ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Kyrgyzstan
Five dishes to try in Kyrgyzstan, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Kyrgyzstan
Beshbarmak Бешбармак
Boiled lamb or horse meat chopped into fine noodles with onion broth.
How to have it: Served to guests at celebrations; eaten with the hands, as the name ('five fingers') suggests.
Lagman Лагман
Hand-pulled noodles topped with stir-fried meat, peppers and vegetables.
How to have it: A Dungan and Uyghur dish found in every cafe; order boso lagman for the fried version.
Kuurdak Куурдак
Pieces of meat and offal fried in fat with onions.
How to have it: A hearty dish served in cafes and at yurt camps, usually with bread and tea.
Plov Плов
Rice cooked in a large kazan with lamb, carrots and onions.
How to have it: The Osh version is famous; eat it at lunchtime when the big pots are fresh.
Kymyz Кымыз
Fermented mare's milk, sour and lightly fizzy.
How to have it: In summer herders sell it in jailoo pastures and along mountain roads; Suusamyr is known for it.
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Questions
What food is Kyrgyzstan famous for?
Beshbarmak (boiled lamb or horse meat chopped into fine noodles with onion broth) comes first on our list, followed by Lagman, Kuurdak, Plov and Kymyz.
What is the national dish of Kyrgyzstan?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Kyrgyzstan is Beshbarmak: boiled lamb or horse meat chopped into fine noodles with onion broth. Served to guests at celebrations; eaten with the hands, as the name ('five fingers') suggests.
Which dishes in Kyrgyzstan are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Kymyz. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What do people drink in Kyrgyzstan?
Kymyz: fermented mare's milk, sour and lightly fizzy.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.