Uzbek cuisine: a culinary journey through the flavours of Central Asia
Uzbek cuisine is the most diverse in the Orient. Some of the recipes for Uzbek dishes have a centuries-old history. Each dish has its traditional rituals and ways of preparation. There are about 1000 different recipes of dishes, drinks and sweets.
Pilaf (Palov, Pilav, Plov) is the most famous dish of Uzbekistan. It is considered both an everyday and a festive dish. Not a single wedding, party or birthday celebration can do without it. The main ingredient of pilov is rice, meat, carrots, onions, etc.
One of the famous Uzbek sausages is “Kazi” made from horse meat.
Bread is sacred to the Uzbek people. According to tradition, when someone leaves home for a long time, they should take a small bite of a piece of bread, which is kept until the person comes back and eats it. The tradition of carrying baskets of bread on one’s head also shows a high respect for bread. For many centuries, bakers have baked the flat bread in the Tandoor (clay oven), which makes the bread tasty and crispy. There are two types of lepyoshkas: regular (obi-non) and holiday (patyr). Regular flat bread is kneaded in water and covered with sedana. Patyr is prepared from puff pastry with the addition of mutton fat.
Shashlik and Somsa (national pita made of layered dough, baked in the tandoor) are very famous dishes of Uzbek cuisine.
Soups occupy an important place in the national cuisine of Uzbekistan. These dishes are rich in vegetables such as carrots, beetroot, as well as onions and greens. The most popular soups are mastava and shurpa.
Halva, the world-famous traditional oriental delicacy, is made from wheat flour, sugar and nuts or sedana. There are about 50 different types of halva in Uzbekistan.
In addition, Uzbekistan is famous for its delicious juices made from fruits, grapes, melons and watermelons. There is also a wide range of dried fruits, nuts and almonds.
When you visit Uzbekistan, be sure to try Uzbek cuisine and ask your hosts for a recipe for your favourite dish.