Kazakh National cooking

Reflections of the Kazakh people's nature, its history, customs and traditions can be found in Kazakh national cooking as in a mirror.

Since old times hospitality has been the most distinctive feature of the Kazakh people. A dear guest was given a cordial welcome, he was offered the place of honour and entertained heartily.

In the first instance the guest was treated to kumys, shubat or airan, then to tea with milk or cream, baursaks, raisins, irimshik, kurt. Then followed appetizers made of horseflesh or mutton - kazy, shuzhuk, zhaya, sur-yet, karta, kaburga. Flat cakes made of flour were served without measure.

The adornment of any dastarhan and the most popular dish among the Kazakhs has always been meat in the Kazakh manner. Boiled meat was usually served in large pieces. The host cut the meat treating every guest to dainty pieces: the pelvic bones and shin were given to elderly guests of honour, the briskets – to the son-in-law or daughter-in-law, the cervical vertebra – to girls and so on. To the guests of honour ranking highest among the others the host handed over the sheep's head cooked in a special way. This guest had to distribute it among those present observing a certain ritual which reflected the ancient custom of respectful regard for guests - old people, children, close and distant relatives.

The fragrant meat is eaten with small rolled and boiled pieces of dough. An excellent addition to this dish is the saturated fragrant meat with broth called sorpa which is usually served in special ‘piala’ bowls. At the end of meal kumys is served which is again followed by tea.

Vocabulary:

Adornment – украшение

Pelvic – тазовый

Shin – голень

Brisket – грудинка

Cervical vertebra – шейные позвонки

• Answer the following questions:

1. What is the most distinctive feature of the Kazakh people?

2. Whom did the host hand over the sheep's head?

3. What is the most popular dish among the Kazakhs?

4. What is served at the end of meal?

• Find the following words from the text:

гостеприимство, ароматное мясо, закуски, трапеза, конина.

• True or False?

1. Boiled meat was usually served in small pieces.

2. In the first instance the guest was treated to kumys, shubat or airan, then to tea with milk or cream, baursaks, raisins, irimshik, kurt.

3. The host cut the meat treating every guest to dainty pieces: the pelvic bones and shin were given to the son-in-law or daughter-in-law the briskets – to elderly guests of honour, the cervical vertebra – to girls and so on.

4. The fragrant meat is eaten with small rolled and boiled pieces of dough.

• True or False:

1. The Kazakh national cooking is a reflection of the people’s nature, its history, customs and traditions.

2. Hospitality is the most distinctive feature of the Kazakh people.

3. The dear guest was treated to tea with lemon first.

4. The guest was given a rich present at the table.

5. The most popular dish among the Kazakhs has always been fish.

6. The pelvic bones and shin were given to children.

7. The sheep’s head was given to women.

8. The host handed over the sheep’s head to the most respectable guest.

9. The host had to distribute the sheep’s head among the guests.

10. The most respectable guest had to distribute the sheep’s head among old men, children, close and distant relatives.

During its century-old history the Kazakh nation has accumulated much experience in processing and cooking meat and milk dishes. Meat has been and remains the most popular foodstuff in the Kazakh national cuisine. It is the basis of the majority of dishes; exactly meat dishes adorn any dastarkhan: their abundance is a sign of the festive table’s richness and diversity.

Since olden days the Kazakh cooking distinguishes itself by its peculiar technology. The peculiarity of the Kazakh people’s tenor of life left its mark on the ways of food making. In the traditional Kazakh cuisine preference was always given to boiling.

• Answer the questions:

1. What experience have the Kazakh people accumulated in?

2. What foodstuff is the most popular in the Kazakh cuisine?

3. What does meat mean for Kazakh people?