of soups; especially prized is the lagman found throughout Central Asia, a hearty soup of lamb, carrots, and noodles. Unlike many clear European and Asian soups, the soups of Central Asian are nearly always stew-like, enriched with thickeners like potatoes, chickpeas, or mung beans. These soups tend to be rich and filling from the addition of the prized fat from fat-tailed sheep.

Domestic fowl is not as popular as red meat; more highly appreciated are wild fowl such as pheasant and quail. Since pork is proscribed under Islamic law, it is consumed solely by the minority non-Muslim population. Fish is regularly eaten only in regions that have a significant water source, such as western Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan bordering on the Caspian Sea.

The second most important component of Central Asian cuisine is the wide array of cultured dairy products made from the milk of sheep and camels and, to a lesser extent, goats and cows. These include koumiss (slightly fermented milk), ayran (yogurt mixed with water), kaymak (clotted cream), and suzma (yogurt cheese). Uzbek cuisine in particular boasts numerous milk-based soups, one of the best being shirkovok (milk soup with pumpkin and rice). Eggs are not significant in Central Asian cookery.

Central Asian cuisine is perhaps best known for its extensive variety of rice pilafs ( palov). Uzbekistan alone is said to have one hundred different types, and their proper preparation is considered an art. Often legumes such as chickpeas (nut) and mung beans (mash) are mixed with the rice for extra protein. Pilafs are also made from other grains including millet, barley, and sorgo. All of the Central Asian countries enjoy tasty flatbreads, dumplings, and pies made with wheat-flour dough. Manty (large steamed dumplings filled with meat or vegetables), chuchvara (small boiled dumplings), and samsa (baked or fried pies filled with meat or vegetables) are encountered throughout the region. Kazakhstan is also known for its beliashi (open-faced pies fried in a skillet). Central Asian flatbreads are baked in a tandyr, a clay oven similar to the Indian tandoor. Non, a large, flat round bread pricked in a decorative pattern with a special instrument, is the most popular. These round breads were originally baked to mimic the shape of the sun. They are eaten out of hand or used as a plate to hold meat or vegetable stews.

Although different regions favor different spices and seasonings, certain flavors characterize Central Asian cuisine as a whole. Onion is used abundantly, as is the fat of the fat-tailed sheep, which lends intense flavor to meat and vegetable dishes. Hot red pepper and black pepper add heat to a wide variety of dishes. Zira (cumin), sesame seed, nigella, basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, and mint are all used to enliven foods from soups to salads to pilafs. Cinnamon and saffron are used less widely. Garlic adds intensity to many dishes, while dried barberries contribute a sour tang.

Tea, either black or green, is the most popular beverage of Central Asia; the preference for one type over the other depends on the locale. Kazakhs tend to drink more black tea, while the Kyrgyz enjoy green tea served with milk or cream and slightly salted. In Uzbekistan black tea is drunk more often than green. Black tea, often in traditional pressed brick form rather than loose leaf, is boiled with milk and served as a rich beverage. Central Asians drink tea from a pialy, a bowl-like cup without a handle, and serve it as a ritual part of their hospitality. Other beverages include the aforementioned koumiss and ayran as well as a variety of refreshing fruit drinks with sugar (sherbet).

Kazakhstan is the birthplace of the apple (the name of the capital city, Almaty, means "father of apples"), and Uzbekistan and Tajikistan produce exceptionally sweet melons. Other fruits include apricots, peaches, cherries, quince, persimmons, and pomegranates; Central Asian raisins and dried apricots are among the best in the world. The most frequently encountered vegetables are root crops such as carrots, turnips, radishes, onions, and garlic. Carrots alone come in a surprising variety of shapes and colors and have a rich, sweet flavor. Pumpkins and squash are frequently used in soups and as fillings for dumplings and pies. Typically, vegetables are not served alone but are added to soups or paired with meats or pilafs.

Traditional Central Asian sweets consist of fruits or nuts simmered in a sugar- or honey-based syrup, served either as a compote or allowed to dry and crystallize. Often fruits are boiled down to make bekmes, a concentrated syrup. Other desserts include halvah, made from ground sesame seeds, and dough fried in coils or balls and sweetened with syrup. Although European-style cookies and cakes were introduced under Russian rule, they never displaced the traditional Eastern sweets that still constitute the best ending to a Central Asian meal. Ice cream, however, is extremely popular.

Two centuries of Russian domination did little to change the traditional foodways of the region, and Central Asian cuisine today still reflects a historical reliance on meats and cultured dairy products. The local foods also reveal the influence of centuries of trade, from Chinese noodles to tandoor-baked flatbreads to Persian-style pilafs. Central Asian cuisine is much more diverse now than it was in the past, with vegetables and fruits making up a larger part of the diet. One thing that has remained constant over the centuries, however, is Central Asia's great tradition of hospitality, which is still very much alive in the region's many chai-khanas (tea houses) as well as in private homes.

Pokhlebkin, Vil'iam Vasilevich. (1978) Natsional'nye kukhni nashikh narodov (National Cuisines of Our Peoples). Moscow, Russia: Pishchevaia promyshlennost.

Visson, Lynn. (1999) The Art of Uzbek Cooking. New York: Hippocrene.

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