Beyond Beshbarmak: Rediscovering the Lost Feast of the Kazakh Steppe
Kazakh cuisine is far more than five fingers and fried dough – it is a universe of fermented milks, wild herbs, offal hummus, and rituals that have survived for millennia
If you ask most people what Kazakh national cuisine looks like, you will hear the same three words: beshbarmak, baursak, kumys. These have become culinary shorthand for the entire country – the meat-and-noodle platter, the golden fried dough puffs, the fizzy fermented mare’s milk.
But here is a surprising truth: if a Kazakh nomad from the 19th century sat down at a modern restaurant serving “traditional” food, they would be utterly confused. They would ask: “Why are you calling that ‘five fingers’? The proper names are “et asu” and “tabak tartu.” Then they would look at the short menu and say: “Where is kharynburme ? Where is the berry drink kopershik? Where is the real steppe coffee – the one that tastes like today’s coffee but is better for us?”
The truth is that Kazakh cuisine once contained hundreds of dishes, complex fermentation techniques, wild herbs used as spices, and a sophisticated ritual of meat presentation that had nothing to do with noodles. Many of these were lost during Soviet collectivization, when Kazakhs shifted from a nomadic to a settled life. But they are not gone forever. Ethnographers have spent years collecting over 200 forgotten recipes, traveling to remote villages, and recording the wisdom of grandmothers who still remember.
This article is an invitation to discover that lost world – the real Kazakh table, beyond the tourist clichés.
Part One: The Main Tradition Is Not a Dish – It’s a Ritual
Let us start with the biggest surprise.
Beshbarmak is a relatively late name. The word literally means “five fingers,” and it became popular only when Kazakhs started settling and adding noodles to their meat platters. Before that – before Soviet collectivization, before flour mills, before everything changed – the core tradition was called et asu, or more broadly tabak tartu – the ritual presentation of meat.
Imagine a large wooden platter (tabak) arriving at the center of a yurt. On it lies a whole boiled sheep or horse. But the host does not simply dump the meat and say “eat.” He takes a knife – often a special knife passed down for generations – and begins to carve according to an ancient social code.
- The zhaya(hip) goes to the most respected elder.
- The bas(head) goes to the guest of honor, who then distributes the tongue (for eloquence), the eyes (for vision), and the cheeks (for sweetness of speech) to others.
- The kazy(horse sausage) and karta (horse rectum – surprisingly delicious when prepared correctly) are placed according to family hierarchy.
- For a wedding (toy tabak), different cuts go to the newlyweds’ families.
- For a daughter-in-law (kelin tabak), specific bones symbolizing patience and fertility are offered.
- For reconciliation between feuding relatives, a special dish called okpesut(lung-milk) is sent as a messenger of peace.
This was not just eating. This was steppe diplomacy.
One of the most remarkable examples is a dish called Kezhim Tabak, prepared by Abai Kunanbai’s father, Kunanbai, for visiting friends from different lands. He would singe a lamb with the skin on, separate the ribs, and stew them together with horse meat, lamb, and camel meat on one platter. The ribs were arranged to symbolize a yurt’s shanyrak (the crown of the yurt). He would say: “It doesn’t matter if you come from Russia, Uzbekistan, or China – you are all under one shanyrak, under one yurt.”
That is culinary diplomacy. That is the true heritage of Kazakh cuisine – not noodles, but a social universe written in bone and fat.
Part Two: The Dairy Universe – From Leather Bags to ‘Kazakh Parmesan’
How many types of milk do you drink? Cow’s milk, perhaps. Goat’s if you are feeling adventurous. In traditional Kazakhstan, people drank from five animals: horses, camels, goats, sheep, and (much later) cows. Each milk had its season, its purpose, its medicine.
But the real genius was fermentation – long before it became a trendy word in fancy cafes.
The Lost Art of the Leather Bag
One of the most fascinating forgotten technologies is cheese making in a burdyuk – a leather bag. Kazakh nomads could produce up to 12 different types of cheese from a single leather bag, using nothing but natural fermentation and the movement of the horse. This technique still survives among Kazakhs in western Mongolia (Bayan-Ölgii province), but in Kazakhstan itself, it has almost disappeared. The country forgot how to be cheese-makers – and that is a tragedy, because nomads were the original cheese artisans, long before the French or Italians claimed the title.
Kurt: The ‘Kazakh Parmesan’
Most travelers have seen kurt – those small white or yellow dried curd balls. They are often dismissed as a “weird salty snack.” But there is a type called zharmakurt that deserves serious attention.
Zharmakurt was not rolled into little balls. It was boiled in autumn, poured into a large wooden tub, and left to set over winter. By spring, it had become a hard, crumbly cheese – broken into chunks like a fine Parmesan. As one ethnographer put it: “It may be somewhat similar to Italian Parmesan, but the quality of this product is much more interesting, higher, and its flavor palette is richer.”
Zharmakurt can be crumbled into soup, grated over meat, or dissolved in hot water for a savory broth. It is a genetic marker – a taste that, once known, becomes unforgettable.
The problem is that quality standards have been lost. Many commercial versions of kurt today are hard enough to knock someone unconscious, with artificial additives and rushed fermentation. But the real thing – made by a grandmother in a mountain village – is a revelation.
The Kumys Map
And then there is kumys (fermented mare’s milk). About 40 varieties are known. Imagine a wine list, but for kumys:
- Bala kumys– very young, barely fermented, sweet, for children.
- Asau kumys– aged more than 5 days, strong drink
- Bal kumys– honey-like, thicker.
- Besty kumys– the peak of fermentation, sharp and clean.
Why don’t restaurants serve a kumys flight? It would be as natural as a wine tasting.
Let us not forget shubat (fermented camel milk). Camel milk contains no beta-lactoglobulin – it is similar to human milk and is quickly absorbed. It is also the only milk that can be boiled without curdling (mare’s milk curdles immediately). Ancestors made balkaymak (a sweet cream) from camel milk, added it to tea, and even cooked porridges with it.
Travel tip: In spring, look for fresh saumal (unfermented mare’s milk). It is sweet, slightly fizzy, and tastes like the steppe itself.
Part Three: The Gluten-Free Steppe (Before It Was a Label)
Here is a fact that may surprise health-conscious readers: traditional Kazakh cuisine was naturally gluten-free.
Nomads did not rely on wheat. They used wild grains like tary (roasted millet) and talkan (coarsely ground barley). These are quickly digested, packed with energy, and contain no gluten. Talkan was the basis of many dishes: porridges, desserts, drinks. It is a taste genetically encoded in Kazakhs.
There was also a wild grass called kumarshik – in Atyrau region, there is even a monument to it, because it saved Kazakhs from starvation during famine years. They ground it into flour, baked bread, and made baursaks.
Wheat did exist – but only hard varieties. During Ramadan, they prepared alimbotkha: hard wheat ground in a hand mill (diyrmen), mixed with melted butter, dates, and prunes (zhua). This dish is said to have been a favorite of the Prophet Muhammad.
Travel tip: Look for talkan in health food stores or village markets. Mix it with kaymak (clotted cream) and honey for a breakfast that will keep you full for hours.
Part Four: Offal and the Art of Wasting Nothing
Many modern cooks shy away from offal. Too much smell, too much work. But traditional Kazakh cuisine knew that every part of the animal was food – and often medicine.
Karyn (Horse Stomach) → Hummus
Here is a remarkable transformation: horse stomach can become a luxurious pâté. First, clean the stomach by filling it with kefir or ayran. Then keep it in sunflower oil – the oil removes all the mucus. Then fill the stomach with pieces of horse meat, vegetables, and potatoes. Boil it first, then bake it in the oven. The result is a dish cooked in its own juice.
But there is an even more innovative modern twist: after cleaning and boiling the stomach, blend it with vegetables. Pour a little olive oil on top. The result is an incredible hummus – a smooth, savory spread for bread. Every spoonful delivers natural collagen. It makes a full, nourishing breakfast.
Karta (Horse Rectum) → Pâté
The same principle applies to karta. Keep it in ayran for a while. Wash it in sunflower oil. Boil it in vegetable broth. Then blend it with vegetables. The result is a rich, savory spread – no waste, no chemicals, just pure, deep flavor.
Zhau Zhyrek (Liver Wrapped in Fat)
This is one of the most touching dishes in Kazakh cuisine. A mother sending her son on a long journey would take fresh liver, wrap it in a net of fat, and boil it in milk. This preserved the liver for up to seven days. It was protection against “the evil enemy – hunger.” Eating zhau zhyrek means tasting a mother’s love, chemically preserved by milk fat.
Blood Sausage (Khan)
Under the influence of modern halal standards, many Kazakhs now avoid blood. But traditionally, blood was always used – especially camel blood. Khan (blood sausage) was a common dish, rich in iron and nutrients.
Travel tip: For adventurous eaters, seek out restaurants or homestays that prepare karyn or karta the traditional way.
Part Five: The Wild Herbal Pharmacy – Nettles, Purslane, and Steppe Pepper
“Kazakhs didn’t eat salads.” This is a common myth. In fact, the steppe was a garden – you just had to know how to read it.
- Nettle(qalaqay): Not just for soup. Ancestors wrapped meat tightly in nettle leaves to dry it. Nettle is a natural fermenter – it draws out moisture. The meat would become like jerky, then they would lightly smoke it. The result: dried, lightly smoked horse meat with a piquant nettle flavor. This technique is being rediscovered today.
- Purslane(partulak): A weed that grows everywhere, especially in potato gardens. Nomads ate it fresh as a salad with meat. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Modern chefs use it to make interesting sauces.
- Small-leaved fleabane(sharmauk): An analogue of black pepper. Grandmothers would add it to meat. Once tasted, it becomes unforgettable – a genetic marker of steppe flavor.
- Shepherd’s purse(qapshyk): A peppery green used as a supplement to meat.
- Ziziphora(steppe mint): A wonderful marinade addition, especially for lamb.
- Fern: In the Karaganda region, there is a whole fern valley. People made soups from fern and ate it with meat.
- Meadow garlic: Constantly in the diet.
- Mushrooms: In southern and northern Kazakhstan, there were whole traditions of gathering, drying, and pickling mushrooms. They added them to meat dishes.
Travel tip: On a guided hike in the mountains, ask your guide to point out wild nettle, purslane, and steppe mint. Taste them raw. You will never look at “weeds” the same way again.
Part Six: Lost Drinks – Berry Smoothies and Steppe Coffee
Kopershik (Berry Fermented Drink)
In eastern Kazakhstan, there is a wonderful drink called kopershik. It is made with a tandem of mare’s milk and cow’s milk, plus forest berries – either dried or fresh. It was an immune-boosting drink, given to women after childbirth and to children. A proto-smoothie, thousands of years old.
Jide Coffee (Natural Decaf)
Kazakhs never drank coffee – at least, not the caffeinated kind. They had jide (oleaster or silverberry). It grows like a weed across Kazakhstan. The great batyr Koblandy wrote about it – he said that after eating jide berries, his voice cleared. You roast the berries, grind them, and you get a natural ‘Americano’ – jide coffee. It tastes similar to the coffee you drink today, but it is decaf and much better suited to the body.
Why is this not being exported? It remains one of the great unexplored treasures of Kazakh cuisine.
Tomartkha (Immune Broth)
In spring, women collected bones from every household. They boiled these bones in a large cauldron until a thick bone liquid formed. Then men stirred the broth vigorously. That drink was called tomartkha. They gave it to everyone – young and old. It was an immune-boosting drink, also used externally for bone diseases and sprains. Grandmothers would salt it well and apply it to injured areas. “It will draw out the entire ailment,” they said.
Ice Cream? Yes, Ice Cream.
In the Semipalatinsk region, Abai Kunanbai’s grandmother made ice cream. In the local museum, you can see the wooden rollers they used. They used winter ice stored in underground pits and sweetened cream with honey and jide syrup. Long before freezers, Kazakhs had frozen desserts.
Part Seven: Regional Treasures – A Culinary Map of Kazakhstan
One of the joys of traveling across this vast country is discovering how different each region tastes.
- Northern Kazakhstan (Kokshetau, Pavlodar): Berry country. Wild strawberries, currants, bird cherries. Try zhide kurt – kurt cheese mixed with dried wild strawberries. And koypshik – fermented milk with forest berries. A proto-smoothie that deserves international fame.
- Western Kazakhstan (Caspian region): Fish! Yes, Kazakhs ate fish. Balyk balau – sturgeon or chebak cooked in homemade sour cream. And dried, ground fish bone powder (maltar) as a natural calcium supplement.
- Southern Kazakhstan (Shymkent, Turkistan): Mushroom traditions. The foothills of the Tian Shan produce wild morels and steppe mushrooms, dried for winter soups.
- Eastern Kazakhstan (Altai, Semey): Kopershik drink, ice cream traditions, and the famous Kezhim Tabak of Abai’s father.
Travel tip: On a multi-region tour, ask for the local specialty in each stop. The differences will surprise you.
Part Eight: The Wisdom of Adaptation – Linden in Tea
Here is a small story that shows how clever traditional Kazakhs were. When cow’s milk and beef appeared relatively late (originally only horse, camel, goat, and sheep milk were used), people after 40–50 years often developed lactose intolerance. But they still wanted to drink tea with milk.
So they added linden to the tea. It turns out that linden completely neutralizes cow’s milk. During an ethnographic expedition, a grandmother explained: “I’m used to drinking tea with cow’s milk, but I can’t tolerate it. There is an old grandmother’s method – I add linden.”
Adaptation, already embedded in the cuisine. No expensive lactose-free milk needed.
Part Nine: A Call to Rediscover the Steppe Table
When you visit Kazakhstan:
- Do not just eat Beshbarmak at a tourist restaurant, try to get it at home of local people or at the wedding (even better!), its absolutely different experience!
- To try kurt go to the Green Bazaar in Almaty, find a local woman selling kurt from a cloth bag and ask for zharmakurt.
- Drink shubat from a clay bowl. Let it sit for a moment. Taste the layers.
- Try the nettle-dried meat. Find a village homestay that still practices this technique.
- Eat horse stomach pâté. It is genuinely delicious.
- Ask for jide coffee. Roast the berries yourself if you have to.
- And every morning, eat a spoonful of bal kayak – natural honey mixed with clotted cream and ghee. That, the elders say, is healthy cuisine. That is the real Kazakhstan.
As bolsyn! – May it be delicious.
This article draws on ethnographic research, of Aigerim Musugazhinova interviews with food historians, and field expeditions across Kazakhstan. Inspired by you tube channel Qalam History
Please do not hesitate to ask us if you have any questions!
May your journey be delicious!
