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Kyrgyzstan · Main dish
Kyrgyz Beshbarmak
Local name: Бешбармак
Boiled lamb on the bone with hand-rolled noodles and a sweet onion sauce, the classic Kyrgyz feast dish.
- Servings4
- Prep1 h
- Cooking2 h 6 min
- Total time3 h 6 min
- DifficultyMedium
Contains glutenContains egg
About this dish
Beshbarmak is a Central Asian dish of boiled meat, thinly rolled noodles and an onion sauce called chyk. Its name means "five fingers" in Turkic languages, because it is traditionally eaten by hand. In Kyrgyz it is also called tuuralgan et, meaning chopped meat.
In Kyrgyzstan it is served to guests, at weddings and at memorial meals. Usually the shorpo broth comes first in bowls, then the beshbarmak on a large platter. In the traditional serving ritual the cuts of meat are given out according to a guest's age and rank.
Ingredients
Tick the ingredients off like a shopping list.
Meat and broth
Noodles
Onion sauce (chyk)
Method
Rinse the meat, place it in a large pot and add 3 litres of cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam thoroughly.
Add the whole onion, peppercorns and 2 tsp salt. Simmer gently with the lid ajar until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone.
While the meat cooks, knead the flour, eggs, 220 ml water and 1 tsp salt into a stiff but smooth dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for 40 minutes.
Roll the dough out very thinly on a floured surface and cut it into squares or diamonds about 6 cm wide.
Slice the onions into very thin half rings and put them in a wide bowl.
Lift out the meat and rest it for 10 minutes, then strain the broth. Cut the meat off the bones and chop it into small pieces.
Pour 200 ml hot broth and black pepper over the onions and let them soften for 5 minutes. This is the chyk.
Bring the remaining broth to a boil and adjust the salt. Cook the noodles for 6 minutes until tender, then drain.
Spread the noodles on a large platter, top with the meat, spoon over the onion sauce and sprinkle with herbs. Serve the remaining broth in bowls alongside.
💡 Tips
- Start the meat in cold water for a clearer, tastier broth.
- The thinner you roll the dough, the lighter the noodles; dust with flour as you roll.
- Cook the noodles in the meat broth, not plain water, for a richer flavour.
- Serve immediately; noodles stick together if they wait.
🛒 Can't find it abroad?
- Lamb — Use beef short ribs or bone-in beef shank, and cook about 30 minutes longer.
- Dill — Fresh parsley or spring onion greens work well.
This recipe was prepared with the help of AI, following the traditional home-style method; quantities, times and steps were checked automatically for consistency. Ovens and stoves differ, so check doneness by eye.
