Food in Turkmenistan is characterized by the fact that meat and fatty foods prevail in the local cuisine, which can be quite heavy for stomachs spoiled with vegetables. Turkmen dishes are hearty and use relatively little spices and herbs (they do not “hammer” the taste of the main dish).
Food in Turkmenistan
The diet of the Turkmen consists of rice, meat (lamb, camel meat, goat meat, game), fish, fermented milk products, cereals, vegetables, legumes, soups (pea; with beans and noodles; with tomatoes; milk soup), flat cakes.
In Turkmenistan, you should try pilaf (it is made from lamb, fried yellow rice and chopped turnip); lamb kebab (chopped onion and cheese are served with it); manti (large steamed meat dumplings); shurpu (meat and vegetable soups); dogramu (lamb in a yeast-free dough); chekdirme (fried lamb with tomatoes and potatoes); kokmach (dried and dried meat); garyn (dried meat sausages); balyk gavurdak (sturgeon barbecue).
And sweet lovers should try halva, pisme biscuits, sherbet, baklava, Turkmen melons and watermelons, various pies with sweet fillings.
Where to eat in Turkmenistan? At your service:
- cafes and snack bars where you can order dishes of national cuisine;
- cafes and restaurants of international cuisine.
Drinks in Turkmenistan
Popular drinks of the Turkmens are green tea, ayran, koumiss, Berzengi mineral water, beer, wine, vodka, cognac, champagne.
From local alcoholic drinks it is worth trying the President brandy, Serdar vodka, Yasman Salyk, Kopetdag, Dashgala wines (it is advisable to buy Turkmen wine and brandy as a souvenir).
Gastronomic tour to Turkmenistan
Arriving in Turkmenistan, you will have the opportunity to taste pilaf, which is different from pilaf, which is prepared in other countries of Central Asia. Local pilaf is prepared not only from rice, meat, carrots and onions, but also various dried and fresh fruits, thanks to which the dish acquires a piquant aroma and special taste. It is worth noting that only in Turkmenistan you will be able to taste pilaf not only based on meat, but also on fish.
On a gastronomic tour to Ashgabat, you can taste stellate sturgeon and sturgeon at Asuda Nusai, as well as visit establishments where you can treat yourself to dishes of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines.
Arriving in Turkmenistan - the heart of Central Asia, you can see magnificent palaces and mosques, buy famous carpets, taste delicious pilaf and other national dishes.
