Its
name means "five fingers" because it is traditionally eaten with the
hands. It consists of boiled meat. Here is a classic recipe:
Ingredients:
For the meat and broth:
· 2 pounds (1 kg) of lamb, beef, or horse meat (or a mixture)
· 1 large onion, halved
· 2-3 bay leaves
· 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
· Salt to taste
· 8 cups water
For the noodles:
·
2
cups all-purpose flour
·
1/2
teaspoon salt
·
1
large egg
·
1/4
cup water (or more, if needed)
For the sauce:
·
2
large onions, thinly sliced
·
2
tablespoons butter
·
1
cup beef stock
· Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the meat and broth:
Place
the meat, half the onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large saucepan.
Add water
and bring to a boil.
Skim
off any foam that rises to the top, and then reduce heat.
Simmer
gently for 2-3 hours or until meat is tender.
Once
cooked, remove meat from broth and let cool slightly.
Shred
or chop into bite-sized pieces.
Strain
broth and season with salt.
Reserve
broth for sauce.
Make noodles:
In a
large bowl, combine flour and salt.
Make a
well in centre, add egg, and gradually add water, kneading until dough forms.
Cover and
let rest for 20-30 minutes.
Roll
out dough thinly on a floured surface and cut into squares or rectangles (about
3-4 inches in size).
Cook
noodles in reserved broth for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove and set
aside.
Make onion sauce:
In a
skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
Add
the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
Add 1
cup of the meat broth to the onion and simmer for 5 minutes, Season with salt
and pepper to taste.
Assembly and Serving:
Lay
the cooked noodles on a large serving platter.
Place
the minced meat on top of the noodles.
Pour
the onion sauce over the meat and noodles.
Serve hot, with any extra broth in bowls for sipping or pouring over the dish.
Tips:
Traditional
Beshbarmak is often served with fermented mare's milk (kumis) or Aryan as a
drink.
For
authenticity, horse meat sausage (kazy) is sometimes added.
Enjoy this delicious and flavorful dish steeped in Central Asian tradition!
