Explore Kyrgyz cuisine through five of its most authentic dishes

Nilosree Biswas
As my flight descended over Tian Shan, which means ‘Mountains of Heaven’, all I could see were rugged snow-covered mountains. "Dear passengers, we are one hour away from Bishkek," the pilot announced. Tian Shan, which also serves as a border between China and Kyrgyzstan, became a sight to behold as the pilot continued to lower the altitude of the plane. The majestic mountains were replaced by uniformly cropped wheat fields and the isolated houses looked as if they had been airdropped.
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Kyrgyz food platter will leave connoisseurs longing for more
Bishkek is the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked country with mountainous terrain—hills make 94 per cent of the area—that has as many as 3,000 high-altitude lakes. The nation, which has a fascinating historical association with the Silk Road, owes its mountain ranges for protecting its culture over the past 2,000 years.
While it may be a small Central Asian country, Kyrgyzstan shares its borders with China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, all home to indigenous people who have historically spent their lives herding and living in makeshift yurts or tents. It is this nomadic lifestyle, coupled with acculturation with some of the neighbouring countries—especially Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China—and Russia that has shaped a unique Kyrgyz cuisine. Local groups such as the Uyghurs and the Dungans, who have always maintained minority populations in the country, have had an equally important role to play.
Ever since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Kyrgyz republic has come into its own, especially in the realm of food. The traditional cuisine here has four quintessential elements—flour, meat, dairy and fruits—which can be used to cook a lot of delicious fare. From the yummiest dumplings to the finest plov or pilaf, Kyrgyzstan’s dishes take you by surprise and leave you longing for more.
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Freshly baked naan
I do not exaggerate when I say that Bishkek has countless cafés and traditional chaikhanas (teahouses). Imagine one every 100 metres, offering local dishes along with the customary black or green tea. The older and more popular of the lot are quite spacious, boast just the right ambience, and are buzzing with conversations. Naan, the traditional flat bread, is a favourite among the locals.
For the next seven days, I ensured all my meals were as authentic as possible. The days I didn’t have a full meal, I stuck to the unbelievably healthy and refreshing kompot, a very addictive fruit juice made of dried seasonal fruits like cherry, peach, apple and strawberry.
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Shashlik on skewers
As someone inducted in the world of Kyrgyz food, here are what I believe to be the five most sumptuous dishes in the country: paloo or plov; manti; boso or fried lagman or laghman; naan; and shashlik or shashlyk. Do note that most of the traditional dishes have horse meat, mutton, chicken or beef as an ingredient, but don’t let that discourage you as there are many vegetarian salads and Russian dishes relished locally; in fact, the Russian influence is immense because of the long Soviet rule during the 20th century.
Let’s start with paloo or plov, which is a staple among the locals. Plov, originating from the Persian word pulao, is a varied rice-meat dish savoured across Central Asia. The absolutely hearty Kyrgyz version is a complete meal in itself, prepared with boiled pieces of lamb or beef, generous doses of julienned carrots, fried garlic, sometimes chickpeas and, of course, rice (either red or white). The red variety, mostly used for plov, is traditionally sourced from Uzgen in the Osh province, a destination important to Kyrgyzstan’s Silk Route history and known for its rich variety of rice grains.
Another defining factor of the Kyrgyz plov is its subtle flavour and the tenderness of the stewed meat. It is cooked in cast-iron cauldrons even today. I particularly enjoyed it with a jug of cherry flavoured kompot, at Café Faiza in the Jibek Julu locality. And if manti had not existed, it is all I would have eaten.
A wispy, aromatic steam filled the air as the three dumplings landed on my table at Café Dastorkon (near Osh Bazaar) minutes after I had ordered them. The kind waitress placed a small decanter containing vinegar infused with a strand of fresh parsley. This was my pumpkin manti; I went for the pumpkin variant because I was curious as to how it could be used in dumplings. With bated breath, I waited for it to cool down just enough to go for a bite. Turns out, it literally melted in my mouth.
Inspired by the Xinjiang province of China, Kyrgyzstan’s immediate neighbour on the east, Kyrgyz fare has improvised the stuffed ball of dough for many centuries now. Usually made with minced mutton, mutton fat, minced beef or, well, a pumpkin-meat or cabbage-meat combination, it is absolutely succulent and indulgent. Pair it with green or black tea, and you have a full-fledged lunch.
Photo Credit: Irfan Nabi
The fried lagman is a must-try delicacy
Coming from a land where Maggi is all the noodles one has, boso or fried lagman turned out to be a good change. I thought noodles were ubiquitous, but there’s a traditional way of making them in Kyrgyzstan that originates from the ethnic community of Uyghur. What makes a lagman perfect is that it is handcrafted. You constantly pull from a big chunk of dough, stretching, twisting and transforming it into strands. Because of this tedious yet unique distinction, lagman has withstood the test of time. Subtly flavoured with spices like pepper and blended with seasonal vegetables, tossed with garlic chives and served with a mandatory dark vinaigrette sauce, the one I had at Café Arzu Restaurant (at the Togolok Moldo locality) was to die for.
I initially thought the dark vinaigrette sauce was soya, only to be corrected by my Kyrgyz friend. The authentic flavour of the lagman can be easily attributed to it. Otherwise, there is also the delicacy’s soupy variant. I went for the fried version however, and did not regret my decision. I would definitely suggest you to give it a go.
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A helping of plov
As for naan, I would call it a suitable epithet for Kyrgyzstan. At local bakers in the traditional markets of Bishkek, Osh, Jalalabad, Karakol; in fact, in every corner of the country, there is an abundance of the flattened bread. And from the humblest of yurts to high-end restaurants, it is an emblem of Kyrgyz hospitality.
If you visit a local home, expect naan to be offered by your host. Chaikhanas brew and serve black tea with the bread, enjoyed with delectable sour cream (often served in a delicate porcelain bowl). I did not spare the combination even the slightest at chaikhana Navat (at Den Xiaoping Avenue). Every time I entered a local eatery, I tossed away any concerns of weight gain. After all, a food trip to Bishkek or any other city around these parts is incomplete without this indulgence. For those with a sweet tooth, honey goes well with the local chai. Kyrgyzstan also happens to produce an exquisite white variety. Believe me, you would want to come back to India with a jarful or two.
I’ve saved the best, shashlik (or grilled skewered meat), for the last. Shish kebab has been synonymous with the Silk Road. But like the chocolates made by legendary Austrian confectioner Heindl, which is exclusive to Vienna, the shashlik here is unlike any other. It is prepared in the authentic charcoal tandoor and the kebab makers tend to be fairly secretive about their recipes—for good reason.
After I had my first plateful at chaikhana Jalal Abad (at Kiev Street), usually a single skewer served with pickled onion, I told myself, "whatever you had before this were not kebabs."
Made out of lamb or beef, shashlik is the most tender spiced meat that you will ever eat. Coincidentally, it was my farewell meal in Kyrgyzstan.
Before I end my story, here’s a nugget: make sure to bring back walnuts, the many varieties of black raisins, and the local salted cheese, kurt, from the traditional markets. And then dream of another Kyrgyz adventure.
There are no direct flights between India and Kyrgyzstan. Air Astana, Aeroflot and a few other carriers fly to Bishkek with halts.
Source: https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/69458/five-traditional-kyrgyz-dishes-you-cant-miss-out-on