TREAD TAJIKISTAN
FOOD
PLOV
Plov is perhaps the most popular meal in Tajik cuisine. The rice dish consists of pilaf rice cooked together with lamb, carrots, onions, garlic and an array of spices.
Though you can easily order it in restaurants, at home Plov (or Osh) is reserved for special occasions and eaten communally from one large bowl.
BORSCHT
Another very common dish is borscht, a type of soup originating in Russia. The red colour comes from the main ingredient, beetroot. It also includes beef, potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage. Its most often topped with freshly chopped dill and 'chakka' ( a potent sour cream )
LAGHMAN
Laghman is yet another soup dish frequent in Tajik kitchens. Always with long spaghetti like noodles, the soup also has onions, tomatoes, carrots and lamb in the mix.
KURUTOB
This veggie friendly dish is almost always served in a wooden bowl and traditionally eaten with your left hand. Solid chakka is dissolved in water and the liquid is then poured over strips of flaky flatbread. The dish is then topped with caramelised onions , chopped coriander, cucumber and tomatoes.
SHASHLYK
Shashlyk is a form of shish kebab served in many Tajik cafés and restaurants. While lamb is the common chioce you can also order chicken or beef skewers. Plated still on the metal skewer it is no usually for pieces of fat to be added inbetween the meat. Thinly sliced, dill covered picked onions are usually included.
SAMBUSA
Sambusa are a popular savoury snack akin to Indian samosa . However this variety are always baked as opposed to fried. The filling inside the layered pastry dough will most likely be a combination of mined beef and onions. For non-meat eaters pumpkin filled ones can also be found.
MANTU
Manti, a type of boiled or steamed dumpling. The dough wrapper will contain a filling of ground beef and spices
NON
Tajiks are rightly proud of their bread. Non is baked in a clay oven and delivered the same day to be eaten with virtually every meal. It sounds a bit like Indian Naan, but Non is much more leavened and chewier.
Often, yesterday's Non is broken into sweetened milk infused with tea to make the breakfast dish Shir Choi (sweet tea).
