The Uzbek ethnic cuisine is loved and will read many for its unique taste. The history of origin of dishes is closely connected with the history of the region which territory is covered by the modern independent state of Uzbekistan. Thanks to the fact that long before gain by Tsarist Russia the Uzbeks conducted both a settled, and nomadic way of life Uzbek cuisine differs in a variety and a sytnost.
Short description of features of the Uzbek ethnic cuisine
The leading place in the Uzbek national cuisine is taken by meat dishes. As a rule, in the majority of foods mutton is used, beef and horse-flesh are more rare. Meat is usually fried on a cotton oil, manufactured in Uzbekistan. And here bird and fish dishes aren't popular and have no special success. It is also difficult to imagine Uzbek cuisine without fresh greens and fragrant spices, such as cumin, cilantro, basil (райхон), a barberry. As addition to meat dishes the Uzbeks by all means give fresh vegetable salads which can fill with amasi or suzmy and also a freshly brewed green tea or ayran.
Uzbek cuisine is very different. For example, recipes of pilaf and a shish kebab there are not less than 10 types. And in each area of Uzbekistan train them in own way. If you want to learn to cook dishes of ethnic Uzbek cuisine, we suggest to consider several recipes of simple foods with which even the beginning hostess will be able to cope.
Uzbek soup ""Kaynatma Chorba""
The feature of such soup is that, unlike the majority of the Uzbek dishes, meat in it isn't fried.
To make the Uzbek chorba, it will be required to you:
- Meat on a stone (brisket, ribs) - 700 g;
- Onions - 2 pieces;
- Carrots - 2 pieces;
- Potatoes - 4 pieces;
- Tomatoes - 2 pieces;
- Paprika - 1 piece;
- Hot Chile burning pepper - 1 piece;
- Fresh fennel - 1 bunch;
- Fresh cilantro - 1 bunch;
Wash out meat under flowing water, cut with large pieces, and then lower in the pan filled with cold water. When water begins to boil, carefully scum formed from meat, lower temperature to low value and cover.
Meanwhile, while meat cooks, onions, carrots and potato peel. At paprika remove a fruit stem and sunflower seeds. Chop onions half rings, a disks carrot, and potato, tomatoes and paprika divide into several large pieces.
1 hour later after boiling of water add onions half rings, carrots to meat, and continue to cook about half an hour more. After time put tomatoes, paprika, Chile and potato in soup. After boiling you cook a dish until potatoes don't become soft. Before removing chorba from fire, add salt to taste. Give it in soup plates together with fresh flat cakes, having powdered with cilantro and fennel.
Dolma stuffed cabbage from grape leaves
Ingredients:
- Mincemeat (it is the best of all to take mutton) - 500 g;
- Round grain rice - 0.5 glasses;
- Onions - 2 pieces;
- Grape leaves - 400 g;
- Sunflower oil - 1 tablespoon;
- Black sprinkling pepper;
Shift mincemeat in a deep bowl, add to it the washed-out rice, salt and a black sprinkling pepper to taste, and then together well mix everything.
Wash out grape leaves under flowing water and spread out them on a table. On each leaf put on 1 dessertspoon of forcemeat. If leaves small, it is possible to take on 2 pieces on preparation. Inwrap forcemeat in leaves a tubule like stuffed cabbage leaves. At will each dolma can be tied up a thread.
Spread out all preparations in a low pan that a dense row turned out, to a prisolita and water with oil. After that fill in dolma with broth (welded, ideally, from mutton stones) and bring to the boil. After boiling you cook a dish within 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, while dolma is stewed, prepare for it subfrying. From onions remove a peel and cut it thin half rings. In a frying pan pour in sunflower oil and fry on it onions till golden color. At will add to it some 2 crushed tomatoes or to steam of spoons of tomato paste.
Spread out ready dolma on plates, fill in with broth and give together with fresh chopped greens and kefir.
Achichuk salad
Practically any feast in Uzbekistan doesn't do without Achichuk salad - very simple and light in preparation.
It will be necessary for you:
- Large fleshy tomatoes - 3 pieces;
- Red or white sweet onions of the large size - 1 piece;
- Fresh cucumbers - 2 pieces (it is possible also without them);
- Sunflower oil - 0.5 tablespoons;
- Fennel or cilantro - several branches (at will);
Cut tomatoes thin plates. From onions remove a peel, rinse in cold water, and then chop thin a quarter rings. Chop fresh cucumbers narrow pieces in the form of a semicircle. In a deep salad bowl connect tomatoes, cucumbers, onions. Add sunflower oil and salt. Together well mix everything and decorate with branches of fresh greens. Serve Achichuk salad to any first and second courses.