Uzbek people are very hospitable, and their cuisine is rich and diverse. Uzbek cuisine has more than 1,000 recipes, although it is believed that as an independent it arose relatively recently - 120-150 years ago.
The origins of Uzbek cuisine
A huge influence on the formation of Uzbek cuisine was provided by nomadic people - Turks and Tajiks. But the Uzbeks themselves always led a sedentary lifestyle and preferred to graze sheep, grow cotton, as well as cereals and leguminous crops. Among other things, there are a lot of fruit trees in Uzbekistan: apricots, cherries, pomegranates, figs, dates, fruits that are used as desserts or when preparing meat dishes. Especially popular is the grapes, the most common varieties of which are the lady's finger, kishmish, katakurgan. Fruits are mostly exposed to drying, and then as already dried fruits are used as a dessert for tea.
Green tea is the main drink of Uzbeks
In general, for tea in Uzbekistan, a special attitude. This drink is used at the beginning of the meal, and after it.
Tea is mostly green, brewing it in a special way. To begin with, the teapot( preferably porcelain) is heated, then the tea leaves are filled and 1/3 of the boiling water is poured in, and when boiling green tea you can not use steep boiling water. After 3-5 minutes, the teapot is poured over with boiling water. Next, a small amount of tea is poured from the kettle into the bowl, shaken and poured back into the teapot. The procedure is carried out 2-3 times, after that the drink is ready for use.
Uzbek people like to drink this delicious tonic drink in the tea-room( tea room), where, sitting on trestles, covered with kurpachami, they conduct unhurried conversations. Women in such institutions are not allowed to walk, it is the prerogative of men.
The best dishes of Uzbek cuisine
Soups are very popular in Uzbekistan, they are loved and respected there. Preparing soups with fried or without it, on meat or bone broth. From meat preference is given to lamb, horse meat and beef. Pork is not used by Uzbeks at all. From vegetables, mainly potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions are used. Vegetables Uzbeks prefer to put in the soup are cut, but not in any way grated. Uzbeks do not grind vegetables at all, but prefer to cut them or use them entirely. For example, in all the famous shurpa, large cut or whole vegetables are used, which gives the dish not only a unique taste, but also an original look. In addition to vegetable soups, cereal soups are also very popular. They use rice, beans, mung beans, chickpeas, peas.
Soups, filled with sour or fresh milk, are very common. Such soups eat both hot and cold.
But nothing can compare with Uzbek pilaf. Uzbeks themselves say this: "You can say that you were not born if you did not try the pilaf."Yes, to Plov there is a special respect. This dish is prepared both on holidays and on weekdays, both rich and poor. Especially good is pilau when it is cooked on open fire, in the fresh air. Thus, it is prepared for any celebrations, for example a wedding or that( the birth of a Muslim is circumcision).In this case, the chef is a man. Prepare pilaf thoroughly. In the beginning, the lamb is cut, as it is lamb that is considered to be the traditional meat in this dish. Then in a large cauldron carefully churn cottonseed oil, which is lowered in order - carrots, onion, meat, spices, rice, peas, garlic. Onions Uzbeks use in large quantities. For example, to prepare pilaf for 1 kg of meat take 1.5-2 kg of onions. After filling all the food, the dish is prepared for three, four hours. Long expectations justify themselves on 100%, pilaf turns out fragrant, tasty and friable. It is laid out in a cache, covered with a flat cake and distributed to the guests.
Moldbags replace Uzbeks with bread. They are baked in special ovens( tandyrs), which are practically in every yard. This product can be bought, that is called with a heat and with a heat, at once from tandyr. This is very common in Central Asia, as these furnaces are located in yards where specially trained cooks( again men) are immediately baked. They are prepared quickly, literally for five minutes. It happens this way: the ball of dough is taken, rolled into a circle, then inside the special device holes are pierced, into which then sesame is filled. After that, the product is placed on a special spatula and casts onto the tandyr wall, previously moistened with salted water. Five minutes later, a cake with such an amazing smell is taken out of the oven, that it is simply impossible to abandon it. Well, if you put nishaldu on top of it( something like cream with sugar), then such a delicacy can easily replace the most exquisite cake.
The main difference of Uzbek cuisine from others is that the dishes are very high-calorie, due to the fact that they use cottonseed oil and fatty fat for their preparation. Also, Uzbeks are very fond of eating various spices: zir, cumin, pepper, barberry. The dishes are very delicious and aromatic.
The most popular and popular dishes of Uzbek cuisine are pilaf, shurpa, manti, chuchvara( pelmeni), mastava, lagman and various kinds of shish kebabs.
Once you visit a Uzbek, you will never leave him hungry, and after trying the dishes from Uzbekistan, you will remember their taste for a long time.