Central Asian cuisine

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Meal served on a dastarkhan for the holiday of Nowruz

Central Asian cuisine has been influenced by Persian, Indian, Arab, Turkish, Chinese, Mongol, African and Russian cultures, as well as the culinary traditions of other varied nomadic and sedentary civilizations. Contributing to the culinary diversity were the migrations of Uyghur, Slav, Korean, Tatar, Dungan and German people to the region.[1][2]

Background

Nomadic peoples of the

panicum miliaceum found at highland campsites in Central Eurasia[4] represent the first known transmission of these domesticated grains from China and the region south of the Syr Darya river into Central Eurasia.[5]

Central Asian cooking techniques were influenced by the lack of water.

tandyr ovens, designed to maximize the heat gained from the limited supply of fuel, where flatbread, samsa and meats were cooked. Soups, stews and steamed dumplings were cooked in single cauldron pots.[1]

Uzbek manti (dumpling) soup

Persian cuisine in the golden age of Iran was highly sophisticated with ingredients from China and the Mediterranean. Turkic influence was seen in

Ottoman palace cuisine and have survived into the 20th century.[1]

Tamerlane's empire is considered the last significant Central Asian Empire of the 14th century, covering the territories of modern day Baghdad, the Volga and Delhi. The Mughal Empire, founded by a descendant of Tamerlane's named Babur, was noted for cultural achievements, among this a sophisticated cuisine that blended Indian and Persian elements into a unique style. Fragrant spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and mace were used to flavor dishes, that were served with thick sauces made from yogurt and crushed nuts. The rice pilafs were sophisticated. Desserts were flavored with rose. Modern Indian cuisine is heavily influenced by Mughal cuisine, including the grilled tandoori meats and yogurt sauces.[1]

Characteristics

The culinary cultures of Central Asia may be divided as follows: nomadic or urban; highland or lowland; and Mongol, Turkic or Iranian. The nomadic diet based on meat and dairy products is found in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. While lamb and beef, breads, baked pies and homemade noodles are common across the region,

besh barmak (a lamb dish eaten with the hands) and horse meat are found only in some regions, mostly Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.[2]

tandyr
oven

The typical dishes of the settled Turkic peoples - Uzbek and Uighurs - are pilafs,

cuisine of Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan, reaching into northern Pakistan and India, where rice and stewed vegetable dishes are more elaborately spiced.[6]

Some common ingredients and flavors can be found in the varied cuisines of region. These include generous use of tail fat from sheep and onion, hot peppers, black pepper, cumin, sesame seed, nigella, basil, cilantro, parsley, mint and dill. These are used in all sorts of dishes including soups, salads and pilafs. Less common are cinnamon and saffron.[7]

Tea is the most popular beverage. Green tea with cream is more common in

pilov and samsa. (Vodka is sometimes called ak cha or "white tea").[2]

mare's milk or donkey milk
.

A meal typically begins with tea or fresh tandyr nan bread, followed by soup (

dastarkhan cloth.[1]

Korean cuisine has also influenced Central Asian cuisine, through Koryo-saram cuisine. Koryo-saram, ethnic Koreans of the former Soviet Union, have introduced dishes such as morkovcha that have become significantly popular throughout the former Soviet Union.[8][9]

Dishes

Desserts

sesame seeds, with flour, sugar, milk and nuts.[1] Fruit compote with nuts is a typical dessert dish. There are hundreds of melon varieties grown locally in Central Asia, and plums, apples, apricots, pears, berries and cherries are locally available. In addition to these pomegranates, fig, peaches and persimmons are imported.[10]

The local version of

çäkçäk are piled into mounds, along with sugar-dusted dough spirals called urama. Kyrgyz boorsog is a similar deep-fried dough dish, called bogursak in Turkmenistan, and baursaq in Kazakhstan.[10]

Not traditional to the regional cuisine, European-style layered cakes and pastries are available in modern times. Nuts, honey, fruits and halva remain common traditional choices.[10]

Fruits

The region's

melons are renowned, and cherries, apples, plums, peaches and figs are also locally grown. Fruit is consumed as a snack, fresh or dried, at all times of day.[1]

Grains

Uighur pulled noodle dish laghman

The main grain crops of Central Asia are

chuchvara and stuffed pastries called samsa.[7]

Millet is the main ingredient of the beverage boza. Similar in flavor to beer, boza is made in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.[1]

Rice pilaf is the most iconic Central Asian dish, with Uzbek cuisine offering a multitude of varieties, often mixed with legumes for added protein.[7]

From Turkic cuisine came the flatbreads

Beliashi are open-faced pies, cooked in a skillet, from Kazakh cuisine.[7]

Vegetables

The most common vegetables are turnips, tomatoes, radishes, onions, peas, red peppers and cucumbers. Turp is the local name for a large green radish that is usually eaten fresh as a side dish or salad. "Yellow carrot" (sabzi turisida) is actually a type of parsnip that is used in pilaf dishes. Squash are a common ingredient for stews, soups, dumplings, and samsa.[1]

Both written history and molecular genetic studies indicate that the domestic

Persia (regions of which are now Iran and Afghanistan
).

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780313327735
    .
  2. ^
    ISBN 9780313056185
    .
  3. ^ "The breadth of dietary economy in Bronze Age Central Asia: Case study from Adji Kui 1 in the Murghab region of Turkmenistan". Journal of Archaeological Science. 2016.
  4. Mongolian Steppe
  5. PMID 24695428
    .
  6. ISBN 9780313376276
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781614728467
    .
  8. ^ Lankov, Andrei (21 August 2012). "Korean carrot". Russia Beyond the Headlines. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  9. ^ Moskin, Julia (18 January 2006). "The Silk Road Leads to Queens". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  10. ^ a b c Sweet Treats Around the World. ABC-CLIO. 2014. p. 71.
  11. PMID 32784714
    .
  12. PMID 23594914
    .
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