Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
plate for shashlyk. Home-
made breads are often
thicker and darker than
normal nan. Much better
than the boring, square,
white-flour Russian loaves
known simply as
khleb
.
Salads
A refreshing break
from heavy main courses,
although you'll soon tire
of the dreaded
salat tour-
ist
(sliced tomatoes and
cucumbers). Parsley, fresh
coriander, green onions and
dill are served and eaten
whole.
Breakfast
(
zaftrak
in Rus-
sian) Generally consists of
tea or instant coffee, bread,
jam, some kind of eggs, and
maybe yoghurt, cream or
semolina.
manty,
served plain or with
vinegar, sour cream or but-
ter, or in soups.
Pirozhki
Greasy Russian
fried pies filled with po-
tatoes or meat; generally
disappointing.
Samsa
Meat pie made with
flaky pastry and baked in
a tandoor oven; best in
Kyrgyzstan.
Fruits are eaten fresh,
cooked, dried or made into
preserves, jams and drinks
known as
kompot
or
sok
.
In general, May is the best
time for apricots, strawber-
ries and cherries, June for
peaches and July for grapes
and figs. Melons ripen in late
summer, but are available as
late as January.
Central Asians are fond of
dried fruits and nuts, partic-
ularly apricots and apricot
stones, which when cracked
open have a pith that tastes
like pistachios. At any time
of year you'll find delicious
walnuts, peanuts, raisins
and almonds, plus great
jams (sea-buckthorn jam is
a real treat) and wonderful
mountain honey.
MEAT & FISH
Mutton is the preferred
meat. Big-bottomed sheep
are prized for their fat, meat
and wool, and fat from the
sheep's tail actually costs
more than the meat. The
meat-to-fat ratio is generally
stacked heavily in favour
(and flavour) of the fat and
you will soon find that eve-
rything smells of it. Sheep's
head is a great delicacy,
which may be served to
honoured guests in some
homes.
You can find Caspian
caviar and seafood dishes
in top-end restaurants in Ka-
zakhstan. Dried and smoked
fish are sold near Issyk-Köl.
SNACKS
Variations on the meat-and-
dough theme include:
Manty (mantu)
Steamed
dumplings, a favourite from
Mongolia to Turkey.
Chuchvara
(tushbera
in
Tajik;
pelmeny
in Russian)
A smaller boiled cousin of
MILK PRODUCTS
Central Asia is known for the
richness and delicacy of its
fermented dairy products,
which use cow, sheep, goat,
camel or horse milk. The
milk itself is probably un-
pasteurised, but its cultured
AN INVITATION TO EAT: HOSPITALITY DOS & DON'TS
Being invited home for a meal can be your bet introduction to local cutoms as well as
to the bet local cuisine. Don't go expecting a quick bite. Your hot is likely to take the
occasion very seriously. Uzbeks, for example, say
mehmon otanda ulugh,
'the guet is
greater than the father'.
¨
It's important to arrive with a gift. Something for the table (eg some fruit from the
market) will do. Better yet would be something for your hosts' children or their parents,
preferably brought from your home country (eg postcards, badges, a picture book).
¨
Traditionally, a host will honour an important guest by sacrificing a sheep for them.
During these occasions the guest is given the choicest cuts, such as the eyeball, brain or
meat from the right cheek of the animal. Try to ensure that your presence doesn't
put your host under financial hardship. At least try to leave the choicest morsels for
others.
¨
Pulling out your own food or offering to pay someone for their kindness is likely to
humiliate them. Some travellers hosted by very poor people have given a small cash gift
to the eldest child, saying that it's 'for sweets'.
¨
You will likely be offered water for washing your hands. Dry your hands with the cloth
provided; shaking the water off your hands is said to be impolite.
¨
The
dastarkhan
is the central cloth laid on the floor, which acts as the dining table.
Never put your foot on or step on this. Try to walk behind, not in front of people when
leaving your place and don't step over any part of someone's body. Try not to point the
sole of your shoe or foot at anyone as you sit on the floor.
