country Essentials · 10 foods
Kazakhstan Essentials
A considered first route through Kazakhstan: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Kazakhstan foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
10 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Kazakhstan
Plov
Плов
Kazakh rice, lamb, carrots, and onion are layered in a kazan for a fragrant one-pot centrepiece.
Armenia
Shashlik
Шашлық
Marinated meat grilled over coals is served with raw onion and bread at outdoor gatherings.
Kazakhstan
Manty
Мәнті
Large steamed meat dumplings are folded with onion and eaten with a cool dairy accompaniment.
Xinjiang, China
Lagman
Lag'mon
Hand-pulled noodles arrive with a savoury meat and vegetable sauce from the region's Silk Road kitchens.
Kazakhstan
Kazy
Қазы
Horse-rib meat and fat are cured in a casing and sliced for ceremonial meat platters.
Kazakhstan
Samsa
Самса
Tandoor-baked pastry is filled with meat, onion, or pumpkin and eaten hot from the oven.
Kyrgyzstan
Airag
Айраг
Fermented mare's milk is tart, lightly sparkling, and associated with the summer milking season.
Kazakhstan
Baursak
Бауырсақ
Golden fried dough pieces are passed with tea, soups, and festive meals.
Kazakhstan
Kazakh Tea
Шай
Black tea with milk or butter is poured into small piyala bowls as a gesture of hospitality.
Kazakhstan
Kuyrdak
Қуырдақ
Fresh offal is browned with onion and pepper into a rich home-style meat dish.