That's why Tajik national cuisine is one of the historical values ​​of the nation, and although it has some similarities with the cuisines of other peoples of Central Asia, which have long been connected with each other along the Great Silk Road, traditional technologies and specific features of preparing familiar dishes give it a unique flavor and special recognition.

The basis of Tajik cooking, like many other Central Asian cuisines, is meat products. As for meat, Tajiks prefer lamb and goat meat, beef and poultry, and eat it much less often. In Tajikistan, as a Muslim country, they do not eat pork at all.

Horse meat is especially popular, from which the national sausage is made - “ kazy».

Among the favorite meat dishes in Tajik cuisine are “ kabobs" - sausages made from marinated, minced meat, fried on skewers over an open fire, lamb pilaf and something like cabbage rolls - " Shehlet».

Very popular among the people - roast-kaurdak, which is cooked in a cauldron with the addition of a large amount of vegetable oil, lamb tenderloin and fresh vegetables: onions, potatoes, carrots, fresh tomatoes. The finished dish must be accompanied by a lot of greens, kaymak (heavy cream), and suzma made from cottage cheese with garlic.

Pilaf- a special article in Tajik culture, and national cuisine as its component. The specifics of preparing Tajik pilaf are not much different from Uzbek ones, but there are also striking features.

Thus, the signature Tajik pilaf is “ Ugro" A completely traditional “zirvak” (base) is prepared for it - the meat is cut into pieces, fried with carrots and onions, previously chopped into strips, poured with water or broth and cooked until half cooked. And then the fun begins.

Instead of rice, take homemade noodles, fry in the oven until golden brown, cool, and then pound until the size of rice grains, then rinse under running cold water, place in a bowl with fried meat and bring to readiness. When serving, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Be prepared for the fact that almost all Tajik dishes are generously seasoned with onions, garlic, fresh herbs and sour milk (katyk). From spices Red pepper, barberry, cumin, anise, saffron, etc. are widely used. The most popular are fresh herbs: cilantro, dill, mint, parsley, green onions, raikhon, sorrel, etc., added in crushed form to salads, main dishes, as well as to ayran (sour milk, which is used to wash everything down during the meal .

Tajiks are skilled cooks and masterful cooks flour products: flatbreads, ugro (noodles), lagman, sambusa, brushwood, etc. The dough from under the housewives’ rolling pins comes out extremely thin and when finished simply “melts” in the mouth.

To prepare flour dishes in Tajikistan, yeast and unleavened dough are used. The traditional bread here is flatbread. They are made from yeast and unleavened - simple and rich dough and baked over wood in special clay tandoor ovens.

Soups are always popular in Tajik cuisine; they are special here - very thick, rich, with aromatic spicy spices. Soups are prepared mainly with meat or bone broth, less often with milk or vegetable broth. And the most popular of them are “shurbo” and “ugro”.

Greens and vegetables- constant companions of almost all Tajik dishes. Therefore, before the main dishes, hospitable Tajiks always treat guests to vegetable salads and herbs, which are simply placed uncut on a separate plate.

How could it be otherwise, since all this wealth has been growing here since time immemorial. There is simply an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, radishes, onions, peppers, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, garlic, beans, fresh fruits, aromatic herbs in the country... This list can be continued indefinitely, but I’m afraid to tire our inquisitive readers. It’s better to see and try everything yourself.

So let's quickly move on to drinks.

I will not open America to anyone if I say that the favorite drink of Tajiks is tea. Tea drinking here has long become a kind of ritual. Not a single friendly meeting, not a single reception of guests is complete without a bowl of this aromatic drink. Any meal, according to tradition, begins and ends with tea.

In Tajikistan, I mostly drink in the summer green tea, leaving black for the winter. By the way, in winter they often brew “shirchay” - black tea with milk.

Guests are served a drink already poured into bowls on a tray. It should be noted that tea in Central Asia is consumed exclusively without sugar, but on the table set for tea drinking there is always an abundance of national sweets - “nabat” (grape crystalline sugar), “ halwaitar"(a type of liquid halva), candy-" pichak».

The history of Tajik cuisine goes back several centuries. It has much in common with Uzbek, Persian and Afghan cuisines. At the same time, it has characteristic features in the methods of preparing dishes and mixing ingredients. In this article you will learn what features the cuisine of the Tajik people is endowed with, and also get acquainted with its traditional dishes and baked goods.

Tajik cuisine

The cuisine of Tajikistan is distinguished by the fact that almost all recipes for national dishes are based on the use of meat. Here you can very rarely find dishes made from fish products, eggs or cereals. Tajik treats are prepared from lamb, goat meat, and sometimes game. Horse meat is used to prepare a meat delicacy - “kazy” sausage. Meat dishes are served with a side dish of rice and beans.

Dishes of national Tajik cuisine

The methods of preparing Tajik national dishes are very unique. For example, meat, which is the basis of most first courses, is chopped into large pieces and fried before the main preparation. It is thanks to this technology that the soup acquires a characteristic shade and unique taste. In order to cook chicken soup, the skin is first removed from the carcass.
All dishes of Tajik cuisine have a rich taste and aroma, thanks to the abundance of seasoning, spices and herbs. To give the treat a sour taste, it is seasoned with sour milk, or katyk.

Salads began to be included in the diet of residents of Tajikistan only with the advent of Soviet power in the country.

Salads, young radishes and sliced ​​boiled beef or game with herbs are served as an aperitif in Tajikistan. The main role in the Tajik menu is given to soups prepared on the basis of meat and bone broth, milk or vegetable broth. The most famous first courses are:

• shurbo,
• matoba,
• threat,
• cholob.

Tajik meat dishes are prepared in special dishes - tanurs. In some recipes, the meat is marinated for 2-4 hours before cooking. Wine, vinegar, lemon or pomegranate juice are used as a marinade. Not a single national holiday in Tajikistan is complete without:

• kebab,
• kuurdaka,
• murkaboba,
• kabob.

In addition, residents of the country often cook pilaf. There are many recipes for this dish: Tajik pilaf, pilaf with meatballs, chicken pilaf and other equally interesting and multi-component dishes.
In order to prepare delicious Tajik pilaf, you need to heat fat in a cauldron and fry onions or meat bones in it. Rinse the meat for pilaf (beef, lamb, chicken, game) and cut into pieces of a suitable size. Clean the rice from debris, rinse and add warm water. Use yellow carrots, garlic, pepper, saffron or any other hot seasoning as a vegetable dressing. After this, mix all the ingredients and leave to simmer in a cauldron. Pilaf is served in the form of a mound, on which meat, herbs and pomegranate seeds are placed.

The main difference between Tajik pilaf is its diversity of flavors. This effect can be achieved by adding chickpeas, quince and heads of garlic to the dish.

Tajik pastries

Tajik cuisine would not be complete without such an important component as baking. Local residents are very fond of products made from yeast and unleavened dough. To bake traditional flatbreads, a round grill of a special design is used - a tandoor. Other popular bakery products include:

• sambusa pies,
• sawing brushwood,
• katlamu flatbreads,
• Tukhum-barak.

Sambusa pies are products based on thinly rolled dough and minced lamb fried with herbs or peas. The pies can be almond-shaped, rectangular or triangular in shape. They are fried in tonours or cauldrons with a large amount of fat.
In Tajikistan, like in any other eastern country, they love sweets. Usually these are fresh and dried fruits, watermelons, melons and nuts.

Republic of Tajikistan, a state in Central Asia. Tajik culture and cuisine developed on the basis of the traditions of the Persian-speaking world and local traditions. Tajik cuisine is always about friendliness and effort.
Pilaf - the signature dish of Asia
Tajik pilafs are generally similar to Uzbek pilafs in their technology and main products. Some types of pilaf - for example, tugram and "Sofi" (called Samarkand in Uzbekistan) - are completely repeated and are even more widespread than in Uzbekistan.
A small technological feature of the preparation of Tajik pilaf is that the rice is sometimes soaked for 1-2 hours in warm salted water before adding, which speeds up the cooking.
At the same time, Tajik pilafs have a number of features regarding the introduction of additional components, which gives them new flavor shades. The most common, widespread additions to the usual composition of pilaf are chickpeas, a favorite in Tajikistan (pre-soaked for 10-12 hours), quince (cut into slices or small cubes and without skin), and garlic, added with whole heads. These additions typically amount to approximately 250 grams for every kilogram of rice.
In Tajikistan, ugro pilaf is often made, for which, instead of rice, ugro grains made from noodles are used.
Almost all pilafs in Tajikistan eat a salad made from mountain rhubarb - rivocha, which is peeled from the surface film, cut across the grain into pieces 1 cm long and lightly salted.

Tajik dastarkhan- it’s not just a table, not just a holiday, it’s communication with family, loved ones, old people and young people...
Good traditions are the key to a strong culture, a generous table, and joy at home. These dishes will not only nourish your loved ones, but will also unite hearts with their careful preparation, and the aroma of spices will surely transport you to sunny Dushanbe.

Oshi-sielaf (spicy and sour greens soup)

6 onions, 3 table. spoons of sunflower oil, 1.5 cups of flour, 500 g of potatoes, 6-8 cups of chopped sorrel (sielaf), 2 tbsp. spoons of dill, 2 tablespoons. spoons of basil greens, 2 tablespoons. spoons of green cilantro, 10 black peppercorns, 1.5 cups katyk (or sour cream), 2 teaspoons. spoons of salt.

Fry finely chopped onion in hot oil, add flour, lightly fry it until light yellow. Pour in about 1 liter of water, adding it gradually and stirring the flour so that there are no lumps, boil slightly and add about 1.5 liters of water, stirring again. When the water boils, add salt and pepper, add potatoes cut into 1 cm cubes, and after 20 minutes add chopped sorrel. After 10-12 minutes, add spicy herbs, let it boil for another 1-2 minutes, turn off the heat and let the soup brew for 5-10 minutes. Then fill with katyk and pour into plates.

Oshi Ugro
This soup is very good on a hot summer day. First you need to prepare the ugro itself (almost like lagman, but thinner and possibly shorter in length). Knead a stiff elastic dough from 2 glasses of warm water, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of salt and flour. Roll the resulting dough into a ball and let stand for half an hour, covered with a napkin. Roll out into a thin layer 2-3 mm thick, sprinkle the resulting pancake thoroughly and evenly with flour, roll into a roll and cut into thin noodles 2 mm thick. Next, put the chopped noodles in two or three steps in a sieve and sift out the flour, slightly lift the noodles with your hands so that they are well separated from each other. Now put it on a clean tablecloth or paper and let it dry.
Now let's prepare the frying

Oil - 1/2 cup, any meat - 200-300g, onions - 3 pcs, carrots - 1 pc. potatoes - 1-2 pcs, (if you have chickpeas, you can put them in, do not forget to soak them in warm water 10-12 hours before cooking - 1/2 cup peas + warm water + a pinch of soda), tomatoes - 1-2 pcs , salt, spices to taste.

Place in heated oil:
Meat - cut into cubes the size of a matchbox, carrots, diced potatoes, onions - thin half rings, chopped tomatoes.
Fry the entire contents of the pot for 5 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat slightly, pour in about 0.75 liters of water, add pre-soaked peas. After boiling, cook for 30-40 minutes. Turn the heat to maximum, lower the noodles into the boiling broth and cook for 10 minutes. (for the first time, take 2-2.5 cups of noodles, don’t be surprised, but in other cases you can eyeball it. The thickness of the soup will depend on how much noodles you put in. For those who like it thicker, add more) Before serving, season the soup with kefir , chopped herbs.

Ugro-tushbera

For frying: 100g lard (oil), 2 onions, 2-3 tomatoes (summer), 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (winter), 2 potatoes.
For minced meat: 500g of meat (pulp), 2-3 onions, the white of one egg, half a teaspoon of salt, capsicum to taste.
For the dough: 500g flour, 1 egg, 1 glass of water, half a teaspoon of salt.

Knead the dough as for noodles, roll out into a thin (2 mm) layer, divide into two halves: cut noodles from one, and juice for dumplings from the other. Pass the meat through a meat grinder, add chopped onion, add egg white and salt, mix well. Then divide the minced meat into two parts: fill one with dumplings, and roll into meatballs from the other.
In heated oil, sauté the onion, add tomatoes or tomato paste, and fry the potato cubes in it. Then add water to the pan and let it boil. Place the cooked dumplings first and then the meatballs. When the dumplings float to the surface, add the chopped noodles.
When serving, sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Shakarob

200-250 g of green onions (or 4-5 onions), 4-6 cups of green cilantro, basil, parsley, savory (equal parts), 1 pod of red pepper, 2 cups of sour cream, 1-2 flatbread "kulcha", 2 tsp. spoons of salt.

Chop the onion, herbs and pepper very finely and grind together with salt in a mortar until a thick paste is formed, which is diluted with boiling water, gradually pouring it in so that a thin green puree is obtained. Pour this puree over pieces of freshly baked flatbread "kulcha" and add sour cream

Ajabsan

500 g meat, 100 g lard, 3 potatoes, 3 tomatoes, 3 onions, 1 garlic, 200 g cabbage, 3 bell peppers, 1 bunch of dill, salt and ground pepper - to taste

Peel all vegetables. Cut the potatoes into 1x1x1 cm cubes, chop the carrots and cabbage into thin strips. Cut the tomatoes and onions into slices, divide the garlic into slices, chop the bell pepper and greens. Cut the meat and lard into small pieces. The dish is prepared separately for each diner, steamed. To do this, take a porcelain casser for each person, put diced potatoes on the bottom per serving, then finely chopped carrots, tomato slices, onion slices, bell peppers, chopped cabbage, 1-2 cloves of garlic, sprinkle with chopped herbs and salt and spices, and put pieces of meat and lard on top. Place ajabsan on tiers of a steam pan and steam for 1 hour over moderate heat.

Tajik manti

Dough: 1 egg, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 glasses of water, about 1 kg of flour will be required (0.5 kg of premium grade and 0.5 kg of first grade)

Heat the water a little, add salt, add the egg and stir until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Sift the flour and add little by little to the mixture and knead the dough into a not too stiff dough. If it sticks to your hands, add flour little by little without ceasing to knead. A well-kneaded dough should come away from the edges of the pan. Divide the dough into 3-4 parts, roll into balls, cover with a towel or napkin and let stand for about half an hour or a little longer.
At this time, prepare the filling.

1 kg of meat, 500 g of onion, salt to taste, 100 g of fat tail fat or any other, salt and spices to taste

Cut the pulp (lamb or beef) into small cubes or pass through a meat grinder with a large grid. Add onion, chopped into rings or cubes, salt, (ground black pepper) to the minced meat. Cut the lard into bean-sized pieces. Mix everything thoroughly.
Zest: the filling will be juicier if you cut the meat with a knife rather than passing it through a meat grinder; chop the onion not too finely, but approximately 3 mm thick. And add 3-4 tablespoons of any oil.
Now we form the mantulas themselves.
Roll out the ball into a large pancake (you need to sprinkle it with flour so that the dough rolls out well) 1-2 mm thick and cut into ribbons 10 cm wide. Now carefully fold the ribbons on top of each other, aligning them on one side. Now let’s remember the course from geometry. Before us is a segment with a width of 10 cm and a length of X cm. We need to divide it into segments so that the resulting squares are 10x10 cm. Next, put one tablespoon of minced meat on each square and pinch the corners A, B, C, D at the top at one point E.
The result is an ABCD envelope. Now pinch corner A with B, corner C with D. Your first mantle is ready. All the others are done similarly. The trimmings remaining from the edges can be dried (then you will get a “Tuppa” dish) or cooked together with mantushki.
Manti are prepared in a special multi-tiered steam pan. Grease the grates with oil, arrange the manti so that they do not touch each other tightly. Lightly pour oil on top of the manti using a gauze swab (wet the swab in oil and lightly squeeze the oil in a circle onto the manti). Place tiers of boiling water in a saucepan and steam with the lid tightly closed for 45 minutes.
The manti are ready. Serve with sour cream, some sauce or simply sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.

Nakhudshurak

1 kg of meat, 500 g of carrots, 7-8 onions, 2 cups of chickpeas, 2 tbsp. spoons of finely chopped savory, 2 tbsp. spoons of basil, 1 teaspoon of mint, 1 teaspoon of red pepper, 3 bay leaves, 6 grains of black pepper.

Boil large pieces of meat with bones and whole carrots for 1-1.5 hours in 2 liters of water, add finely chopped onion, black pepper, bay leaf and cook until the meat is ready for another 30 minutes over low heat. Then remove the meat and carrots and add the peas, previously soaked for 10-12 hours, into the remaining broth and cook until they are ready. A minute before the broth and peas are ready, season the broth with spicy herbs, red pepper, salt, let stand for 5 minutes under the lid, but not on the fire, and then pour the broth into a separate bowl, strain it, and add the previously removed from the broth and chopped peas to the remaining peas. diced boiled carrots and boiled meat. Serve the broth separately in cups or bowls to wash down the nakhudshurak in small sips.

Damlama

500 g lamb or beef, 3-4 medium onions, 100-150 g fat, 1.5 tbsp. broth, herbs, salt, spices, 1 kg of potatoes, 2 carrots, 2 large tomatoes.

The meat is cut into matchbox-sized pieces, fried in hot fat with onions and peppers, salted, broth and spices are added and simmered until tender over low heat. Add sour cream at the end of stewing. You can add diced potatoes, finely chopped carrots and tomatoes to the cauldron with meat.

Trout in Vakhsh style
The prepared trout fillet without skin and bones is lightly beaten, the minced meat is wrapped (sautéed onions are mixed with chopped eggs, chopped herbs, seasoned with salt and ground black pepper), giving the product an oblong shape. The formed semi-finished product is immersed in dough and deep-fried. Bring to readiness in the oven. The trout is served with a side dish and decorated with herbs. You can decorate the dish with a slice of lemon.

Salad "Tajikistan"

Meat - 100 g, beef tongue - 100 g, potatoes - 4 pcs, onions - pickled anzur - 3 pcs, green peas - 8 tbsp. l, carrots - 1 piece, egg - 1 piece, pickled cucumbers - 1 piece, mayonnaise - 5 tbsp. l, sour cream - 5 tbsp. l.

Boiled tongue or boiled meat is cut into cubes, cucumbers into strips, boiled potatoes into cubes. Then put everything together, add green peas, season with mayonnaise and mix. The salad is placed in a mound in the shape of a cone, decorated with boiled carrots, poured with sour cream, garnished with pieces of boiled egg, cucumber slices, and fresh parsley.

Flatbread with onions.

Flour, margarine - 250 gr. or any oil, salt - 3 tbsp. l, medium-sized onions - 3-4 pcs., warm water - 1/2 cup.

Cut the onion into thin rings and place in a saucepan with a capacity of at least 2 liters. Sprinkle with salt, add melted margarine (butter). Mix the whole thing thoroughly and add water. Repeat the procedure. Then add the sifted dough little by little to knead the dough. The dough should turn out normal (since the onion releases juice, it may little by little stick to your hands, but this is normal). Roll the dough into a ball and let rest for about 20-30 minutes. At this time, preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Forming these cakes is not difficult:
Roll out the dough into a rope, divide into 4-5 equal parts, roll each into a ball. Now roll out each ball with a rolling pin until you get a round cake 1 cm thick (to prevent the dough from sticking, sprinkle a little flour). Prick the middle in 2-3 places with a fork, place on a baking sheet (no need to grease the baking sheet) and in the oven for 10-15 minutes at medium heat on the top level. The finished cakes should be golden brown. After removing the flatbread from the oven, coat the front side with a gauze pad dipped in butter or sour cream. Wrap in a clean napkin for half an hour.

Flatbread "Kulcha"

For 10 pcs. flat cakes weighing 280 g
flour 1.6 kg, whole milk 300 g, rendered beef or lamb fat 40g, or margarine 46g, pressed yeast 15g, salt 25g.

Salt is dissolved in a small amount of milk, pre-diluted yeast is added, the mixture is filtered, combined with the remaining milk heated to a temperature of 35-40 ° C, melted fat or margarine and flour are added and the dough is kneaded. Leave it for 1.5-2 hours to proof, then cut it into pieces weighing 120 or 240 g, from which they prepare round flat cakes with thickened edges, 10x18 cm in diameter, and leave to proof for 20-25 minutes. They are baked in an oven or a special oven - tanura.

Fatiri kadudor - flatbread "Fatyr with pumpkin"

For 10 pieces of cakes weighing 400 g:
flour 2.7 kg, pressed yeast 55 g, salt 45, onion 600g, pumpkin 2 kg, red pepper 4g, fat

Edible fat or vegetable oil, finely chopped onions and minced pumpkin are added to the dough, flat cakes with a diameter of 28-30 cm (400 g) or 16-18 cm (200 g) are formed, and baked in a tanura or oven.

Steam kebab

For 1 kg of meat (pulp): 2 onions, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper (ground), coriander, cumin, 4 tablespoons of grape vinegar.

Cut the lamb or beef (flesh) into pieces the size of a walnut. Place in an enamel bowl and marinate with the addition of chopped onion, vinegar, ground red or black pepper, coriander, cumin and salt, mix well and leave in a cool place for 4 - 5 hours. Then string 5-6 pieces onto metal skewers or sticks cut from fruit trees.
Pour water into the lower part of the steam pan, and leave one tier in the upper part, removing the rest. Place the kebab strung on sticks vertically or horizontally on the remaining tier, cover with a lid and steam for 1 hour. This kebab, unlike grilled over coals, has better taste and is well absorbed by the body. The finished steam kebab is served on the table along with a side dish of onions sprinkled with grape vinegar.

Kulchai boogie - steamed donuts

For 4 servings: flour 320g, pressed yeast 12g, melted butter for greasing 20g, butter 60g or sour milk 120g, or sour cream 80g, salt.

Yeast dough, prepared using the straight method, is rolled out into sausages, cut into 50-60 g pieces, greased with oil, rolled into a tube, the ends are pressed down, giving the product a round shape, and steamed in a mantu-cauldron for 20-25 minutes.
Served with butter or sour milk, or sour cream.

Zulbie - pancakes

For 4 servings, 12 pieces of 50 g:
flour 300g, milk 200g, yeast 12g, egg 1 pc., sugar 20g, salt 8g, vegetable oil for frying 50g, honey 120g.

Salt and sugar are dissolved in a small amount of water, pre-diluted yeast is added, the mixture is filtered, half of the milk heated to a temperature of 35-40 ° C is added, flour, eggs are added and mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed. The dough is left to proof for 40-50 minutes, then the remaining milk is added and mixed until smooth.
The finished liquid butter dough is fried in very hot fat in a cauldron until golden brown, pouring the dough around the perimeter of the cauldron in small portions in a thin stream. The finished pancakes are poured with honey.

Salla - brushwood

For 1 kg of finished brushwood: flour 750g, sugar 50g, egg 2.5 pcs., salt 15g, vegetable oil for frying 75g, powdered sugar 25g.

Unleavened butter dough is kneaded, rolled out into a layer 2 mm thick, then cut into strips 3-4 cm wide. The strips are wound onto the end of a rolling pin in the form of a spiral, dipped in very hot vegetable oil and fried until golden brown, removing from the rolling pin. Remove the finished brushwood with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Hamirbiryoni bofta - fried braided dough

For 800 g of finished braid:
flour 650g, pressed yeast 20g, salt 10g, vegetable oil for frying 100g, powdered sugar 50g.

Yeast dough is kneaded from flour, water, yeast and salt, rolled out into a rope 60-70 cm long, folded in half and intertwined, then immersed in very hot vegetable oil and fried until golden brown, sprinkled with powdered sugar when ready.

Gushi fil - "elephant ears"

For 1 kg of finished product: flour 750g, milk 250g, margarine 50g, egg 2 pcs., sugar 50g, salt 10g, vegetable oil for frying 120g, powdered sugar 20g

A butter dough is kneaded from flour, milk, eggs, margarine, sugar, salt, after proofing (40-50 minutes), cut into pieces of 30 g, rolled into thin layers, pinched one end, giving the shape of elephant ears, fried in a very hot oven. oil until golden brown. When ready, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Mastava belongs to the type of dressing soups and is very popular among the peoples of the Middle and Far East. The closest method of preparation to this dish is Shurpa, however, each of these dishes has its own characteristics. This soup is a national dish and is prepared differently in every Tajik family. Rumor has it that the most piquant and traditional taste of mastava is obtained if you cook it together with yesterday’s pilaf. However, in the absence of it, regular rice will do. This hearty and very aromatic rice takes quite a long time to prepare, but it’s worth it.

We will use lamb as a base.: The pulp is suitable for frying, and the ribs will make a surprisingly satisfying and rich broth. This soup also includes a large number of vegetables, such as potatoes, bell peppers and carrots. Most Tajik dishes are cooked in a cauldron over an open fire, but if there is no open fire, a regular stove will do. Step-by-step photos of this mastava recipe will tell you in more detail and accurately how to prepare such a tasty and aromatic soup at home. Let's start creating mastava according to the classic Tajik recipe.

Ingredients

(pulp, 500 g)

Tour operator in the Baltics, Caucasus and Central Asia

Dishes of Tajik cuisine

Tajiks are rightfully proud of their national cuisine and consider it one of the most attractive factors for the development of tourism. The culinary art of the Tajik people has been formed over many centuries under the influence of the rich history of the region. The semi-nomadic lifestyle involves an abundance of meat and flour dishes. Of course, the national cuisine of Tajiks is similar to that of other Central Asian countries, but it still has its own characteristics.

Meat dishes

Meat dishes are mainly prepared from lamb and goat. Tajiks, like Muslims, do not eat pork at all. Horse meat is very popular. They make kazy sausage from it. Before cooking, meat is always pre-fried until golden brown. This is how the dish acquires a unique aroma. Meat dishes are more commonly considered to be second courses: kebabs, kabob, cabbage rolls, roasts, poultry and game.

In Tajik cuisine, there are several types of kebabs: ground (from minced meat), lump, vegetable. They are often prepared from lamb, but also from beef. But be sure to use fat tail fat.

This is how classic Tajik kebab is prepared.

Lamb pulp and fat tail fat are cut into pieces, marinated with onions, spices and lemon juice. The meat is left for 2-3 hours in a cool place. Then they are strung on skewers (a piece of meat is alternated with lard) and fried over hot coals. Separately, ripe tomatoes are baked on skewers. Pour lemon juice over the finished kebab again and serve along with baked tomatoes.

Kabobs- a specific Tajik dish. Prepared from ground meat (lamb). Tender lamb is ground together with onions, spices, salt and pepper are added. Sausages are formed from the resulting mass. They are rolled in flour and fried in fat until crisp. Separately sauté the onion, cut into rings. Place half-cooked kabob in the onion, add meat broth and simmer until done. When serving, sprinkle with herbs and garlic.

Roast in Tajik cuisine is called “ mess" And it is prepared a little differently.

Fatty lamb, chopped with bones, is fried with the addition of fresh tomatoes, filled with water and stewed with potatoes; at the end of cooking, add sauteed roots and onions, salt, pepper and simmer over low heat.

Shahlet- Tajik-style cabbage rolls: beef meat, minced in a meat grinder, fried with onions and mixed with boiled rice, the minced meat is wrapped in internal lard; cabbage rolls are tied with a thread and boiled in broth. Served with sour cream sauce.

Pilaf occupies a special place not even in cooking, but in Tajik culture in general.

Tajik signature pilaf is Ugro-pilaf. The meat is cut into pieces, fried with onions and carrots, cut into strips, poured with broth and boiled until half cooked. Unleavened dough noodles are fried in the oven until golden yellow, cooled and pounded to the size of rice grains, washed with cold water, placed in a bowl with fried meat and boiled until tender. When serving, sprinkle with green onions.

In addition to pilaf, porridge with meat is also very popular. For example, osh-tuglama. The carrots are boiled whole with a large piece of lamb; raw carrots are fried in fat tail fat until half cooked in a cauldron with onions and carrots, cut into strips, and poured with broth. Then add rice, close the cauldron with a lid and bring the dish to readiness. Boiled meat and carrots are chopped into strips, when served, placed on rice and sprinkled with chopped green onions.

Spices are widely used: red pepper, cumin, barberry, anise, saffron, etc. Spicy greens (cilantro, dill, parsley, mint, raichon, green onions, sorrel, etc.) in crushed form are added to salads, first and second courses, as well as sour milk (ayran), which is used to wash down meat dishes.

Dough products

Flour products are also very popular among Tajiks. Women skillfully prepare flatbreads, lagman, ugro, sambusa, brushwood, etc. The housewives produce the finest dough. And the finished product simply melts in your mouth. Tajiks use unleavened and yeast dough to prepare flour dishes. Traditional Tajik bread is flatbread. They are prepared from yeast simple and rich, unleavened simple and rich dough. The flatbreads are baked in tandoors - clay ovens using firewood.

Flour dishes include meat, vegetables, herbs, spices, dairy products, and eggs. Meat and flour dishes are manti, all kinds of noodles with meat (shima, lagman), pies with minced meat (sambusa). There is a special dish in Tajik cuisine - khushan (Tajik manti with chickpeas). Dough and meat are combined - shima and manpar.

Sambusa barracks(Tajik puff pastries)

A stiff dough is kneaded from flour, eggs, salt, and water. Then they roll out a thin layer into large flat cakes, brush them with butter, roll them into a roll, then cut them again and roll them out again. Place minced meat (lamb with finely chopped lard + spices) on the rolled out dough and make triangular pies. Real sambusa is baked in a tandoor. It turns out multi-layered, aromatic, juicy and very tasty!

Katlama(Puff flatbreads)

Steep unleavened dough is rolled out, coated with fat, and folded into an envelope. And so on several times. Roll out the layer one last time, roll it up and cut it into pieces. They are rolled out again and fried in boiling oil.

Dumplings with herbs in Tajik style

Unleavened dough is rolled into a thin layer and cut into squares. Each square is topped with a filling (chopped cilantro, parsley, raichon, sorrel, green onions, salted and peppered). The edges are pinched and steamed. Served with sour milk or sour cream.

Pilita(brushwood)

The sour dough is cut into equal pieces and rolled out into strips 60-70 cm long. Each strip is folded in half and intertwined, then fried in a large amount of fat. The finished products are sprinkled with powdered sugar while hot.

Tukhum-barak (dough product) Unleavened dough, kneaded with milk, is rolled out thinly, cut into strips 8 cm wide and 20 cm long. The strips are folded in half along their length, the longitudinal edges are pinched, the resulting bags are filled with minced meat and pinched on the open side. The products are boiled in boiling salted water. Minced meat - cut into strips, fried in melted butter, onions + finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. Very tasty with sour cream.

Shima

The unleavened dough is divided into parts, greased with vegetable oil and left for 5-10 minutes, then each loaf is quickly pulled out and twisted, repeating this operation until thin threads are obtained. Cut the noodles, boil them in salted water and wash. The meat is finely chopped, fried with onions, tomato puree is added and fried for another 10 minutes. Then water and vinegar are poured into the bowl with the meat and cooked until cooked. When serving, the noodles are heated, poured over the meat and sauce and sprinkled with finely chopped eggs and chopped garlic.

Soups

Soups in Tajik cuisine are very thick, rich, with the aroma of spicy spices. Tajik housewives season their soups with fresh tomatoes, as well as fermented milk products, for example, suzma, katyk, kaymak, kurut.
Tajiks prepare soups mainly with meat or bone broth or by first frying finely chopped meat, less often with milk or vegetable broth. The most popular soups are shurbo and ugro. In Tajik cuisine, it is customary to add red pepper, barberry, anise, and saffron to soups. From spicy greens - cilantro, dill, parsley, mint, raichon, green onions, sorrel - chopped.

Tajiks serve soups in special dishes: kasahs, bowls, round and oval deep dishes - tavaks. Clay and ceramic dishes are especially valued. The soup stays hot in it for a long time.

Matoba- large pieces of lamb are fried with tomatoes and other vegetables, covered with water, boiled for 20 minutes, then rice and katyk are added.

Lagman(Noodles with meat)

The unleavened dough is rolled out into a sheet and thin long noodles are cut. Boil the noodles in salted water. Then they prepare a special sauce - kaily. Meat, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, fresh cabbage, onions, fresh tomatoes, chopped garlic, herbs are cut into cubes and fried in very hot fat. Then add a small amount of water, season with spices, salt and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes. Before serving, boiled noodles are poured with sauce, sprinkled with herbs and sour milk is added.

Ugro(Noodle soup with meat)

Large pieces of lamb or beef are poured with cold water, carrots and onions are added and brought to a boil. Place peas (pre-soaked) in the boiling broth, and after 30-40 minutes potatoes. Separately, they prepare ugro - the thinnest noodles, like a spider's web. Before serving, the soup is seasoned with sour milk and chopped herbs.

Shavlya(soup with rice)

The fried pieces of lamb are poured with hot water or broth, salt, pepper, and chopped carrots are added and brought to a boil. Then add sautéed onions and rice, cook until thickened and simmer in the oven until tender.

Kaurmo shurbo

The lamb flesh is fried in a cauldron until golden brown, add chopped onions and carrots and fry for another 5-7 minutes. Then add finely chopped tomatoes. All this is poured with cold water and brought to a boil over low heat. 30 minutes before cooking, add potatoes, chopped bell pepper, and spices. The finished shurbo is sprinkled with herbs. Boiled meat and potatoes are served separately on a wooden dish.

Atolla Finely chopped onion is fried in melted lamb fat, then flour is added and it is fried until golden brown. After this, the grounds are filled with water and simmered for 8-10 minutes. The finished soup should have the consistency of sour cream. Before serving, add vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and spices to the soup.

Naryn(horse meat soup)

Smoked and fresh lamb, lard and kazy are boiled until tender, then removed from the broth, cooled and cut into strips. The noodles are boiled in salted water. Serve in a plate with meat, lard, kazy, noodles and sautéed onions, sprinkle with pepper and pour in hot broth.

Salads, appetizers, vegetable dishes

Vegetables and herbs are present in almost every Tajik dish. How could it be otherwise, because all this has been growing here since time immemorial. The hospitable Tajik owner picks juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and aromatic herbs straight from the garden. The markets are full of eggplants, onions, zucchini, peppers, carrots, garlic, beans, potatoes, and fresh fruits. Yes, the list can be endless. All this grows in abundance under the hot Tajik sun. Hence such variety on the dastarkhan (dining table). Before the main course, Tajiks always treat guests to vegetable appetizers or salads of young radishes, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, rhubarb, dill, parsley, raichon, cilantro, etc.

Salad "Gissar"

Boiled and peeled potatoes, boiled carrots, boiled meat, cucumbers, tomatoes are cut into cubes, onions are chopped, hard-boiled eggs are cut into slices. The prepared products are mixed, salt and pepper are added and placed in a salad bowl. When serving, pour over katyk, garnish with egg slices and chopped herbs. Eggplants stuffed with vegetables in Tajik style. For minced vegetables, chopped onions, carrots, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and garlic are fried in hot oil. Stuff eggplant halves with minced meat and simmer in a frying pan until cooked.

Beverages

The favorite drink of Tajiks is green tea. Drinking tea has already become a kind of ritual here. Not a single reception of guests, not a single friendly meeting or conversation is complete without a bowl of this hot drink. Even lunch begins with tea. Bowls of tea are served on trays. In Tajikistan, green tea is drunk mainly in the summer, while black tea is drunk everywhere in the winter. By the way, tea in Central Asia is consumed without sugar. Other typical drinks prepared for the table include sorbets - fruit infusions with sugar. Tea with milk is called “shirchay”.

Shirchoy(tea)

Tea is poured into boiling water, boiled milk is added and brought to a boil, then seasoned with butter and salt.

Sweets

The sweet table of Tajik cuisine is very specific, varied and extensive. Tajiks, it must be said, like other Muslim peoples (Arabs, Persians, Turks), do not know dessert as the final, final dish. Sweets, drinks and fruits, which on the European table complete any meal, in the East are consumed twice during meals, and sometimes three times - they are served before, and after, and during the meal. National pastries are very popular and tasty in Tajikistan - brushwood, puff pastries and, of course, halva. In the East you cannot do without it. Traditional sweets are crystalline sugar (nabat), nishallo (a creamy mass of sugar, beaten egg whites and soap root), traditional candies (pichak).

Halwaitar(Liquid flour halva)

Slowly pour flour into heated lamb fat and fry, stirring until brown. Then add sugar syrup and mix. The finished halva is poured into plates. Then cool and cut. You can add nuts, almonds, pistachios, and vanillin to the halva.