Food

The variety of food in Kazakhstan surprised me. I ate at Russian, Ukrainian, and Turkish restaurants. I even ordered pizza! In general, people still prepare food in their homes and there is no fast food.

This table spread was prepared by my host family in the village. It includes chechel (smoked cheese), a cream sauce,  and fried bread.  The main dish was chicken and vegetables over rice. The diet in the villages is very animal based but largely organic. Unless the villagers drive to a city it is hard for them to get processed foods.

Here is my host family enjoying the meal. Everyone ate from the bowls on the main table with their hands. The main dish was served in individual bowls.

Below are some other traditional Kazakh dishes that I ate on my trip.

This is a noddle dish topped with meat, potatoes, and carrots.

This is pilaf - a rice dish with meat and carrots.

These are meat dumplings topped with sour cream.

This is the most famous of Kazakh foods. It made of noodles topped with meat, potatoes, and onions. It is traditionally eaten with your hands and then followed by drinking a cup of meat broth.

Below are some Russian foods that I enjoyed.

The first two dishes are cabbage leaves and crepe filled with minced meat. There is a carrot salad and some crusty, sweet pastries.

After the main meal is served, it's tea time. This is a spread of the after dinner tea treats served at my going away party.

This is a sweet, fried bread that is very tasty when served fresh.

Tea is served with milk, sugar, and  little grains that taste like cornflakes. If your host likes you, they only serve you a small amount at a time so that you will stay longer.

Kazakhstan had many cherry items like 100% cherry juice, cherry jams, and this cherry dessert. I wish I could have brought them all home with me. They were delicious!