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Uzbekistan consistently ranks among the most popular destinations for gastronomic tourism, and for good reason.
The national cuisine, which has evolved over many centuries, is exceptionally diverse and incredibly delicious. Many traditional Uzbek dishes are true culinary masterpieces – let's explore them!
Plov
A true gem of Uzbek cuisine and one of the main national symbols, included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. Plov is a daily staple, and no celebration or important event is complete without it.
Traveling through Uzbekistan, you'll be surprised by the diversity of recipes, of which there are over 200. The dish is based on a harmonious combination of grains and zirvak (meat fried with onions, carrots, and spices). In addition to rice, pilaf can include chickpeas, mung beans, wheat, and some recipes include quince and dried fruits.
Shurpa
The base of this soup is a thick, rich broth, usually made with lamb, though beef is also a less common option.
Thirty minutes before the meat is ready, add coarsely chopped onions, carrots, and tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Finally, add coarsely chopped potatoes and cook until tender. The finished dish is sprinkled with herbs and served with hot flatbread.
Naryn
If you're looking for something exotic, be sure to try this dish, which includes a meat that's not exactly common to Europeans – horse meat.
Preparing the dish is quite labor-intensive and takes several hours. Before cooking, the meat is salted and dried for 24 hours. Layers of homemade noodles are boiled in the meat broth. The cooked meat and noodles are cut into small pieces and sprinkled with herbs.
Kazy
Another horse meat dish is a delicious homemade sausage, a must-have for the Uzbek holiday table.
Kazy is made from fatty rib meat and lard with plenty of spices – black pepper, garlic, and cumin. When serving, the sausage is cut into thin slices and generously sprinkled with onions.
Samsa
The most popular Uzbek street food is a triangular pastry made from homemade puff pastry. Samsa is made with a wide variety of fillings, the most popular being with lamb and onions.
The filling is diced, and the pastries themselves are baked in a tandoor oven, which imparts a rich flavor and a captivating aroma. The surface of the samsa is brushed with egg yolk and sprinkled with black sesame seeds.
Halvaytar
Halva is perhaps the most famous Eastern sweet, but it's rarely found in liquid form.
To prepare this unusual delicacy, flour is fried in vegetable oil in a cauldron until it's chocolate brown. Sugar dissolved in water is then added and the mixture is simmered over low heat until it reaches the consistency of thick sour cream. Nuts and dried fruits are added to the finished dessert, which is then poured into bowls and served with tea.
Navat
This traditional sweet, shaped like large, beautiful amber crystals, is sold at any Uzbek bazaar. Navat is a type of hard candy, but much healthier because it's made with fruit sugar.
The strings are dipped into a cauldron of grape juice, and during the boiling process, sweet crystalline "garlands" form on them. Navat has a very long shelf life, so you can safely buy it for future use or as a tasty souvenir.
