Kazakh cuisine
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Traditional Kazakh food revolves around horse and mutton meat and as well as various milk products. The cooking techniques and major ingredients has been strongly influenced by the nation's nomadic way of life. For example, most cooking techniques are mostly aimed at long-term preservation of food.
Meat in various forms has always been the primary ingredient of Kazakh cuisine. Among the most popular meat dishes are kazi and chuzhuk (horsemeat sausages), kuirdak (dish made from roasted sheep's liver, kidney, heart, lungs and fat), besbarmak (boiled meat and small pieces of dough) and various other horse delicacies (zhal, zhaya). The traditional drinks are: sheep's milk and its products (kaimak, katyk, kurt, irimshik), fermented mare's milk (kumys) and camel's milk (shubat). The introduction of flour to the Kazakh cuisine brought about dishes such as kuimak, kattama and oima - flat puff cakes fried in oil then covered in cream.
Besbarmak (commonly called "Narin" in Xinjiang) undoubtedly is the most popular Kazakh dish. The word "Besbarmak" means "five fingers" because the dish is eaten by hands. Besbarmak consists of boiled horse or mutton meat with small pieces of pastry boiled in broth and sprinkled with parsley and coriander. It is usually served in a big oval dish.Treating to besbarmak is accompanied with an original ritual. Koy-bas, boiled sheep's head, is put before the most honorable guest, usually the oldest one. He cuts the bits and parts from the head and offers them to the other guests at the table. Youths are given sheep's ear with the wishes to be careful; girls get a palate so as to be diligent. The parts of carcass are no less meaningful. Most respectful guests are treated to gammon and shank. Young bride gets brisket; married women instead take neck-bones. Boys and kids are given kidney and heart, which are supposed to make them mature; whereas sheep's brain is not allowed for kids - it is believed to make them weak-willed. Knuckle is never served to a young girl; otherwise she might forever remain an old maid. The meat itself is served in large pieces.
Besbarmak is usually served with ak-nan - special flat bread baked with onion, and sorpa - mutton broth in bowls called kese.
