The national cuisine of the Kazakh people has always been famous for the abundance of meat and flour dishes. Beshbarmak is one of the traditional dishes whose recipe has undergone various changes over the years. By tradition, this treat is served on holidays for the most dear guests. Today we will share a chicken beshbarmak recipe with a photo and a description of the important features of this dish. And we will begin with the history of this satisfying and incredibly tasty hot.
About Beshbarmak
The main dish of the nomadic peoples was meat. Cattle breeders, like no one else, knew how to cook and preserve almost any meat for a long time. The rich and strong broth, charcoal, jerky and many other dishes, according to researchers, appeared precisely thanks to nomadic herders.
The very name of the dish, popular among the whole Turkic-speaking people, literally translates as “five fingers”: from the words “besh” - “five”, and “barmak” - “finger”. This name was obtained for a reason with a dish - they literally ate it with five fingers, without using cutlery. Initially, beshbarmak is a combination of boiled meat (horse meat, beef or lamb), pieces of fat, boiled flat cakes (salma) and rich broth. We suggest preparing a more lightweight version of the dish - chicken beshbarmak. This recipe has not such a high fat content and calorie content, and the cooking process is significantly accelerated due to the cooking time of the meat.
Chicken Beshbarmak Ingredients
Stunning taste and aroma of the dish, oddly enough, is obtained through a combination of the simplest and most affordable products. But in order to get a truly appetizing chicken beshbarmak, it’s important to choose good foods. They should be only the freshest and highest quality. So, the chicken beshbarmak recipe includes the following ingredients:
- chilled chicken - 1.5 kg;
- water - 3 l;
- onions, large - 3 pcs.;
- carrots - 1 pc.;
- salt;
- black pepper peas.
In large stores, you can often find ready-made tortillas for beshbarmak (dried or frozen), but we recommend preparing them yourself, immediately before cooking. For the test you need to prepare:
- 1 tbsp. water;
- 4 tbsp. flour;
- 2 eggs;
- salt;
- 1 tbsp. l vegetable oil.
Step by step description of the preparation
One of the most important processes in the preparation of chicken beshbarmak is the cooking of rich broth. To do this, cut the chicken into large pieces, thoroughly rinse the meat and put it in an enameled pan. For meat, put the whole peeled carrots, coarsely chopped onions, salt and peas. Pour all the ingredients with cold water and cook over low heat. The secret to getting saturated broth is to extinguish for a long time (at least two hours) on low gas.
While the broth is cooked, mix the dough for the cakes. To do this, mix all the ingredients and knead the dough for a long time until it acquires a dense, tight texture that does not stick to the hands. The mixed dough is covered with a film and sent to the refrigerator for half an hour. After it "rests", you can begin to roll the cakes. Their thickness should not exceed 2 mm, and the size should be approximately 6 by 8 centimeters. Sliced cakes are left on the table for easy drying.
The finished broth is divided into two parts - one is fed to the finished dish, and in the second, the cakes are boiled. Onions can be both boiled in the broth and stewed in a pan. Finished meat is separated from the bones and torn into pieces by hand.
Serving the finished dish
Boiled tortillas with onions are laid out in layers on a large general plate. Peresylivanie is carried out so that the cakes do not stick together. Hot meat and the remaining boiled onion are laid on top. Guests can enjoy portioned bowls and hot-broth bowls. This way of serving allows everyone to assemble a dish with the right amount of ingredients.
A rather amazing process of serving beshbarmak exists among the Kazakh people. Each member of the family is served a certain portion of meat. For example, the frontal part of the head is fed to men, and the jaw to women. The right ear is not eaten, but hidden - this is the custom that attracts luck to the house. Guests always choose the best pieces and head (ram). Moreover, the distribution of meat from time immemorial is not the owner of the house, but the oldest guest. Serves the finished dish to the table the youngest man in the family. Before starting the meal, all guests and family members bring prayers and requests to the Almighty for prosperity. At the end, the senior guest makes a blessing speech, after which the daughter-in-law begins to clean the table.
Finally
As you have already seen, beshbarmak is a rather simple dish, which, however, has its own nuances in cooking. Following all our tips, you are sure to cook a delicious chicken beshbarmak, a photo of which instantly causes an appetite at a glance and a desire to cook it as soon as possible. With this dish you will certainly please your family and all guests.