Traditional Kazakh beshbarmak: lamb with wide noodles and broth

Beshbarmak is the national dish of Kazakhstan and one of the most beloved symbols of the cuisine of the Central Asian steppes. The name literally means five fingers, a reference to the nomadic tradition of eating with the hands, without cutlery, gathered around a large shared platter. It is food for celebration, feasting and hospitality, served when the family receives important guests.

The recipe was born from the life of the nomadic Turkic peoples who crossed the steppes with their herds. Lamb and horse were the meats available, and slowly cooking them in water was the most practical and nourishing way to use everything, including the broth. In that broth, thin sheets of dough are cooked, absorbing all the flavor of the meat and forming the base of the dish.

Serving beshbarmak is almost a ritual. The meat is distributed according to the hierarchy of the guests, and the host offers the best parts to the most respected. The seasoned broth, called tuzdyk or sorpa, is served separately in bowls to drink during the meal, along with onion cooked in the broth itself.

Making beshbarmak at home takes time and patience, but rewards you with a comforting dish full of history. The meat becomes tender enough to fall apart, the noodles are silky and the broth warms you from within. It is a perfect recipe for family lunches on cold days.

Recipe card

• Origin: Kazakhstan
• Region/tradition: Kazakh, Central Asia
• Category: Main course
• Difficulty: medium
• Prep time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including cooking the meat)
• Dough resting time: 30 minutes
• Serves: 6

Ingredients — meat and broth

• 1.5 kg bone-in lamb (shoulder or ribs)
• 2 large onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 liters water (or enough to cover the meat)
• Salt to taste

Ingredients — dough

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients — to serve

• 2 large onions, sliced into thin rings
• 1 ladle of the cooking broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Put the lamb in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Skim off the foam that forms on the surface with a slotted spoon to keep the broth clear.
3. Lower the heat, add 1 whole onion, the bay leaves, the peppercorns and salt, and cook for about 2 hours 30 minutes until the meat is very tender.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the dough: mix the flour, eggs, warm water and salt into a firm dough.
5. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
6. Roll the dough out very thin with a rolling pin and cut into wide squares of about 8 by 8 centimeters.
7. Remove the cooked meat from the broth and keep it covered so it does not cool.
8. Strain the broth and set aside part for cooking the noodles and part for serving.
9. Boil the noodles in a portion of the broth for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring carefully so they do not stick.
10. In a skillet, cook the sliced onions in a ladle of the broth until soft and translucent.
11. Shred or slice the meat into large pieces, removing the bones.
12. Assemble on a large platter: spread the noodles underneath, arrange the meat on top and cover with the cooked onions.
13. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper, and serve the remaining broth hot in separate bowls.

Tips and variations

• Cook the meat over low heat and without hurry: it is the secret to a clear broth and meat that falls apart.
• Skimming the foam in the first minutes makes the broth clearer and tastier.
• Roll the dough as thin as possible; it swells a little when cooked and should be silky, not thick.
• In Kazakhstan, horse meat or a mix of lamb and beef is also used; use what you prefer.
• Cook the noodles in the broth itself, not in plain water, so they absorb all the flavor.
• Serve the broth very hot in bowls: drinking the sorpa between forkfuls is part of the experience.
• If there are leftovers, keep the meat, noodles and broth in separate containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To reheat, heat the broth and dip the noodles and meat in it for a few minutes, avoiding the microwave, which dries out the noodles.

Approximate nutrition per serving: about 620 calories, 40 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates and 34 g fat, varying with the cut of lamb used. A charming curiosity: on very formal occasions, the host offers the cooked head of the sheep to the guest of highest honor, who symbolically shares it with the others as a gesture of respect and unity. How about gathering the family around the table and tasting a little piece of the Kazakh steppe in your home?