Tasty Beshbarmak and the Friendly Kazakhs

If I were to ask what is the best food for me in Kazakhstan, I would definitely say it's Beshbarmak (беcбармак) . 

It's a tasty selection of boiled horse meat seasoned with onions then served with home made thin sheet of noodles. It is sometimes served with slices of boiled potatoes.  The word Beshbarmak means "five fingers" because the traditional way of eating it is to use your own hand.



Beshbarmak is usually served in a large round plate.

Dried noodles available in the shop.
In traditional Beshbarmak cooking, the noodles are freshly made.

What makes this dish extra-ordinary is it usually has Kazi or Kazy (қазы).  Kazi is a whole pieces of horse rib meat, seasoned with salt and garlic and then stuffed in the horse intestine.  The meat is boiled slowly, the intestine casing makes it so flavorful and tender which is something you would not get from regular boiling.  This meat is packed with flavor and so far the tastiest sausage I've ever tasted.

The raw Kazi

Our friend Yelena showed us where to buy made to order Kazi

Beshbarmak might sound bizarre to others, but I guarantee that you won't regret tasting this melt-in-your-mouth dish.  It is an experience to taste something you won't easily find somewhere else.

This food is so special, it is popularly served at family dinner. 

I was so amazed with the hospitality of Kazakh's people when my friend prepared a dinner for us at my home and served this tasty Beshbarmak. 



My friend Aigerim, preparing the dinner at my kitchen. 
This woman is full of love.

Everybody is happy with Beshbarmak.

Somebody got excited.

We had a dinner at our friend Dina, her mom made Beshbarmak.  Oh my, the homemade Beshbarmak is really a winner!  The slow boiled meat is so tender and full of meaty flavor, even tastier than beef.  This dish is consistently good.  You wouldn't disappoint your guest serving this dish.  I can eat this dish often.

The colorful dinner table with Beshbarmak

At the dinner, we also had Kumis (қымыз).  It's a traditional beverage in Kazakhstan made from fermented mare's milk, boiled and infused with smoke.  The balance of fermentation, smoky taste and a little alcoholic taste make this drink so good.  The idea of having a dairy beverage for dinner was not so appealing to me at first.  But after tasting Kumis, I realized why it is so perfect for Beshbarmak.

 

With our friends Dina, Dave & Aigul. Cheers!

Kumis at the shop

 I really enjoyed the dinners but most importantly I was so impressed with the friendly and warm hospitality of our Kazakhs friends. 

Good company, perfect food. How else can I describe those unforgettable dinners?

If you happen to be in Kazakhstan don't miss tasting Beshbarmak. Your trip won't feel complete without tasting this wonderful dish.

Tell us what is your Beshbarkmak experience? Feel free to write comment in this post.

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