The national cuisine of Kyrgyzstan is rich and diverse. It has been shaped throughout the history of the Kyrgyz people and incorporates the most delicious dishes and drinks that have survived from the times of nomadic life, as well as dishes from neighboring peoples in the region.
Since the nomadic way of life requires a lot of strength and energy, Kyrgyz national dishes are remarkably nutritious and high in calories. Their main ingredients are meat, milk, flour, and cereals.
Most traditional dishes involve meat. Lamb, beef, yak meat, and especially beloved and valued by the Kyrgyz, horse meat, are consumed. The most famous Kyrgyz dish is "beshbarmak" – boiled, finely chopped lamb, poured with broth, with the addition of onions and noodles. The name of this dish translates from Kyrgyz as "five fingers," and traditionally it is eaten with hands. Another popular variety of soup is "shorpo." It is a hot broth with pieces of meat, potatoes, carrots, and herbs. Fried meat among the Kyrgyz is called "kuurdak": meat (lamb, beef, horse meat) is cut into large pieces and fried with onions in sheep fat. Sausage made from horse meat – "chuchuk" is considered a delicacy, as well as sausage made from liver and blood with spices – "byzhy."
Dairy products are also an integral part of the Kyrgyz meal. Ayran is especially beloved – a very thick fermented milk drink made from sheep's milk. The consumption of kumys – the healthiest drink made from fermented mare's milk, prepared in summer on the high mountain pastures, has always been a guarantee of strong health and longevity. Traditional cottage cheese – "suzme," and a variety of cheese – "kurut" (small hard white balls with a salty taste) are also made from milk. If suzme is diluted with water, it turns into a drink that quenches thirst well in the heat – "chalap."
Beverages are mainly made from millet and barley. "Bozo" – a strong national drink, similar to beer, is made from millet, barley, or corn. From barley flour, "talkan" is fermented to produce particularly popular summer drinks – "jarma" and "maksym."
No meal is complete without bread. Usually, bread takes the form of flatbreads, which are cooked in cauldrons (kyemkyormyo tokoch), on a griddle (kyemyochton), or in special ovens (tandyr-nan). On holidays, a special treat is prepared – "boorsok" – fried sweet pieces of yeast dough.
Every meal is accompanied by tea drinking. It is customary to drink black and green tea with milk, cream, or melted butter. After a long journey, tea quenches thirst excellently, and after consuming calorie-rich fatty foods, tea is a real lifesaver for the body. Tea is drunk from a special bowl – "piala."
In Kyrgyz families, a large number of dishes are prepared, the recipes of which have been borrowed from other peoples. These include dishes from the Dungan and Uighur cuisines, such as "ashlyam-fu" and "lagman" (noodles with spicy sauce, meat, and vegetables), "manty" and "chuchvara" (boiled dough with minced meat filling).
