The Cuisine of Kazakhstan Advent Calendar [14] Quiz

Answer: Horse

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world with a very low population density. Its large tracts of grassland in Central Asia have made Kazakhstan ideal for a nomadic lifestyle. Kazakhs, traditionally, are nomadic Turkic groups who migrated seasonally to find pasturage for their livestock. The name Kazakh is derived from the ancient Turkic word "qaz", meaning "to wander", so Kazakhstan means "land of the wanderers".

As nomadism has been such a major part of the Kazakh culture and identity, traditional food had to be suitable for a nomadic way of life. As such, emphasis was on portability and durability which meant a heavy reliance on meat, with some adapted dairy products but grains, fruit and vegetables were not able to be a large part of the diet.

Food had to be preserved to last for many months on the road. Salting and drying meat was essential. Mutton and beef were the staple meat whilst horse and camel were served on holidays and special occasions.

The photo depicts a horse meat platter of tripe, roasted meat and a horsemeat sausage called kazy or qazi. The sausage is made by taking flesh and fat from the ribs and seasoning with salt, garlic and pepper, before stuffing into the animal's cleaned and salted intestines. The sausages are left to dry in direct sunlight and wind before being smoked for several hours.

Zhaya is another popular horse meat dish where meat from the leg is salted, dried, and smoked. Onions are then added and the dish is served cold as a snack or appetiser or incorporated into other dishes.

Answer: Rice

Beshbarmak is a dish of boiled meat served with thin pasta sheets and an onion and meat broth called chyk. Horse and mutton are most often used but it is made with beef when the other two meats are not available. The pictured dish also included potatoes but this ingredient is considered optional.

It is not just a dish, but the way it is served that is culturally significant, as the host will serve the different cuts of meat to guests and family according to their age, gender, and social rank, with the oldest and guests receiving the choicest cuts. The head or bash is always given to the guest of honour or the eldest or youngest male. They, then, will cut small pieces from it and pass them to others at the table.

The dish is known by different names like naryn, turama, dograma, tullama, and khorkhog in other surrounding Central Asian countries but the rituals for serving the dish are not as important in these countries.

Answer: Pilaf

Plov is a Kazakh pilaf rice dish that is very popular. Basmati rice is cooked with meat such as horse, lamb or goat, onions, carrots, and available spices like cumin, coriander, and or paprika. It does not traditionally contain saffron which is a defining ingredient in pilaf. All the ingredients are cooked in stock or meat broth, usually in a Kazan which is a cross between a cauldron and a wok but it is a big utensil either way - the smallest holding about 15 litres of water. Plov is a versatile dish, sometimes served as a side dish or more commonly when many guests are attending a Kazakh meal.

Answer: True

A dumpling is a dumpling. Manti are dumplings from the Turkic regions of Central Asia and have their own regional variation. They are also known in the region beyond Kazakhstan as buuz (Mongolia), baozi and jiaozi (both from China), Tibetan momo, and Korean mandu.

Minced lamb is the favourite filling but minced beef and horse meat are also popular. The meat is spiced with black pepper (and/or garlic) with chopped pumpkin or squash mixed in. They can be boiled, steamed or fried. They are usually served with butter, sour cream, and an onion and/or garlic sauce. As a street food, they are doused with hot red pepper powder.

Using the same recipe for the manti dough, thick hand-pulled noodles can be made for a favourite dish called Lagman which are noodles mixed through a mixture of meat (lamb, goat, or beef) and available vegetables such as capsicum/bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, green beans, garlic, and potatoes. As no Turkic words start with "L", it is believed this dish is derived from the Chinese dish "lamian" though the recipe is vastly different. It can also be served as a stir-fry or as a soup. When it is served as a soup, it is called Lagman Shurpa.

Answer: Yeast

This is a bread popular across all of Central Asia, hence being a leavened bread the yeast is the key ingredient. Only occasionally is the dough enriched with eggs. It is very close to naan bread cooked in a tandoor oven. There are a variety of sizes and tastes with different names in different countries.

The Kazakh version has two distinct points of difference - there is nearly always an intricate pattern of some sort baked into the centre of the bread. The second factor is, despite its name this bread is not baked in a tandoor. It is baked in two frying pans of the same size to form a Dutch oven of sorts. Additionally, it is traditionally cooked over a dung fire where some of the burning dung is placed on top of the upside-down frying pan. It is believed to have a better taste than when is cooked over a conventional fire. This type of cooking fits with the traditional nomadic lifestyle. They can be sprinkled with sesame or nigella seeds.

Lighter versions are eaten at breakfast and served with butter, sour cream and jam. Heavier versions are served with meats and or salads.

Answer: True

Shelpek is made by making a dough of flour, milk or cream, butter and a little sugar and salt. They are balled then rolled out into thin discs and fried in oil until golden brown. They are served folded with sour cream, cheese or jam or sometimes sprinkled with sugar or spices like cumin or paprika.

This type of bread, which resembles a thicker tortilla, is especially significant on Fridays, which is considered the holiest day of the week for Muslims (the majority religion in Kazakhstan), and shelpek are prepared and cooked to honour the memory of the deceased. They are always cooked in batches of seven or nine (holy numbers in the Islamic faith) and given to friends, family and neighbours, left in mosques or consecrated by reading the Koran with the other hand resting on the stack of shelpaks. In many Turkic nationalities, the practice of commemorating the dead is common; the shelpek association is strongest in Kazakhstan.

Answer: Cheeseballs

Kurt is a great example of nomadic Kazakh food. It is a fermented cheese. Soured milk (from a goat, sheep, mare, cow or camel) is strained into curds, rolled into balls, and placed in the sun to dry. The result is a crumbly snack that can withstand many months of travel and is very high in calcium.

The aroma of the cheese is tangy and pungent. Kurt is very salty and also acts as a flavour bomb for soups and stews.

Answer: Doughnuts

Kazakhs are not big dessert eaters. Baursak (or boortsog) are essentially Central Asian doughnuts although they could also be considered a type of fried bread. They are made with flour, yeast, eggs, butter, milk, water, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, cut into shapes and then fried. They are eaten as a dessert with sugar, honey and/or butter and are nearly always accompanied by tea.

Baursak are reserved for special occasions such as weddings and memorial days. Kazakh legend tells that the aroma of the frying of baursak floats upwards into heaven so that deceased family members can enjoy them too.

Answer: Tea

Tea drinking in Kazakhstan is a showcase for its geography: tea was introduced to Central Asia via the Silk Road from China and passed through what is now southern Kazakhstan on the way to the Middle East. They then copied the Russian way of brewing it in a samovar (pictured). In this method, the tea is brewed in a central cylinder within the samovar. Surrounding it is a water tank which is heated to create boiling water. The tea when brewed is poured into a teapot which is placed on top of the chimney where heat escapes. The tank has a spigot to dilute the tea if it is too strong.

In Kazakhstan, tea is used to welcome guests in a ceremony that is called syi-ayak. All participants must wash their hands first. Sharing tea is a ritual of unity. When someone visits a Kazakh family, tea is served first. The tea is ladled into a ceramic drinking bowl called a Piyala. The male head of the family is the first to be served, then the guests, then the rest of the household. Everyone stays seated until the last person has finished drinking their tea.

Answer: Fermented

Shubat has a special place in the Kazakh diet as the camel is vital to the nomadic lifestyle. As well as transport they provide meat and milk. To make shubat, fresh camel's milk is poured with a starter culture into a leather wineskin bag or ceramic jar (if not travelling). The milk is left to ferment for a few days. It is then stirred until it forms a thick consistency. It has a creamy but sour taste. As well as a drink it is also used to flavour stews and soups.

Kumis has been drunk by the Turkic people for thousands of years. As it is high in sugar (lactose) it is easy to ferment. After fermentation, it is carried on pack animals in leather bags and nomads punch the bag regularly to keep the Kumis agitated.

There is a ceremony associated with kumis. At the beginning and end of the milking season, friends are invited to share the first and the last seasonal kumis.

Kazakhs also enjoy another fermented dairy drink called shalap. Water is added to either qatiq (yogurt) or kurt and after salting, it is fermented similarly to shubat and kumis. It is a lighter drink than the two types of milk. The taste is salty, sour and smoky.