Naryn is a traditional meat dish for some Turkic-speaking peoples. You can meet him, as a rule, in Kyrgyz, Uigur and Uzbek cuisine. Moreover, in each case, the recipe of Naryn is somewhat different.
This dish is somewhat reminiscent of pilaf, but there are several significant differences. Among them is the fact that in Central Asia pilaf is considered to be a “man’s dish”, then only naryn is cooked by women, since the process of cooking it more closely resembles a complex ritual and requires special patience.
Naryn recipe
There are several ways to cook naryn. The article will describe the most common of them. It is worth noting that in many Turkic-speaking countries, for example, in Uzbekistan, this dish is served exclusively on the festive table. Cooking Naryn (a recipe with a photo is presented below) takes a lot of time, so women in the morning gather in the kitchen and help the hostess.
It is noteworthy that usually the cooking process is accompanied by folk songs. At the same time, women are dressed in colorful dresses and bright sleeveless jackets, joking and having a lot of fun. This is not at all like routine work, because during cooking there is a kind of “prelude” to the holiday.
Products for Naryn
The main ingredient in the Naryn recipe is, of course, meat. It can be almost any meat, but it is better to use lamb or beef. Also, for this dish you will need noodles, but by no means purchased, but cooked with your own hands.
Another component in the Naryn recipe is kazy. Kazi - horse meat sausage, which representatives of the Turkic peoples consider a delicacy. Kazi is either cooked with meat, or cut into pieces and placed next to the finished dish. In any case, this stage of preparation is still far away. And the most interesting thing ahead is a recipe for Naryn dishes with a photo and step-by-step instructions.
Cooking meat
In the Naryn recipe, lamb or beef is most often used. The soft part of the meat is placed in the boiler. Also, several bones are added to it - for the brew. From seasonings, only pepper and bay leaf are put in the broth, cooked over low heat, stirring regularly and removing foam.
Cooking noodles
While the broth is being cooked, a noodle dough is being prepared. For him you will need:
- 2 eggs;
- 2 cups of flour;
- 1 tsp salts;
- half a glass of water.
Combine all ingredients in one container, mix thoroughly. Gradually add cold water. The result should be a dense, elastic ball.
Many could notice that in the Naryn recipe the same dough is used as for dumplings. And there is. It is from it that noodles are prepared, which is boiled in meat broth and acquires an incredible spicy taste. You need to cut the dough into small strips, send it to the pan where the meat was previously cooked, and bring to readiness. Moreover, the main thing is not to digest it.
Assembly
The Uzbek Naryn recipe does not contain any additional ingredients besides noodles and meat. To assemble the dish, the finished mutton or beef must be finely cut into strips. Mix the chopped meat with noodles from the dough, sprinkle with salt, pepper and zira to taste to the top.
Put naryn on a dish. Sprinkle with chopped onion in half rings. Around Naryn, lay out the kazy. Serve leftover meat in a separate bowl. It is believed that it perfectly saturates and warms, especially in the cold season.
Uyghur and Kyrgyz Naryn
The recipes of these varieties of Naryn practically do not differ from the above, with the exception of a few details that make the dishes of these cuisines special. For example, the Kyrgyz Naryn initially consisted only of meat, which was usually seasoned with onion sauce. Over time, noodles were also added to it. Beshbarmak is prepared in a similar way, but neither black pepper nor onion is added to it.
In Uyghur cuisine, the meat is finely chopped and mixed with noodles. The finished dish is poured with a rich lamb broth. It is also appropriate to use various seasonings, suzma (fermented milk product) or kurt.
Interesting Facts
The exact history of the origin of Naryn is unknown, but this dish has been repeatedly mentioned in Kyrgyz folk tales and epics. There are even sayings about this delicacy. One of them is as follows:
Naryndi Kırғyz turasyn
Literally, this translates approximately as "Let the Naryn crumble the Kyrgyz." It is understood that representatives of this particular people are masters in the preparation of delicious naryn.
In addition, Mahmoud Kashgari mentioned him in his writings. He described Naryn as the most satisfying, nutritious and high-calorie dish, calling it "tutmach." Translated, this means "a dish that restrains hunger." It is worth noting that in some areas of the Uyghur Territory it bears such a name until now.
It is curious that in 2013 a record was set for the preparation of the largest naryn. The total weight of the dish was as much as 500 kilograms. All products were procured a week before the record was set.