Top 10 Culinary Delights of Central Asia to Try while Travelling on the Golden Eagle

Exploring the “Five Stans” in the iconic Silk Road—namely Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan—is one of the best ways to immerse yourself and get a deeper understanding of Central Asian culture. And perhaps the most convenient way to discover all these places firsthand is by hopping on the luxurious Golden Eagle, an opulent rail service that takes you through the cradle of civilisation that is the Silk Road.

While aboard the train, there are plenty of sights to see and points of interest to hop off to take a photo or two. But one of the most exciting things about exploring Central Asia is getting to try the region’s delicious and diverse cuisine.

The Silk Road connected the Five Stans to many other parts of the world, from Russia to China to Turkey. This heavily influenced the delectable meals and desserts Central Asians have localised and proudly call their own.

Dying to try Central Asian food on your next adventure in the region? Here are 10 dishes you can’t sleep on when exploring the area with Golden Eagle.

Beshbarmak

Beshbarmak (also known as Naryn and Norin) is a popular feast dish in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and widely considered the national dish of the latter. It consists of mutton or horse meat cooked until tender and placed on a bed of boiled pasta sheets (and sometimes onion rings). The juices and broth from the cooking process become the “sauce” of the dish, adding a robust, meaty flavour to it.

It’s common fare in Central Asian parties and gatherings, with the most important guest getting the most coveted part of the dish—the sheep’s head.

Shashlik

This popular meat dish is a staple Central Asian food across the board. No matter which “Stan” you end up, you’ll likely find some form of shashlik.

Shashlik is a juicy, tender, grilled meat skewered with vegetables, pieces of fat or on its own. It’s very similar to shish kebabs of Turkish cuisine, but with a more intense smokey flavour.

It’s pretty easy to find shashlik across Central Asia. It’s common to find it anywhere from sit-down restaurants to street food vendors roasting the meat over coal.

Plov

Plov—also sometimes referred to as “palov” is Uzbekistan’s take on pilaf or fried rice. This long-grain rice dish is made by cooking together some rice, onions, carrots, browned chunks of a hearty meat (usually lamb or beef) and a whole head of roasted garlic. Simple yet insanely flavourful, Uzbekistan’s national dish and widely loved comfort food is an easy contender for the best food in Central Asia.

Fitchi

Fitchi is a minced meat and onion pie that was once very popular in Turkmenistan in the 70s and has recently made a resurgence in the modern era. These baked pies are known for their incredibly thin shell, making them super delicate to bite into. They may be super simple in theory, but they’re always packed with flavour.

Kazanlama

Kazanlama is a traditional Turkmen dish popularly prepared by shepherds in the desert. It’s made with kakmach lamb marinated in salt, paprika and garlic, then thrown directly onto scorching hot coal. It’s then placed in a cauldron and buried underneath the desert sand to cook for about an hour, after which the meat comes out super soft and succulent. It’s a tedious dish to perfect (or even attempt) for locals, but it’s a delicious one no traveller should miss.

Qazi

Qazi (also often called Kazy) is a sausage made of horse meat—a protein that is vastly popular in Central Asia. This smokey, earthy sausage is packed with the meat from the horse’s ribs, some fat for flavour and spices like pepper, cumin, garlic and more. It’s often served boiled and cut into in thin slices, making it the perfect side dish to enjoy heartier meals with, like beshbarmak or plov.

Gutap

Gutap is a half-moon-shaped flatbread filled with different kinds of stuffing, from spinach to meat and potatoes to pumpkin. When it’s made with meat, you can bet it’s cooked with lamb or beef and some extras like onions and garlic. This stuffed bread is often eaten with the hands, making it super easy to devour in one go.

Manti

Manti is an Uzbek dumpling filled with seasoned meat and steamed until cooked. Yes, you heard that right—dumplings. Remember, the Silk Road connected the Five Stans to East Asia, thus the Asian influences in their cuisine.

Legend has it that it was the Mongolians who introduced the Central Asians to these dumplings, who then adopted them into their own cuisine with their favoured meats and spices. If you’re craving a taste of East Asia as you travel through the Silk Road, try looking for some manti dumplings.

Kurut

Kurut is a Kyrgyz dried yoghurt ball you can carry around and put basically anywhere, from your soup to make it rich and creamy to your drink for an extra refreshing kick. It was invented by nomadic tribes in the area from eons ago who travelled from country to country, sprucing up their meals with “portable” yoghurt.

Over time, kurut evolved into a sweet treat with tons of sugar. If you love sweets with a tangy, yoghurt-like taste, this is a dessert you can’t pass up.

Boortsog

Boortsog is a Kyrgyz deep-fried, doughnut-like bread made of yeast, flour, milk, butter, eggs, salt and sugar—you know, everything that makes a fried dough incredibly sinful and delicious.

It’s quite similar to the fried loukoumades of Greek cuisine, except way more versatile. While its Greek counterpart is typically just drenched in honey, boortsog—also called bogursak or baursaq, depending on which part of Central Asia you visit—can be served as a sweet or savoury treat, depending on your mood. For a sweet dessert, you can eat it with honey or jam. If you want something a little saltier, you can eat it as a side dish as you chow down some chorba.

Eat Your Heart Out When You Travel with Entire Travel Group!

Downing delicious morsels of authentic cuisine is one of the best ways to connect with a culture. From rich, hearty dishes like beshmarmak and kazanlama to fried desserts like sinful boortsog, there is so much to enjoy when it comes to Central Asian food. So, what are you waiting for? Book a Holiday Package to the Silk Road with Entire Travel Group and eat to your heart’s content!