Fried dough across the Turkic world

Flour, water or milk, a little fat and a hot pan: fried dough turns up in many Turkic kitchens. The ingredients are usually simple, the food is served warm, and it often comes out with tea or as one of the first things offered to a guest.

In Kazakhstan, baursak and shelpek can share a table: baursak is puffed and round, while shelpek is thin and flat. In Kyrgyzstan, boorsok and kattama carry on the family: boorsok are pieces of fried dough, while kattama is a layered flatbread. Turkmenistan has pishme, its own fried dough. In Bashkortostan, kuymak are pancakes, and in Sakha (Yakutia) cooks make thick pancakes known as Yakut oladyi. Names, shapes and the way the dough is raised differ from place to place, but the idea of cooking in hot fat is common to all.

These dishes are rarely made one at a time. A big plate is usually prepared and set in the middle of the table, to be shared while still warm, often with tea, honey, cream or jam alongside.