Kyrgyz Beshbarmak
A traditional Kyrgyz celebratory dish, 'beshbarmak' translates to 'five fingers' as it's traditionally eaten by hand. It features tender boiled meat (often lamb or beef) served over thin, hand-cut noodles and a rich broth, garnished with onions.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Lamb or Beef(bone-in, cut into large pieces)
- 3 large Onions(thinly sliced)
- 500 g Flour
- 2 large Eggs
- 150 ml Water(cold)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
- 2 Bay leaves
- small bunch Dill(fresh, chopped for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the meat in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- 2
While the meat is cooking, prepare the noodles. Whisk together flour, eggs, cold water, and salt to form a stiff dough. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Roll out the dough very thinly and cut into diamond or square shapes (about 5x5 cm).
💡 Tip: Dust with flour to prevent sticking. - 4
Once the meat is tender, remove it from the broth and set aside. Strain the broth into a clean pot. Add the sliced onions to the broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes until softened.
- 5
Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Add the prepared noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they float to the surface and are cooked through.
- 6
Serve the beshbarmak by placing a layer of cooked noodles on a large platter. Top with pieces of the cooked meat. Ladle some of the onion-infused broth over the top. Garnish generously with fresh dill and black pepper.
💡 Tip: Traditionally eaten by hand.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Use good quality, bone-in meat for a richer broth.
- ✓The dough for the noodles should be quite stiff.
- ✓Don't overcook the noodles; they should be al dente.
🔄 Variations
- Some variations include adding finely chopped garlic to the broth.
- Horse meat is also a traditional option for beshbarmak in some regions.