Ugrali kifta shorva (Meatball soup with vermicelli)

Usually this soup is prepared from home made vermicelli- "Ugra" which is already introduced by me earlier. But you can also make it with ready vermicelli. Both are tasty. To show you how I today made with vermicelli.
Ingredients:
300 gr of minced meat
60 gr of short rice washed
1tsp of ground coriander
Salt to taste
1 egg
Approximately 120 gr of vermicelli
Chicken broth 1 liter(optional)
Sour cream
Fresh chopped coriander
Mix well minced meat, rice, salt, coriander and egg together. Form handful balls. Boil broth or water in a pan. After it reaches hard boiling point, add some salt and put meatballs in it. Put 4 balls for each person. In my case I put 12 balls. Let it simmer for 25 min. After add in vermicelli(or "Ugra") and continue to simmer until vermicelli is done. Serve with 1 tbsp of sour cream and pinch of fresh chopped coriander.
Every time try to make fresh "Shorva" boiling a new water and adding the rest of the balls and vermicelli, rather then making them at ones and keeping it until next serving.
Enjoy this soup!

Qovoq burma

"Qovoq burma" is a little bit time taking meal, again you have to work with a dough:) The difficult part is rolling it out, as thinner is dough as better. When I first cooked this dish, I just loved it, it is so tasty (especially if you are pumpkin lover as I am:) It is crunchy while hot and soft after a while. Makes 4 "Qovoq burma" from this recipe.
Ingredients:
150 ml of water
Half a tbsp of salt
Plain flour
300 gr grated pumpkin
3 onions, peeled and sliced (150 gr)
60 gr of butter
Sugar if your pumpkin is not sweet enough
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for greasing and a little oil for frying
Make simple dough from water, salt and flour, cover the dough and let it stand for 15 min. While your dough is resting, make the filling. Melt the butter in a pan and fry onions until golden, add in salt and sugar, then mix well with grated pumpkin.
Roll out the dough in thin flat circle, then cut it in 4 equal pieces. Grease each piece with oil.

Now layer evenly the quarter of filling to one piece. And start rolling around itself.

After you formed a log, roll again into a snail.

Place it on it's flat side and slightly press with hands. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Then heat up your pan and pour 25 ml of oil, put one "Qovoq burma" and reduce the heat to low, cover the lid, and fry until downside of "Qovoq burma" is golden, just check it up slightly pulling up with spatula. It will take around 7-8 min.

After, turn upside down and continue frying with the closed lid for another 7-8 min or until golden. Fry out the rest of your "Qovoq burma"s adding just a little bit oil each time. Totally I spent 30 ml of oil. Serve this meal topping with sour cream, Yum!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Oq osh

"Oq osh" is very tasty summer soup, you can serve it as cold and as hot, I prefer it cold, especially in hot summer days:) You will also need plain yogurt which is also important to this meal. This meal seems to be light, but it is very nutritious and healthy, besides it has a good source of protein which is good for vegetarians. It also rich in iron, minerals and starch.
Ingredients:
100 gr of rice
100 gr of mungbean
100 gr of small white beans
Plain yogurt for serving
Some dried basil (optional)
Put white bean separately in cold water, bring to boil and cover the lid, cook on a low heat until beans are soft and then add some salt. In another bowl put mungbeans to cold water, bring to boil, half close the lid and let it simmer until bean is soft, then add in rice and continue to cook until rice is also ready and soft, add some salt. Now drain all the water from white beans, and add them in mungbean and rice, mix together and taste for saltiness, add some if needed. Now serve to separate bowls and add 2 tbsp of plain yogurt to each bowl, sprinkle with dried basil, mix together well and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Anor va turplik salat (Pomegranate salad with daikon)

This salad is beautiful and very useful, as it will cleans up the blood cells and helps digestion. Usually in Uzbekistan this salad is made from a special type of radish called "turp" - it is fresh, juicy and green in color. That looks very beautiful too. But today I make it from daikon, which was also very tasty and interesting. You can also use turnip for this salad which is also a very healthy substitution. Just put the turnip in cold water to get rid of that bitter taste. This salad is very good with meat.
Ingredients:
1 big daikon, peeled
1 medium sized pomegranate
Salt(optional)
Grate the daikon or cut it in thin long strips. Clean up pomegranate and add in these beautiful red seeds to the grated daikon, mix together well, add some salt if you want. Serve and enjoy this crunchy and healthy salad!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Tovuqli dimlama (Chicken stew in the oven)

"Tovuqli dimlama" is prepared in the oven, it takes some time, but no attention is required:) It is really tasty! You can also use a chicken without skin if you want to make this dish more healthier. I myself prefer making it with skin, as it will give it's natural oil and a great flavor to the meal. Usually instead of zucchini, eggplant is used, but I like it with zucchini. Some people make this meal in a glass jar, which is also nice, but they will taste same. I didn't have glass jar big enough to cook this meal, so I used my glass dish.
Ingredients for 3 people:
2 big pole of chicken, or you can use breast, or just a whole chicken
2 onions, peeled and very thinly sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced in circles
2 big potatoes, peeled and cut in circles
2 tomatoes, also sliced in circles
30 gr of melted butter or olive oil(optional)
Some hard cheese for sprinkling when serving(optional)
50 ml of water
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
Fresh chopped coriander
Take glass dish or big glass jar, place the potato circles as a first layer, then put onions, after onions come tomatoes and the last layer will be zucchini. Cut your chicken in medium sized pieces and place them over the vegetables, sprinkle some salt, cumin seeds, pour oil evenly and then pour water. Cover the glass dish with a foil paper or if you are using glass jar then cover it up. Put to the unheated oven (or your glass jar just will break up), turn on a heat on medium and close the oven. You are free now at least for 1 hour. After an hour just check it up, it must be bubbling and boiling. Just check up the chicken, if it is ready you can take the meal out, if it's not just put it back and wait for another 30 min. With my terrible oven I cook this dish for 2.5 hour:( But if you have a good oven it will cook faster, so check it up. Taste saltiness and add some more salt if needed. When it is really ready, take the foil out and switch on a grill and cook for 10-15 min more , just to give a golden color to the chicken and then take from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander (and cheese) and enjoy this delicious dinner or a lunch. You can serve some fresh salad with this dish as "Achchiq chuchuk".
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Tuhum dolma

This is another tasty breakfast recipe. Besides it is very easy:)
Ingredients:
1 hard boiled egg for a person
1 tsp of hard cheese for every egg
1 tsp of cream or cream cheese for every egg
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander
Clean hard boiled eggs from shell, carefully cut up the top and take out the yolk. Chop finely the cut top and yolk, add in grated cheese, coriander and cream, mix together well until smooth. Fill in the empty egg whites with this filling. Serve them in special egg dishes. Enjoy your breakfast!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qatlamali urama

I usually make "Qatlamali urama" for breakfast, as it is healthy and rich in calcium. Yoo will use some flat breads as in recipe "Qatlama", just make sure you will roll them up immediately after frying. For 6 buns as in picture below, I use two "Qatlama"s.
Ingredients:
2 "Qatlama"s
100 gr of cottage cheese
2 tbs of cream or cream cheese
Salad leaves
100 gr cream or yogurt for serving
Grate cottage cheese and add in cream, mix well together until smooth. Open up your rolled "Qatlama" and spread the filling evenly. Put some fresh leaves of salad on top and then again roll it up tightly. Put in to the fridge for a 15 min, then cut in to hte pieces with a very sharp knife. Put them on their flat side and serve with sour cream or just plain yogurt.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Kiftalik kesma lagmon (Fried meatballs with noodles)

"Kiftalik kesma lagmon" is one of my favorites:) You can use ready noodles for this meal or make them yourself as me. Noodles are made just like in recipe of "Kesma lagmon". Use as much noodles as you need, usually I use 2/3 of my noodles for me, my husband and my sweet baby. You will make around 28 meatballs from this recipe. it is preferable to use short grain rice instead of long one, as short one is stickier then long one and it holds meat well.
Ingredients:
300 gr of minced meat
100 gr of rice, washed
1 egg
Salt to taste
1 tsp of ground coriander
600 ml of oil for frying
5 big tomatoes, blended to puree
1 tbsp of butter
Make noodles as in recipe "Kesma lagmon", let them dry.
Combine together meat, rice, egg, salt and coriander, mix them well, then form small balls with your hands, you can rinse your hands in cold water while forming balls. it will make about 28 meatballs. It's up to you making them small or bigger, some people in Uzbekistan make them small, especially when they expect guests. My mum's meatballs are also small as she likes delicateness. I myself prefer big ones:) I like biting them:)After you finished making meatballs, put all the oil in deep frying pan and heat it up. Fry all your meatballs until golden, put half of your meatballs at a time. There must be enough place for them. When you finished frying them, very very carefully pour out all of the oil. Then pour blended tomatoes on to meatballs, add 100 ml of water and bring to boil. Then reduce the heat and cover the lid, continue to cook until tomato thickens, then add in salt. It's ready now. Boil 2 liter of water in another pan, to boil the noodles. when water start to hard boil add in salt and then add in noodles. Cook until they are soft. Take out and drain well, then add in 1 tbsp of butter and mix well.
Serve on to a dish, then put meatballs on top of it, sprinkle some fresh greens and enjoy!!! Yummy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Sarimsoqli tovuqli palov (Pilaf with garlic and chicken)

Today I cooked "Sarimsoqli tovuqli palov". It is very useful palov, it helps to get rid of different parasites from the body, as garlic is the strong cure for people who suffer from this kind of problems:) Besides it is tasty and nourishing.
Ingredients:
140 gr vegetable oil
400 gr of chicken
2 onions, peeled and sliced
400 gr carrots peeled and cut in long thin strips
4-5 whole garlic, cleaned from first layer
400 gr of rice
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Heat up oil, put all the chicken, fry on a high heat until golden. Add in all the onions and carrots then reduce the heat. Close the lid of the pot and cook for 40 min. Open the lid, and fry on a high heat until oil start to separate. Put in washed rice, then place 4-5 garlic on top of the rice, pour enough water to cover the rice for 1 inch. Let the water evaporate on a high heat, after all the water evaporated, reduce the heat on very low and cover the lid. After 20 min, open the lid and mix only top of the rice carefully, you can take out garlic heads while you are mixing rice, then put it back. Again cover the lid and cook for 10 min more until rice is ready and soft. Take from the heat, take out garlics, then mix the pilaf finely. Serve and put chicken and garlic on top of the pilaf and enjoy this delicious and useful meal!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Sutli ugra ("Ugra " with milk)

"Sutli ugra" is a perfect breakfast, as it keeps you full until your lunch:) But the thing is it is so tasty, that it would be hard to stop eating it:) and that's not good if you are not going to gain a weight:) Instead of "ugra" noodles you can use vermicelli or Chinese noodles.
Ingredietns:
1 liter of milk
2 onions, peeled and sliced
30 gr butter
"Ugra" noodles (you will find the recipe in "Tovuq shurvali ugra", but you will use only 1/3 of this noodles)
Salt to taste
Melt the butter in a pan, add in sliced onions and fry until light golden color, it will give a great taste to the meal. Add in milk and bring to boil, then add in "ugra" noodles. Cook noodles until they are soft, about 7 min. Add in salt and serve. It is very tasty, enjoy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Tovuqli Shilpildoq

"Shilpildoq" is made with different meat, you can use beef, lamb or chicken. Today I made with chicken. Instead of making dough and rolling it out, you can simply buy lasagna noodles and cut them in square shapes after cooking. But as always I make the dough by myself as it seems tastier to me:) Notice that if you are beginner in cooking rolling the dough would be really difficult. I remember myself:) It seemed to be very hard to me, as I tried to roll out this small dough into the big and thin circle. And believe me that only few people can roll out the dough thinly and in circle shape:) Even now not always I can roll clean round shape, but that's o.k. because the importing thing is dough must be thin. But for "Tovuqli Shilpildoq" it's o.k. if the dough would be rolled out not so thin, it can be thicker. The person who rolls out the dough really thin and in circle shape is mu sister-in-law. She is a really expert rolling different doughs:) I always admired her "Ugra"s, they are really thin, just like hair. Somehow I will take a picture of her "Ugra" and show it to you:) Now the recipe:)
Ingredients:
For dough(if you are not using lasagna):
1 egg slightly beaten
100 gr of water
1 tbsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
60 ml of vegetable oil
400 gr of chicken (I took 3 breasts)
2 onions, peeled and sliced
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 big capsicum, cleaned from seeds and cut thinly
1 onion for serving, peeled and sliced
Fresh chopped dill or coriander
Salt to taste
Make the dough combining egg, water and salt and gradually adding flour. Make medium hard dough and cover. Let it rest for 15 min.
After roll it out in thin, and cut 2X2 inch squares. You will use half of the squares, keep the rest for the next time, just dry them well in open air and keep in paper box.
Heat up the oil, and put chicken, fry on a high heat until chicken is golden. Add in onions, fry them until golden. Now add in tomato and capsicum and stir it well. reduce the heat, close the lid of your pot and let it cook until oil begins to separate, but don't over cook, the juice must exist. Add in salt and take from the heat. It is ready to serve over the "Shilpildoq".
Now boil 2 liters of water in separate pan, and add some salt. Put "shilpildoq"s or your squares into the hard boiling water and cook until they are soft and ready. Drain well and put them on a big flat dish. (If you are using lasagna sheets, then cook them as written in the box, and cut them in squares)Serve the chicken gravy on to the "Shilpildoq"s and sprinkle with sliced onions and dill. Mmmm, yummy! Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Karamli salat (Cabbage salad)

"Karamli salat" is a very healthy and full of needed vitamins. It is good for people who have poor eyesight as it contains much of vitamin "A". Very useful for growing child.
Ingredients:
2 big, fresh, juicy red carrots, peeled
3 cloves of garlic
Half of small cabbage, washed and shredded
1 big apple, cleaned from seeds
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Salt to taste
1 tomato and 2-3 olives for decoration (optional)
Cut or grate carrots in thin long strips, mash the garlic cloves, add in carrots. Put some salt and 1 tbsp of oil. Mash carrots with hands until juice will start to come out. Set aside. Thinly shred the cabbage, cut an apple in long thin strips. Now combine carrots, cabbage, apple and finely mix together. Taste to saltiness, if needed add some. Serve decorating with tomato or just itself:) Always be healthy with this salad!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Tipratikan dolma (Hedgehog dolma)

"Tipratikan dolma" is cute and tasty dish, especially it is good for children and people who love eating healthy food:) You can make different side dishes for this meal, I prefer stewed buckwheat with it. You can decorate "Tipratikon dolma"s as hedgehog making eyes and nose from black olives and a mouth from tomato, today I really didn't have time to decorate it, so you can use your imagination:)
Ingredients:
400 gr minced meat (beef or lamb)
1 small onion, peeled and finally chopped
100 gr long rice as basmati
30 gr butter (optional)
1 egg, slightly beaten
Salt to taste
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper
Steamer
Mix well together meat, onion (mash it with hands before adding), butter, salt and pepper. Wash rice carefully and add to the meat. Mix all the ingredients very well, then add melted butter and egg, again mix well. Form oval shapes with your hands (rinse your hands in cold water before forming meat). Place all the "hedgehog"s in steamer sheet and cook for 40-50 min.
After take from the heat and serve with your favorite side dish.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!
P.S. From yesterday I am posting only one recipe every day, as we have now a good base of 123 delicious recipes of Uzbek cuisine:) But don't worry I have so many recipes left, so I will be posting them everyday:) If I am not wrong there are more than thousand recipes in Uzbek cuisine!!! So, I have a lot of time to cook and represent them to you:)

Qovurma chuchvara (Fried cuchvara)

"Qovurma chuchvara" is usually made for parties and weddings. It is a good snack and nice finger food. This meal will take some of your time, but it is delicious! Today I cooked this meal while my daughter was singing a song like "my mommy making me yummy dinner, la la la, my mum cooks me delicious meals" :), she is soooo funny! She couldn't wait when "chuchvara"s will be ready. She likes this kind of stuff:)
Usually I make my "chuchvara"s big enough to taste the yumminess of them, but if my mom would see my "chuchvara"s she would definitely criticized them:) She always teach us to make our "chuchvara"s very small. She says "The more your "chuchvara"s are smaller, the more it is beautiful and estimated as art" :) Believe me that hers are really small:) But as for me, I like big ones, it is easier and faster to make them:)
In some villages even there was a tradition to choose the bride according how small her "chuchvara"s are:) Funny staff:) But I think nowadays there is no such a traditions left.
This recipe makes about 70 "qovurma chuchvara" and each is around 44 calories:) Serve this meal as an appetizer or just an addition to the main meal.
Ingredients:
For dough:
150 ml of water
1 tsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
Filling:
150 gr minced meat (lamb, beef or chicken)
2 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
30 gr butter
Salt to taste
1 liter of oil for frying
Make dough from water, salt and flour. Dough must be medium hard. Cover it and let it rest for 15 min. While the dough is resting prepare the filling. Fry onions with butter until they are slightly golden color. Take from the heat and grind them in blender. Add in minced meat and salt. Mix them well.
Roll the dough in thin flat round and cut 2X2 inch squares. Put 1 tsp of filling to each square and pinch the edges, forming rectangles. Again pinch corner to corner. After you finished pinching all of your "chuchvara"s, heat up the oil in a deep frying pan. Heat the oil well and begin to fry "chuchvara"s. Put 15 to 20 "chuchvara" at ones, depending how deep and wide is your pan. Fry them until golden color. Take out and place over the paper towel. After you finished frying the rest of "chuchvara"s serve them and enjoy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Baliqli salat (Fish salad)

This salad originally called "Shuba" and originated from Russian cuisine. It is very popular and favorite salad in Uzbekistan. You can also substitute the fish with boiled meat. I decorate the salad in fish shape to give more dramatic look. I love my fish shaped dish:) And not only this, I love different and interesting crockery:) It is pleasure and fun serving delicious meals in beautiful plates:)
"Baliqli salat" is very delicious and very delicate. It just melts in your mouth:)
Ingredients:
One can(200 gr)of any type of fish (I usually use tuna or sardines)
2 red carrots
2 medium sized potatoes
2 medium sized beetroot
4 eggs, hard boiled
Mayonnaise
Some olives and sweet corn for decoration
Boil potato, beetroot and carrots in skin. Make sure that you put vegetables in to the boiling water to keep their vitamins. When they are ready, take out and let them cool. Peel the skins and grate each vegetable separately. Save a little carrot for decoration (for the fish's lips). Finely mash the fish with fork. Now take your plate. Place the fish as a first layer. Spread with 1 tbsp of mayonnaise. For the second layer place beetroot, again spread 1 tbs of mayonnaise. Then layer potato, spread 1 tbsp of mayonnaise. Carrots will come as a next layer. Spread mayonnaise evenly on top. Now grate egg whites over the carrots. Slightly press the salad layers with hands. Now grate egg yolks on top of the egg whites. Cut an olive in two and place as eyes. Put just a small drop of mayonnaise on top of the olive. Decorate your salad as it shown in a picture. It is not necessary to decorate the salad exactly in this manner, use your imagination:) Sometimes I use thinly sliced egg or a thinly sliced pickled cucumbers as a scale of a fish. Anyway just serve this salad as you wish:) Just enjoy this yummy salad!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Siqmon (corn flour soup)

"Siqmon" is one of our very old recipes. It is prepared mostly in Khorezm region. In our folk medicine "Siqmon" is used for the cure of allergy and stomach problems. It contains starch that will help to stomach aches, especially when you have high gastric acidity. Use only good quality corn flour for this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 tsp of salt
Corn flour as needed
Water for boiling, about 1 liter
Plain yogurt
Soup ladle with holes:)
Slightly beat an egg with a spoon, add in 1 tsp of salt and gradually add corn flour until you form soft dough. Cover it. Bring water to boil, add some salt. Now take your ladle and put some dough on it. Press the dough with hands against the holes, the little noodle shape will come out. Do this operation over boiling water as the dough will straightly fall in to it. Finish all the dough. Let it simmer for 3 min more. Take from the heat and serve with 2 tbsp of yogurt to each bowl.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

"Lazzat" gazagi (Capsicum with "suzma")

Preparing this salad is just pleasure, as it is easy and quick. It is better to prepare it with capsicums of different color, it will give more dramatic look when you cut them out, but today I found only green ones:)
Ingredients:
for 2 capsicums you will need
70 gr of "suzma" (or you can use also cottage cheese, just grate it before using and add 1-2 tbsp of sour cream)
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
Fresh chopped coriander and dill leaves
Salt to taste
2 medium sized capsicums
Finely mix "suzma" with mashed garlic, salt and chopped greens. Wash the capsicums, cut the top and clean from seeds and from white flesh, wash again. Fill it with the "suzma" mixture and put it to the fridge for an hour. Cut the capsicums in circles and serve.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Oshi sholg'om qizilcha (Chicken soup with turnip and beetroot)

"Oshi sholg'om qizilcha" is prepared usually in spring, when body is weak. It is healthy soup, besides it is very easy to cook. This soup is full of flavors, you will surely enjoy eating it:)
Ingredients:
500 gr of chicken (I took half of one whole chicken)
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and cut in a half circles
1 small capsicum, cleaned and very thinly sliced
1 big turnip, peeled and cut in cubes
1 big beetroot, peeled and cut in cubes
3 medium sized tomatoes, blended to puree
1 potato, peeled and cut in medium pieces (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Fresh chopped dill
2.5 liters of cold, pure drinking water
Put chicken in a cold water, bring water to boil, scoop out all the foam, then reduce the heat and with half closed lid let it simmer for 30 min. After add blended tomatoes, onion and capsicum. Let the soup simmer for 1 hour. Don't forget to stir it occasionally. After take out ready chicken and set aside. Put in turnip, beetroot and potato. Let the soup simmer for more 20 min, then add in ground coriander and salt. Cook for 5 min. Then take from the heat, and serve with chicken, sprinkling with fresh chopped dill leaves. Enjoy this tasty and healthy soup!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Ajabsanda (Steamed vegetables)

For cooking "Ajabsanda" you will need two pots, one smaller and one bigger. Small one must fit in to the big one. Put small pot into the big one and pour water enough to cover the small pot to 2/3. Take out small pot and put the big one with water on a heat. Bring water to boil. Put all the vegetables in small pot and put on to a boiling water. Close the lid of the big pot and cook over medium heat for 2 hours, make sure that water must always cover the small pot for 2/3. You will have to pour some water gradually. "Ajabsanda" is full with vitamins and minerals, as it is cooked in healthy way. You can serve "Ajabsanda" as a main or as a side dish.
Ingredients:
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut in medium pieces
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Half of one cauliflower, washed and bunched
1 big capsicum, cleaned and cut in cubes
2 medium sized egg plants, peeled and cubed
2 zucchinis, peeled and cut in circles
2 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
1 big potato, peeled and cut in big cubes
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of fresh ground pepper
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
In your small pot, place onions as a first layer, then put carrots, capsicum, tomatoes, place in bunches of cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini. The last layer will be potatoes. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of oil over vegetables and put the pot on a boiling water, close the lid of the big pot(you don't have to close the lid of your small pot). Gradually add in some boiling water in to the big pot, as it will evaporate by time. Cook for 2 hours. After, sprinkle some salt, fresh ground pepper and continue to cook for 5 min. Serve as hot sprinkling over coriander leaves and enjoy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Moychechakli choy (Chamomile tea)

Chamomile is used in our folk medicine to cure anxiety, insomnia, digestion problems as constipation, stomach flu. It also good for ulcers and allergies. If your baby is suffering from gases in intestines surely give him some "Moychehcakli choy". Both fresh and dried flowers are good for preparing tea. Drink it with some honey and you will definitely see the calming effect of this tea. Besides it is pleasure drinking this flavor filled, heavenly smelling tea!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp of dried flowers of chamomile
1 liter of boiling water
You will also need a thermos
Boil the water. Put dried flowers in to the thermos and pour hot but not boiling water on it. Close the cover of the thermos and let it stand for an hour. Serve it with some honey and enjoy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Tovuqli Chihambil (Chicken stemed with onion)

"Tovuqli chihambil" is favorite dish in Khorezm region, "Chihambil" is prepared with, chicken and with meat (lamb or beef). It is mostly served on holidays and weddings. The important ingredient is onion. The quantity of meat and onion must be same, for example if you take 1 kg of meat, you must take 1 kg of onion. Onions can be different, bulb onions or shallots. Important that they must be juicy.
Ingredients:
80 gr of vegetable oil
1 kg of chicken, cut in medium sized pieces
1 kg of onions, peeled and halved, then sliced in halve circles
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Some fresh chopped coriander leaves
Take your crock pot, pour in oil, place in meat. Mash onions with hands and then layer onto the meat evenly. Close the lid of the crock pot and put in on a low heat (not on very low, but lower than medium). Now you can leave it for an hour:) After an hour, open the lid, sprinkle salt and spices, you will see how onions will give their juice. Cover the lid and continue to cook for 30 min more. But if you see that chicken is ready and onions are finely mashed to puree, then your meal is ready! You will love the taste of this soft and juicy chicken! Eat it with your favorite bread, as it is good with onions. YUM!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Okroshka (Cold soup with chopped vegetables and meat)

"Okroshka" is basically belongs to Russian cuisine, but in Uzbekistan it is not prepared with kvass (so called bread drink), we prepare it with yogurt and water. It is good hot summer days as it will satisfy your thirst and very nourishing.
Ingredients:
2 potatoes, boiled in skin
2 eggs, hard boiled
1 medium sized cucumber, cut in cubes
200 gr of boiled meat or sausages, cut in cubes
A bundle of coriander
A bundle of dill
Salt to taste
300 ml of plain yogurt
200 ml of cold, pure drinking water
Cut potatoes, eggs, cucumber and meat(sausages) in small cubes, chop coriander and dill. Mix them in a deep bowl. Sprinkle some salt. Mix water and yogurt finely in blender. Pour this mixture over meat and vegetables, taste to saltiness, add some more if needed. Your cold and delicious soup is ready to serve now! Enjoy and be healthy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Buglama baliq (Steamed fish)

"Buglama baliq" is very useful for children, it is healthy and without any oil. I usually cook this meal for my baby girl, as it will help her to be healthy and strong:) You can also enjoy this dish if you're trying to loose some weight or you are eating healthy food!
Ingredients:
Any type of fish, about 200 gr for each person
Salt to taste
Steamer
Put fish on a smaller bowl, close it with another flat dish or with plate, place it on a steamer sheet and put on a high heat. After water will come to boil, reduce the heat on a medium. Continue to cook for 35-40 min. After open the lid of your steamer, open up the plate and sprinkle some salt. You will see that there will be some liquid in a bowl, it is turned to a delicious fish soup! It may not be sufficient for everybody, but you can serve it as a little portion and addition to the fish:) Serve it with some lemon.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Mayizli Palov (Raisin pilaf)

This type of pilaf is good for children. It is really sweet and tasty:) I myself love this recipe, because of raisins. You can cook this pilaf with or without meat, without it will be nourishing and tasty vegetarian food.
Ingredients:
130 ml of oil
400 gr of meat, cut in big cubes
500 gr of peeled and cut in strips carrot
2 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
400 gr of rice washed
160 gr of small raisins (sultana)
1.5 tbsp of turmeric
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Salt to taste
Heat the pan, pour in oil and wait until hot. Put in meat, fry until golden. Add in onion, continue frying until onions are golden. Add in carrot and mix well. Reduce the heat, cover the lid and cook for 20 min until carrots are soft. Add in 1 tbsp of salt, and all the spices but turmeric. Add in raisins and 100 ml of water, let it simmer for 20 min. Wash rice well and layer on carrots evenly, sprinkle 1.5 tbsp of turmeric on top of the rice and pour water enough to cover rice for 1 inch. Turn the heat on high and wait until all water will evaporate, don't forget to check for saltiness. Add some salt if needed. After all water evaporated close the lid, reduce the heat on very low. Cook for 15 min and mix only top of the rice. Again close the lid, continue cooking for 10 min more or until rice is soft and ready. Take from the heat, finely mix pilaf. Serve and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Suli yormalik non (Oatmeal bread)

"Suli yormalik non" is very useful for cleaning intestines and helps body to be healthy. It is ideal for people who try to loose some weight:) Replace your usual white bread to this healthy bread and you will see the changes within a month. Besides it is very tasty and nourishing bread.
Ingredients for 4-5 loaves:
500 ml of milk (you can also use low fat milk)
30 gr of butter or cream
2 generous tbsp of dried yeast
1.5 tbsp of salt or to taste
1 tbsp of sugar (you can substitute with 2 tbsp of honey)
300 gr of oatmeal (remain some for sprinkling)
Whole wheat flour as needed
1 egg
Warm up the milk adding butter. Heat until butter will melt. Take from the heat add sugar and salt. Let it cool down slightly. It must be lukewarm. Mix yeast with oatmeal and 250 gr of flour. Add in to milk mixture. Stir in well. Now gradually add in enough flour to form a dough. Knead for 10 min. Cover the dough and let it raise for 1.5-2 hours in warm place.
Divide the dough in 5 equal pieces. Preheat your oven. Place your breads on baking sheets. Flatten them with the palm of your hands, punch the middle with "chakich" or a fork. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with some oatmeal. Bake until golden color. You will surely enjoy this delicious bread. Serve with some butter while it is hot or serve just with soups. You can keep this bread in freezer up to 3 weeks. If needed just defrost it in microwave oven for 3 minute on a high power. Enjoy!!!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Murchlik bug'lama ju'hori (Steamed corn with pepper)

Corn is very useful for health. Very easy and no attention is required to cook this meal:) Cook as many corn as you wish to eat, eat it while hot, taste will be great!
Ingredients:
3 corns (as we are three people in our family:)), peeled and cleaned
Fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
Boil the water in a steamer. After water comes to boil, place all your corns in a steamer's sheets and put them on. Steam for a 30 min or until corns are soft when you punch them with a fork. Take out corns, sprinkle some salt, pepper and enjoy! I love eating corn while watching some movie:) It is good and healthy snack.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Koreyscha sabzili salat (Korean carrot salad)

Originally this salad is called "chim chi" or "kim chi", and belongs to Korean nation. As in Uzbekistan there are more than 200,000 ethnic Koreans living nowadays, "kim chi" became national salad of Uzbek people as well. You can find this salad in all markets and almost all restaurants of Uzbekistan. it is healthy and delicious salad! There are some different ways preparing this salad, today I am giving you the simplest one:)
Ingredients:
4 red carrots, peeled
4-5 cloves of garlic
Salt as taste
3 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
Grate or cut carrots in thin long strips, mash the garlic cloves and add in to carrots, also add salt and oil. Finely mash all the ingredients with hands, until carrots will give their juice. Put in a bottles, cover them and let it stand in fridge for 1-2 hours. After, serve and enjoy this crunchy and healthy salad, which is reach in vitamin A!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qu'tir barak

Today I prepared "Qu'tir barak", my husband was happy:) I haven't cooked this meal for a long time, so he missed it very much. This meal is prepared in Khorezm region. It is popular there as "Tuhumbarak". The dough is the same, but filling is different. It is also boiled in water and served with the same sauce. Tastes great! From this recipe you will get around 76 "Qu'tirbarak" which is enough for 7-8 people, but you can freeze the half of your uncooked "qu'tirbarak"s in the freezer (as I do so) and use it within a week. Put the cotton towel on a board and place "qu'tirbarak"s separate from each other, and put in freezer.
Ingredients:
The dough is same as in a recipe for "Tuhumbarak"
For the filling:
200 gr of minced meat
3 medium sized onions, peeled and sliced
40 gr of butter
5 eggs
1 tbsp of salt or to taste
First make a dough, cover and let it stand for 15 min. While the dough is resting prepare the filling. Melt the butter in a pan, fry onions until soft. Take from the heat and blend onions in blender. Mix with minced meat, add salt. Now start adding eggs one by one, stirring each time very well. You can use your hand mixer for this. I usually beat them with a spoon. After yo finished all eggs, set the filling aside and roll the dough. Roll it in thin flat round. Cut 2.5 X 2.5 inch squares. Put one tsp of filling to each and pinch the edges. After you pinched all your "qu'tirbarak"s, cook them in a boiling water, until they will float to the surface. After they float continue to boil for 3 min more. Put around 10 to 15 "qu'tirbarak" at a time. Take out ready "qu'tirbarak"s and ut them in sauce.
Serve and enjoy this delicious meal:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Bodomli pechenya (Biscuits with almonds)

I can't live without sweet:) I am so mad about biscuits, cakes and chocolates:) There is no day that I spent without sweet things! This biscuit is one of my favorites, because I love almonds. It is easy and you can find all ingredients from your fridge:)
Ingredients:
200 gr of hard, chilled butter
200 gr of sugar
200 gr of crushed almonds and some whole for decoration
1 tsp of baking soda
2 egg yolks
Plain flour as needed
200 gr of chocolate for covering your biscuits
Grate hard butter, add in sugar, egg yolks and stir well. Crush almonds in food processor and add in to butter,egg, sugar mixture. Add 1 tsp of baking soda. Gradually add in flour until you form soft dough. Cover it and put to the fridge for 1 hour. After divide in equal 20-25 pieces and form a ball with your hands, put on a baking sheet and press it to flatten. Put one piece of almond in the middle. Bake in preheated oven until golden color and until you can smell them:) Mmmmmmm, just yum!
Melt the chocolate and deep every biscuit in it. Serve with hot green tea and ENJOY:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Patir Bo'girsoq

"Bo'girsoq" is prepared mostly in holidays. You can serve it just itself or covering with syrup and sprinkling some seeds and raisins. It is also good as snack.
We have many different recipes of "Bo'girsoq", today I am giving you the recipe of "Patir bo'girsoq".
Ingredients:
150 gr of butter, melted
150 ml of lukewarm milk
1.5 tsp of salt
Plain flour
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Combine milk, butter and salt, mix well. Gradually add in flour. Add flour until you form hard dough. Cover the dough and let it stand for 30 min. After 30 min, knead the dough for 5 min. Divide in equal pieces approximately smaller then walnut. Heat up the oil enough for deep frying. Fry "bo'girsoq"s until golden color(Put about 10-15 "bo'girsoq"s at a time). Take out and put on a paper towel. Your "Patir bo'girsoq" is ready.
If you want to serve them with syrup:
150 gr of sugar
60 gr of water
Make simple syrup, adding water in sugar and boiling until it thickens. Check your syrup: Put 2-3 drops of boiling syrup in a ice cold water, with hands try to form a ball. If it will easily will turn to ball then it is ready. Don't over boil it!!! Pour on "bo'girsoq"s immediately while the syrup is hot, stir very quickly but very carefully, don't smash your "bo'girsoq" s :)
Serve on a small plates, sprinkling some seeds and raisins, or decorate with chocolate chips and coconut:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Samarqandcha baliq (Fish prepared as in Samarkand)

Mmmmm, this fish is just yum! And very healthy too. It is mostly prepared in Samarkand. This meal contains very important vitamins and minerals as calcium, iron, phosphorus and vitamin D.
Ingredients:
500 gr of fish (any type, but preferably with big bones)
50 gr of vegetable oil
6 big tomatoes with skin, blended in food processor (if you don't have food processor then peel tomatoes and chop them well)
Salt as taste
Some dill leaves for dramatic look:)
In frying pan heat up oil and fry all the fish on a high heat until golden color. Then, pour all the blended tomato on it. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle some salt, cover the lid and cook until tomato thickens. Don't forget to stir time by time. Stir very carefully , not to mash the fish.
Serve and eat as hot, enjoying your every bite:)
Yoqimli ihstaha!!!

Obi non (Simple bread with water)

This bread is usually baked in so called "Tandur", but I make it in the oven also:)
It is easy to make, and always turn out to be good and tasty.
Ingredients for 6 "Obi non"
500 ml of lukewarm water
2 tsp of salt
1 package of dried yeast
Plain flour
Some seeds for sprinkling
Very few oil for brushing
In a lukewarm water dissolve salt and add in yeast. Gradually add flour and make soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 2 hours in warm place. After, divide the dough to 6, put on a baking sheet, flatten each and stamp in the middle with "chakich" or a fork. Sprinkle some seeds. Let it stand covered for another 20 min, they will rise again. Bake them in preheated oven until golden red. Take from the oven and brush them with oil. They are good while hot and fresh! Serve immediately with some butter and honey. Enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Yashil nuhotli tovuq salati (Chicken salad with green beans)

This salad is served as a side and as a main dish. It is very nourishing and very healthy salad.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
300 gr of boiled chicken breast
1 can of mushrooms, sliced
300 gr of green beans, boiled or canned
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 leek, chopped
Salt to taste
Fry sliced mushrooms in 1 tbsp of oil for 5-6 min. Separately fry onions in 1 tbsp of oil until they are soft and slightly golden. Cut boiled chicken breast in small cubes.
In a large bowl combine mushrooms, onions, chicken, leek, beans, salt and mix well.
You can serve it as hot and as cold. Enjoy this healthy salad:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Kyurdik shorva

I was thinking about what to cook for today and my sister-in-law Dildora remind me about "Kyurdik shorva". This soup is mostly prepared in Khorezm region. I remember how my grandmother used to cook it for us for lunch:)
Ingredients:
50 gr of vegetable oil
300 gr of meat, cut in small pieces
2 small onions, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small capsicum cut in very small pieces
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, peeled and cut in small pieces
1200 liter of cold, pure drinking water
Salt to taste
1 tsp of ground coriander
For dough:
1 small egg
10 ml of water
1 tsp of salt
50/50 of plain flour and corn flour
First make a dough. Slightly beat an egg, add in water and salt, mix well. Add in plain and corn flour and form a slightly hard dough. Cover it and let it rest. While the dough is resting, make a soup. Heat up oil and put a meat in it, fry until dark brown, add in onions and continue to fry until onions are soft. Now add capsicum and carrot. After frying them for 5 min, add in tomato and fry until oil separates out and vegetables are clear. Now add in 1200 liter of water and bring to boil on a high heat. Reduce the heat, add in potato and let it simmer for 20 min. Half cover the lid. Before putting "kyurdik"s, add in salt and 1 tsp of ground coriander into the soup.
Take the dough, knead for 5 min. Now tear a very small pieces from the dough and throw it into the soup. Continue this operation until you use up your dough. After dough is used up, continue to boil for 5 min.
Take from the heat, serve in a bowl, topping with 1 tsp of sour cream and chopped dill. Enjoy your "Kyudik shorva"!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Pomidor va brinzalik salat (Tomato and cottage cheese salad)

This salad is good with fish. Because it contains a lot of calcium, body will absorb the vitamin D, that exists in fish.
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, peeled and cubed
150 gr of cottage cheese
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Cut cottage cheese and tomatoes in cubes, combine them with, coriander leaves, salt and oil. Mix very carefully.
Serve and enjoy:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Kunjut bilan qovurilgan baliq (Fish fried with sesame seeds)

This recipe is just right for fish lovers! It is crunchy, delicious, finger licking meal.
Ingredients:
500 gr of fish (any type, I usually use carp)
250 ml of oil for frying
200 gr of sesame seeds
Salt to taste
1 tsp of pepper
Heat the oil in heavy pan. Season the fish with some salt and pepper. Brush with egg. Spread or deep the fish in sesame seeds. Fry until golden color. Mmmm, yummy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qovurilgan Qovoq shorva (Fried Pumpkin soup)

"Qovoq shorva" is one of my favorite soup. It is very easy and delicious.
Ingredients:
50 gr of vegetable oil
300 gr meat, cut in medium sized cubes
2 small onions, peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes , peeled and chopped
1 small capsicum, cut in big long strips
2 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 small carrots, peeled and cut in medium pieces
300 gr of pumpkin, peeled and cut in big cubes
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander
Heat up oil in your crock pot or wok. Add in meat and fry until brown, add onions and continue to fry until soft, then put in tomatoes, capsicum, carrot. Fry until oil separates out. Put in potatoes, stir fry for 5 min. Pour 1.5 liter of cold water and bring to boil. Scoop out any foam. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 min. Add in pumpkin and continue to boil for 1 hour or until your pumpkin is soft and ready. Add in salt and serve vegetables in separate plate and soup in a small bowl with fresh chopped coriander.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Sholgom salat (Turnip salad)

"Sholgom salat" is served mostly in winter times, as it helps to strengthen immune system. It will prevent from catching cold and flu.
Ingredients:
1 big turnip, peeled
3 big red radishes, or one daikon, peeled
2 tbsp of apple vinegar
1 tsp of salt or to taste
2 tbsp of dried basil and dill
Grate or cut in thin long strips turnip and radishes. Combine with salt, vinegar, dried greens and mix well. Serve with a main dishes.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qatlama (Flat bread)

"Qatlama" is one variety of Uzbek bread. It is flat and it has many slices in it. Good with soups. I love this crunchy bread when it is just ready and hot:)
Ingredients:
400 ml of water
2 tsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
300 ml of butter for greasing
Make not very firm dough from water, salt and flour. Cover it and let it stand for 20 min. Roll up in thin flat round. Grease with melted butter, and roll it up around rolling stick. (I use long wooden stick). Cut the dough along the stick lengthwise, put the stick to the side and again cut in 3 inch strips. Roll each piece around itself (or if you want to make more slices, then put 2,3 stripes together and then roll up around itself) and put on their flat side. Roll up them in round flat shapes to a thickness of 1 cm. Heat up frying pan with thick bottom. Coat with some oil or butter and fry each "Qatlama" on both sides until golden. Serve as hot and enjoy it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Barra sarimsoqli va garmdorilik chakka (Salad with sour yogurt, leek and chilli powder)

“Chakka” or “Suzma” is very famous in Uzbekistan, we make many beverages like “Ayron”, “Chalob”, and many other different salads from it.
“Barra sarimsoqli va garmdorilik chakka” is mostly served with main dishes. It is hot and it will help digestion. Good for intestines.
Ingredients:
150 gr of suzma or chakka
1 leek, chopped
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp of chili powder
Salt to taste
Combine all the ingredients and serve sprinkling additionally with red chili powder. Enjoy:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Anor va piyozli salat (Salad with pomegranate and onion)

“Anor va piyozli salat” is a very good compliment for meat dishes. It will help digestion as meat is heavily digested.
Ingredients:
2 onions, peeled and sliced
One medium sized pomegranate, cleaned
Salt to taste
1 tsp of pepper
1 tbsp of vinegar
Mash onions with some salt and vinegar, if onions are too bitter then put them in cold water for a while, then pour out all the liquid and combine with vinegar and salt. After add in pepper and pomegranate and mix together all ingredients. Serve and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Sholgom shorva (Turnip soup)

"Sholgom shorva" is very useful for health. If you suffer from highmoritis or sinusitis you should drink this soup and have a rest under thick blanket. After a while you will start to sweat and this would be very helpful to get rid of this disease. Plus it is very tasty and delicious meal:) You can prepare this dish also for preventing such diseases like catching cold, coughs, flu and weakness.
Ingredients:
400 gr of meat
2 big turnips, peeled and quartered
1 onion, peeled and sliced
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of pepper
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
Pour 2.5 liters of cold, pure drinking water in a deep pot. Put meat inside and place over a high heat. Bring to boil and scoop out all the foam. Let it simmer for 1.5 hour, lid must be half closed. After add in onion and turnips. Let it simmer for 1 hour. At the end add salt and pepper. Serve with fresh chopped coriander and eat while hot. Add some chili if you want, that will also help to sweat.
I hope you will always be healthy and drink this soup just for a prophylaxis.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Pentuza (Rice vermicelli salad)

Happy New Year to everyone!!! May this year will be the brightest and the happiest! I wish everyone to find love and piece in their life!
I was so busy in new year's eve with cooking and baking, but I really enoyed that! I decided to cook non Uzbek recipes this year, I experimented with different flavors and tastes and tried some new sea food recipes:) Just one salad was from Uzbek cuisine-'Pentuza', actually this recipe is originated from Uighur nation. Uighurs are the close to Uzbeks with their language,customs and traditions as we live together in the past.
Pentuza is crunchy and tasty salad, which is very easily to prepare. It takes a little time, besides it is healthy!
Ingredients:
1 package of rice vermicelli (350-400gr)
3 cucumbers
3 carrots
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
4 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
400 gr of meat cooked beforehand (just boil it in water for 2,5 hours)
some fresh chopped coriander
1 tbsp of Chinese salt
Salt to taste
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper
Put vermicelli into deep bowl, pour boiling water on it and cover the lid for 20 min. Water must cover vermicelli DO NOT cook, just put aside. After 20 min, drain out all the water.
Separately peel and grate or cut your carrots into thin, long strips, add in mashed 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp of salt and 4 tbsp of oil and finely but carefully mash with hands until carrots are soften a little.
Separately grate or cut cucumbers in thin, long strips. Cut also meat in thin, long strips.
Now combine all the ingredients, salt, chinese salt, pepper and mix very carefully.
Let it stand for 30 min in the fridge. Then serve and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!