Let me introduce you to Moshkichiri recipe. You read is exactly as it is written (m-o-sh-k-i-ch-i-ri). It is a very old Uzbek dish, which could probably be translated as Rustic Risotto. I have yet to meet a person who does not like this porridge. It has a risotto like texture, with beans perfectly simmered into perfection. The combination of vegetables, meat and beans works wonders in this dish. It may not look very appetizing from the photos. However, looks can be very deceiving.
Uzbekistan National Cuisine
Fried Liver Recipe
This fried liver recipe may not be a staple in many households, because not everyone enjoys eating liver. However, if you want to give liver a try, this recipe would be a good one to start with. My family loves liver, so we make this dish about once a month or so.
Grape Leaf Dolma
One word: DELICIOUS!!! I’ve been wanting to post the recipe for a Grape Leaf Dolma for a while, but it gets a little hard to find nicely preserved grape leaves here in the U.S. Often times, I end up buying easily torn, tough older leaves that were picked too late. When the leaves are pickled, they are impossible to eat!
Manti Recipe (Meat Dumplings)
Anyone up for dumplings? :) I know we are up for them a lot. Well, maybe once in a couple of weeks for sure. Manti (a.k.a. dumplings) are very native to Uzbek people. Although a lot of people associate dumplings with Oriental kitchen, the roots of this dish go to Central Asia and nomadic tribes of Timurids and Chingizids. It is believed that the latter spread the idea to other regions of the world while traveling.
Meat Pie
I got this super-duper meat pie recipe from my sister-in-law(my brother’s wife), who inherited it from her mother. Ultimately, it was brought to my attention by my sister Kamola. We love this meat pie so much that it finds its way to our stomachs quite often. The crust is just to die for. With a perfect crispness, it melts in your mouth, leaving you craving for more! I have been planning to document it for a while now. In fact, I thought that I had already posted it a while ago and I was surprised to find out that I never did… Well, anyway, here it is ladies and gentlemen!
Lagman Recipe
Lagman (similar to Lo-mein) falls right under the category of perfect, hand-made noodles that will please any child or adult with their softness and flavor. The broth of Lagman is rich, tasty and healthy. It is a Central-Asian dish, with the roots connecting to Chinese and Koren kitchens. There are multiple variations of this dish. I decided to start with the most simple one and gradually introduce you to more complicated ones. You just have to try it out! It might look a little complicated at first. But once you get used to the process, it will become a breeze, I promise! :)
Meat Tortellini Recipe
Tortellini, also known as “Pelmeni” in Russian and “Chuchvara” in Uzbek, is an amazingly delicious dish. I love two types of tortellini: one filled with meat and the other type filled with different greens and herbs. They are fairly easy to make. Once you get used to rolling the dough, you can easily make them every other day :) I make them at least once a week, because my two boys are in love with them.
Norin recipe
Norin is a very popular dish in Uzbekistan. Norin is a combination of thinly-sliced home-made noodles, aged meat (previously marinated and dried) and herbs. Of all regions in Uzbekistan, Norin is widely available in Tashkent, the capital of the country. While my parents were visiting us here, I asked them to help me out to create a step-by-step recipe of this traditional dish. They conveniently agreed and I snapped many, many pictures of the process. I love Norin, in fact, a lot of Uzbeks do :)
Uzbek Palov Recipe
“Palov”, also known as “Osh” is a classical main dish of Central Asian countries. It is rich, filling and very tasty if prepared right. Nowadays there are many ingredients like garbanzo beans, barberries, eggs, quince, pomegranate incorporated to this dish. But the main ingredients like onions, rice, oil and meat remain unchanged.