Food and Drink for Kazakhstan: Traveler Guide to Beshbarmak, Kazy and More

Taste of the steppe

Kazakh cuisine dem build on nomadic life: meat, dairy and grain wey fit travel well across the steppe. Meals dey generous, communal and dem centre am on respect for guest. Whether you dey cosmopolitan Almaty or the capital Astana, expect heavy plates and warm hospitality.

Signature dishes to try

• Beshbarmak the national dish: boiled horse or lamb meat wey dey sit on wide flat noodles, dem go serve am with onion broth (sorpa). The name mean five fingers, because traditionally na hand dem dey use chop am.
• Kazy na prized cured horse-meat sausage, dem dey often slice am thin for celebration.
• Manti big steamed dumplings wey filled with minced meat and onion, dem go top am with butter or sour cream.
• Plov rice wey dem cook with carrot, meat and cumin, one Central Asian staple.
• Baursak golden fried dough puffs, dem dey serve am with tea or jam for almost every table.

Street food and bazaar bites

Waka go the Green Bazaar (Zelyony Bazar) for Almaty for samsa (flaky meat-stuffed pastries wey dem bake for tandoor), shashlik skewers, dried fruits, nuts and slab of horse sausage. Samsa go cost around 300-500 tenge, and hot shashlik skewer go cost about 800-1,500 tenge.

Drinks wey you suppose sabi

• Kumys fermented mare milk, e small sour and fizzy, one national symbol.
• Shubat fermented camel milk, e richer pass kumys.
• Tea (chai) dem dey drink am always, usually black with milk; to refuse cup fit seem rude.
• Local beers like Tian Shan and brandy dey widely available for cities.

Dining etiquette and tips

• The guest of honor dem often serve am the sheep head, na sign of deep respect; accept am gracefully.
• Pass and receive food and tea with your right hand.
• Tea cups dem go fill halfway, na invitation for you to stay and gist; cup wey full dey hint say time don reach for you go.
• Tipping of around 10 percent dem go appreciate for restaurants but e no compulsory.
• Avoid tap water; stick to bottled water.

Stay connected for Kazakhstan

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