Residents of different regions of Turkmenistan have different culinary traditions, so the Turkmen cuisine is heterogeneous and diverse. However, the Turkmen national cuisine has its bright features: These include the prevalence of meat without additives, dairy products from sheep and camel milk, the original fish dishes.

Historical reference

The formation of the traditions of the Turkmen cuisine was greatly influenced by the conditions of life in this country. Due to the isolation of different areas from each other regional cuisine can vary significantly. Thus, the descendants of nomads who live in the rare desert oasis, from time immemorial prefer meat and milk. Often, these meals contain no grains or vegetables. At the same time the inhabitants of the littoral areas of eating fish - a product that is not too common in Central Asia.

Turkmen cuisine borrowed a lot of dishes, on the one hand, the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, and the other - from the Uzbeks and Tajiks. Thus all specialties in Turkmenistan have their own unique names, so that their origin may not be evident at first glance.

As in other Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan is very popular tea in some areas favored green tea, and some - black. For the brewing water is often used instead of milk fat camels - it provides a highly original product. Rather, the use of milk for making tea was originally a forced measure related to poor water quality in the region.

Features kitchen

The basis of most of the Turkmen cuisine is lamb, but in some areas preference camel, and in some cases actively used by the meat gazelles and small game birds. Often the meat is cooked without any additives was, although in the last hundred years to replace a purely meat dishes come meat and cereals (for example, the traditional Central Asian plov) and meat and flour (such as manta rays Manti: big "brothers" dumplings , Lagman and the like). Meat often fried in large cauldrons, baked over coals or in the tandoor.

The hot sun and strong winds allow jerk and dry meat. Apart from the usual methods of drying in the sun is used and combined, for example, meat, sewn into the sheep's stomach, the day buried in the hot sand and dug out for the night and leave in the wind. Distributed and dairy products, which are used to prepare the milk of sheep and camels. The original raw materials, specific climate and unique processing techniques allow to obtain a wide variety of dairy products from sour milk. Also from camel milk is prepared ghee sary ir, which is used for preparation of many national dishes, and is even more popular than mutton fat. Also, for many dishes using sesame oil.

Vegetables are used is limited. The most popular are tomatoes and radish, pumpkin eating less Pumpkin for health: a royal vegetable in home pharmacy , Mash and carrots. But common spicy greens, melons. The most popular fruit - apricots, which added not only in sweet dishes, but also meat, and even fish.

A set of spices in the Turkmen cuisine also has its differences. Instead, it uses a real turmeric saffron, along with traditional dishes seasoned with black pepper mint, parsley, ajwain and asafoetida - a plant with a very strong onion and garlic flavor.

Turkmen fish dishes are quite unexpected from the point of view of Europeans taste, because the fish is combined with sour and sweet food - raisins, pomegranate juice, dried apricots, sesame seeds. It uses noble varieties of fish - sturgeon, sturgeon and walleye, catfish, mullet. Technology of preparation is similar to many fish dishes cooking technologies of meat: fish baked on a spit or roasted in its own fat, sometimes with the addition of sesame oil or fat of sheep. Other fish dishes have their own subtleties of cooking: fish combined with cereals or test, vyalitsya, boiled, fried, or languishing.

Sweet table is not very diverse. Along with the traditional Central Asian pekmez (boiled fruit juices) in Turkmenistan prepare sweets such as halva.

Main dishes

Turkmen pilaf called "Ash". Ash is different: for example, it is often not being prepared with lamb Lamb - guide on meat And with poultry, wherein the rice is used instead of ordinary green. Carrots are often replaced by apricot partially or completely - it greatly changes the familiar taste pilaf, giving it a distinct national character. Roasting of ingredients can be used sesame oil.

The Caspian region al prepared differently. First, the meat fried with onions and apricots, and then removed from the cauldron and brought to readiness in boiling water in a separate bowl. In place of meat placed rice, and both parts are connected only dishes just before serving.

Waterfowl - raw materials in Central Asia is not very popular. But in Turkmenistan, ducks and geese stewed whole rice, dried fruits farshiruya, onion and garlic. This dish is called yshtykma. When a bird cut into pieces, stuffing and rice supplied to it separately.

Fish dish gaplama made from dried fish that is fried with vegetables (onions, tomatoes, potatoes prepared), and then languishing in a small amount of water. Before serving dish dressed with pomegranate juice.

Very much in the Turkmen cuisine dishes with camel milk fermented in a special way. From milk makes butter, katyk (yogurt), ayran (buttermilk divorced) suzme (a kind of cottage cheese), ak milling (dried balls suzme) and kuru milling (condensed whey). Many dairy products can significantly diversify the everyday and holiday table. In addition to the camel is also used sheep's milk.

Maria Bykov

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