Kazakhstan Recipes
Nomad hospitality measured in heaped platters. Not sure what to eat in Kazakhstan? Start with Beshbarmak, Kuyrdak, Zhent and Baursak. Here are 8 authentic Kazakhstan recipes, each from a specific region, with cultural context and dietary substitutions for every table.
8 recipes
BeshbarmakAlmaty, Kazakhstan · medium · 2 h 30 min"Five fingers": boiled meat over wide noodle sheets with onion gravy, Kazakhstan’s dish of honor, eaten by hand.
Beshbarmak BaursakAlmaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 45 minFluffy yeasted fried dough puffs served warm with butter, jam, or honey and tea.
KuyrdakAlmaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 55 minA hearty fry-up of meat, potato, and onion, the celebratory dish traditionally made when an animal is freshly butchered.
ZhentAlmaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 30 minA sweet, crumbly pressed mixture of toasted millet, butter, and raisins, a traditional Kazakh treat of the steppe.
Kazakh MantiAlmaty, Kazakhstan · advanced · 1 h 45 minLarge Kazakh steamed dumplings filled with hand-chopped lamb, pumpkin and plenty of onion, served with sour cream.
Kazakh PlovAlmaty, Kazakhstan · medium · 1 h 35 minThe Kazakh celebration pilaf: rice cooked over lamb, sweet carrots and onion in a cauldron until every grain is separate and rich.
Shelpek (Kazakh Fried Flatbread)Almaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 55 minThin, soft rounds of milk and butter dough, fried quickly in hot oil until puffed and golden, and eaten warm with tea, butter, honey or jam, or beside soup and meat.
Shalgam (Kazakh Radish Salad)Almaty, Kazakhstan · easy · 1 hLong white radish, carrot, sweet red pepper and onion cut into fine strips and dressed with oil, vinegar, garlic, a little sugar and a pinch of chilli, a crunchy cold salad for the start of a feast.
📋 Teaching Kazakhstan?A free, printable Country of the Week guide for the classroom: geography, a kid-friendly recipe, and discussion prompts.
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