ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Turkmenistan
Five dishes to try in Turkmenistan, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Turkmenistan
Palow
Rice cooked with lamb, carrots and onions in a cauldron.
How to have it: The centrepiece of weddings and celebrations; eaten from a shared dish.
Manty
Steamed dumplings filled with minced lamb and onion.
How to have it: Served with yogurt or sour cream; popular at markets and cafes.
Somsa
Baked pastry with minced meat and onion.
How to have it: Bought from bakeries and bazaar stalls in Ashgabat.
Çorba
Mutton soup with potatoes and vegetables.
How to have it: A common starter in cafes; good with fresh çörek bread.
Çal
Fermented camel milk, fizzy and sour.
How to have it: Sold at markets in summer; an acquired taste.
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Questions
What food is Turkmenistan famous for?
Palow (rice cooked with lamb, carrots and onions in a cauldron) comes first on our list, followed by Manty, Somsa, Çorba and Çal.
What is the national dish of Turkmenistan?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Turkmenistan is Palow: rice cooked with lamb, carrots and onions in a cauldron. The centrepiece of weddings and celebrations; eaten from a shared dish.
Which dishes in Turkmenistan are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Çal. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Turkmenistan?
Somsa (baked pastry with minced meat and onion).
What do people drink in Turkmenistan?
Çal: fermented camel milk, fizzy and sour.
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.