In this episode of Modern Nomads, we explore Kazakh cuisine—how ancient dairy-based traditions evolved into hearty meat dishes and modern fusion meals shaped by history, customs and innovation.
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00:00Kitchens and cuisines tell a lot about a nation's tradition and culture.
00:06What is the story of the culinary legacy of the Central Asian nomads?
00:10Join me as I explore the cooking traditions in Kazakhstan
00:14and how they transformed into modern cuisine.
00:17Welcome to Modern Nomads.
00:22Originating from nomad herdsmen,
00:24Kazakh cuisine is not exactly cut out for the vegetarians amongst us.
00:28Even though vegetables are now very much part of it,
00:31you'll be served meat in almost every meal.
00:34Beef, lamb or highly valued horse meat,
00:37a taboo in some other parts of the world.
00:39But those who really know Kazakh ways insist that the really traditional Kazakh diet
00:44primarily consists of different dairy products, including camel and horse milk.
00:49Because meat is seasonal.
00:51It is usually a time of winter, winter, late.
00:55And then in the winter they are used.
00:58And in the winter they are not eating meat.
01:00Because in the winter they have to eat meat.
01:03Meat, meat, body, body,
01:05so that they can be used in the winter,
01:08in the winter, in the winter.
01:10It was very rare.
01:11Sunduk is one of the most famous ethno-style restaurants
01:14in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana.
01:16It's a perfect place to explore nomad tradition,
01:19but also see how it meets modern-day cuisine.
01:22Manas admits that his ancestors would be a bit bewildered
01:39by his versions of traditional dishes,
01:41but would still recognize them.
01:43Whenever we have a time of food for our fathers,
01:49we create the ingredients.
01:50In other places we add materials, ingredients,
01:52then we get your food,
01:53and we are getting their food.
01:54We use the time and of fusion style to their families.
01:59We use the products for foods.
02:01We are coming from frozen foods.
02:03We are coming from fruits,
02:05we are coming from the Zoos and family.
02:06We are coming from fizics.
02:08We're coming from choking.
02:10For us, it is lamb heart in milk cream, fried lamb liver, roast beef with potatoes, beef bone marrow, lamb paté on crackers and pastries.
02:22But for Kazakhs, it's so much more than food.
02:25The food in Kazakh cooking is not simple.
02:29For example, there is such a food called apisut, apisut, apisut, apisut.
02:33They prepared this food to be able to make peace, for example, this food tunkirme is made from jared psalis.
02:43There is Kazakh tradition of jared psalis, when a woman is born in the womb, and when a woman is born in the womb,
02:49and when she eats tunkirme, she comes with milk and strength.
02:57Every food has its own history.
03:00There is a whole tradition of a wedding ritual, when they come to the house to marry a wife,
03:06they always bring this food to the back of power.
03:10But it is only after you visit a real family or social gathering that all these meanings begin to sink in, in all their complexity.
03:17As the only foreigner at the Spring Festival in Western Kazakhstan, I was the guest of honor,
03:22a status that brings a roast sheep's head and the duty to distribute it, according to detailed rules, to the other guests.
03:29I did it all wrong, of course.
03:30Now, this is the most famous dish in the Kazakh cuisine.
03:33It's called beshbarmak, which means five fingers, for a reason.
03:37Now, I had the goat head for myself, which means that I should start eating it first.
03:42Containing boiled flat noodles, meat, and optionally potatoes and onion, this dish, for special occasions,
03:49is supposed to be eaten with fingers from a common dish and has several versions throughout Central Asia.
03:55Not all Kazakh food is rooted in the country's ancient past.
03:58International cuisine, global brand, and local street restaurants are in abundance and bring new ways of preparing and serving food.
04:05Some of them are reshaping traditional Kazakh dishes so that they are available to go for people who live a fast urban life.
04:12We started to try to eat shawarma.
04:16In general, it all went into more and more and more.
04:19And there was more and more assortments.
04:21That is, and shawarma, and burgers, and pizza, and sushi.
04:25And this is the Western cuisine, which is similar to our traditional cuisine.
04:30So, this is our mix of fast food, restaurants, and clean fast food.
04:37Most restaurants are much more modern than this, but I just happen to love to end the day with a meal in the old nomadic dwelling, the yurt.
04:51Join us in the next episode of The Modern Nomads.