Beshbarmak: Five Finger Food
Beshbarmak is a traditional recipe in Kazakhstan and also the national dish. Kazakh people were originally nomadic and would travel with their animals. The nomadic lifestyle requires those to follow their herds of horses. To prevent from carrying too much of a load, the tribes would carry only necessities. This included a large iron kazan, much like a skillet, their yurts, and other personal belongings. They carried their load on a cart called a khasaq. Some speculate that is where nomadic Kazakh people got their name, from towing their khasaq carts.
Beshbarmak is a traditional dish because it is general and basic. It is typically prepared by the woman of the household. The main ingredients are meat and sheets of pasta in a broth. The meat is typically horse or sheep. Kazakhs cook their meat by boiling it. It is normally served at celebrations and traditional Kazakh meals. Beshbarmak translates to five-finger food. Kazakh people serve themselves from a large bowl, holding the dish with their hands and eat it without using utensils. In the USA, a meal that compares to beshbarmak is beef stroganoff. This dish has thinner noodles, a thicker sauce, and is eaten with utensils. The main difference is the meat used in the two dishes. Horsemeat is taboo in America, mostly because horses are raised and used as pets and companions.
The special or unique step to prepare this dish is that the meat is boiled. Boiling is just the traditional way of preparing meat. Another unique thing about beshbarmak is that it is eaten with the fingers. Eating a pasta dish with fingers instead of utensils is improper etiquette in America, but this particular way is tradition in Kazakhstan.
To prepare beshbarmak, no special equipment is needed. A pot to boil the meat and noodles in is required, as well as a rolling pin and knife to prepare the pasta. These items can be found in most traditional kitchens. The ingredients for the dish can be found in Indiana as well, as long as lamb or beef is substituted for horse. Beshbarmak is an easy dish that can be prepared to bring a little bit of Kazakh culture into the home.
Beshbarmak is a traditional dish because it is general and basic. It is typically prepared by the woman of the household. The main ingredients are meat and sheets of pasta in a broth. The meat is typically horse or sheep. Kazakhs cook their meat by boiling it. It is normally served at celebrations and traditional Kazakh meals. Beshbarmak translates to five-finger food. Kazakh people serve themselves from a large bowl, holding the dish with their hands and eat it without using utensils. In the USA, a meal that compares to beshbarmak is beef stroganoff. This dish has thinner noodles, a thicker sauce, and is eaten with utensils. The main difference is the meat used in the two dishes. Horsemeat is taboo in America, mostly because horses are raised and used as pets and companions.
The special or unique step to prepare this dish is that the meat is boiled. Boiling is just the traditional way of preparing meat. Another unique thing about beshbarmak is that it is eaten with the fingers. Eating a pasta dish with fingers instead of utensils is improper etiquette in America, but this particular way is tradition in Kazakhstan.
To prepare beshbarmak, no special equipment is needed. A pot to boil the meat and noodles in is required, as well as a rolling pin and knife to prepare the pasta. These items can be found in most traditional kitchens. The ingredients for the dish can be found in Indiana as well, as long as lamb or beef is substituted for horse. Beshbarmak is an easy dish that can be prepared to bring a little bit of Kazakh culture into the home.