Have you tasted our national dish, Beshbarmak?

We Americans don't really know what it's like to have a national dish—a particular meal that we prepare for every major event, and probably eat at least once a week regardless of whether there's anything to celebrate. In Kazakhstan that dish is Besh-bar-mak. Every birthday, wedding, holy day, circumcision, or guests-over-for-dinner, means a big ol' platter of pasta and horse meat. Upon meeting a foreigner, many locals will ask, "Have you tasted our national dish, Beshbarmak?" The answer of course is "Yes, I have, and it's great!" For some Peace Corps volunteers this was more of a white lie than for others. I found that my fondness for beshbarmak varied relative to how recently I had eaten it and how much fatty organ I had been compelled to swallow at the last event. But overall I liked it. I never quite got over the thrill of eating pasta with my hands and in truth there's nothing quite like hot buttery pasta to warm you all the way to your soul.

Making Beshbarmak:

1) If you're going to make a LOT of Beshbarmak, set up your extra large cazan outside and get a friend to come help.

 

2) Boil horse meat, fat, and organs (and maybe some carrots and potatoes) until well cooked. Scoop it out, leaving a strong broth. For regular weekday beshbarmak, horse meat may be substituted with beef or mutton.

3) Prepare handmade pasta. Cut into big, wide rectangles.

4) Boil pasta in the meaty broth.

5) Fill several big platters with pasta, topped with meat, sauteed onion, carrot, potato, and drizzled with extra broth.

 

Eating Beshbarmak:

1) Cut up the meat into somewhat more manageable pieces. Usually the most senior (or male) person at the table will do this.

2) For an extra-important occasion, also slice the meat off of a sheep's head. I never saw sheep's head prepared, but I think it is also boiled.

3) Present a special cut of horse meat and of sheep's head to the honored guest. I was relieved to learn that I wasn't actually expected to eat the entire leg, just to say a gracious thank you and share the extra meat down at my end of the table. And you'll want to know: sheep cheek tastes like rubber eraser.

4) Enjoy! Beshbarmak is traditionally eaten with your hands straight from the communal platter. (In fact, the name comes from the words besh meaning five and barmak meaning fingers.)

 

If you are an American, your hosts will likely offer you a fork and a small plate, but I suggest responding like this: Bah! Nege vilka bereciz? Miende kolum bar! Why do you give me a fork? I have hands!