Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan’s food is built around desert Turkmen cooking: tamdyr breads, camel-milk chal and hearty mutton soups. Look for Palaw (turkmen pilaf of rice, mutton and carrots cooked in kazan), Dograma (festive soup of shredded bread, mutton and onion) and Chorek (round tamdyr bread, sacred daily staple). Turkmen rice with mutton and carrot cooked in a kazan; the wedding version is made in cauldrons for hundreds. This atlas has 29 Turkmenistan dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

29 dishes.

AgaranAgaranthick camel cream skimmed off fermenting chalAyranAyranSalted yoghurt thinned with cold water, drunk with kebabs and pilaf.ChalChalsparkling sour fermented camel's milk, desert thirst-quencherChekdirmeChekdirmelamb fried with potato, tomato and onion in a deep potChorbaChorbapeppery Ramadan soup of frik wheat or pasta with lamb and corianderChorekChorekround tamdyr bread, sacred daily stapleDogramaDogramafestive soup of shredded bread, mutton and onionFitchiFitchiround meat pies baked in the tamdyrGatlamaGatlamaLayered flatbread fried in oil so it separates into thin sheets.GatykGatyksour set milk eaten with bread and stirred into soupsGaymakGaymakThick clotted cream from cow or camel milk, eaten with bread and tea.GaynatmaGaynatmaClear boiled soup of mutton or fish with potato and tomato.GovurdakGovurdakmutton chunks fried in tail fat, preserved for winterGreen teaGreen teagreen tea opening and closing every mealGurtGurthard dried curd balls, sucked whole or crumbled into soupGutapGutaphalf-moon flatbread fried with greens, meat or pumpkinIshlekliIshleklimeat-onion pie traditionally baked under desert sand and embersKelle-bashayakKelle-bashayakSheep head and trotters simmered for hours into a rich gelatinous broth.MantyMantysteamed dumplings of lamb and pumpkin with onionPalawPalawTurkmen pilaf of rice, mutton and carrots cooked in kazanPishmePishmediamond-shaped fried dough, holiday and guest offeringSemeniSemenisweet dark paste of sprouted wheat, cooked overnight for NowruzShashlikShashlikmarinated meat skewers grilled over coalsSomsaSomsaTriangular pastries of minced mutton and onion baked in a tandyr.Suytli chaySuytli chaygreen tea boiled with milk, sometimes camel milk, salted or sweetSuzmeSuzmeStrained sour milk curd, salted and eaten fresh or dried into gurt.Turkmen melonTurkmen melonintensely sweet Vaharman and Gulaby melons eaten fresh or driedUnashUnashthin homemade noodles in meat or bean brothYarmaYarmacracked wheat porridge cooked slowly with lamb

  • Agaran

    Thick camel cream skimmed off fermenting chal. A cheese & dairy recipe from Turkmenistan.

  • Ayran

    Salted yoghurt thinned with cold water, drunk with kebabs and pilaf. 5 min to prepare. 4 glasses. A drink recipe…

  • Chal

    Sparkling sour fermented camel’s milk, desert thirst-quencher. A fermented & pickled recipe from Turkmenistan.

  • Chekdirme

    Lamb fried with potato, tomato and onion in a deep pot. Ready in 20 min prep and 1 hr 15…

  • Chorba

    Peppery Ramadan soup of frik wheat or pasta with lamb and coriander. Ready in 25 min prep and 1 hr…

  • Fitchi

    Round meat pies baked in the tamdyr. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking. One large pie, 8…

  • Gatyk

    Sour set milk eaten with bread and stirred into soups. Ready in 15 min prep and 15 min cooking. Makes…

  • Gaymak

    Thick clotted cream from cow or camel milk, eaten with bread and tea. Ready in 10 min prep and 2…

  • Gaynatma

    Clear boiled soup of mutton or fish with potato and tomato. Ready in 25 minutes prep and 1 hour 30…

  • Gatlama

    Layered flatbread fried in oil so it separates into thin sheets. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 25 minutes cooking.…