• Beshbarmak — the national dish made of boiled meat, flat noodles, and onion sauce; traditionally eaten by hand
• Kuyrdak — fried meat and offal, often served before the main meal
• Syrne — tender fried lamb with onions and potatoes
• Kazy and Shuzhuk — traditional horse meat sausages, common at celebrations

• Laghman — noodles with meat and vegetables, served as soup or thick dish
• Manti — steamed dumplings filled with minced meat (sometimes vegetables)

• Sorpo (Shorpo) — lamb broth with meat and sometimes vegetables
• Kespe — soup with homemade noodles
• Naryn — thin noodles mixed with finely chopped meat in broth

• Kurt — dried salty cheese balls, easy to carry
• Irimshik — slightly sweet cheese
• Kaymak — thick cream similar to sour cream

Popular drinks include:

• Kumis — fermented mare’s milk
• Shubat — fermented camel’s milk
• Ayran and kefir — refreshing dairy drinks

Bread is always present on the table and is considered sacred.

• Baursak — fried dough pieces, often served with tea
• Shelpek — thin fried flatbread
• Tandoor bread — baked in a clay oven
• Samsa — baked pastry with meat or vegetables, popular street food

Although Kazakhstan is landlocked, fish dishes are still enjoyed:

• Koktal — smoked fish cooked over fire
• Karma — boiled fish mixed with noodles and butter

Food plays a huge role during celebrations, especially Nauryz:

• Nauryz Kozhe — symbolic dish made from seven ingredients
• Sumalak — sweet paste made from sprouted wheat
• Pilaf — rice dish with meat, vegetables, and spices

Desserts are less central but still important:

• Shak-shak — fried dough with honey and nuts
• Balkaymak — sweet creamy dessert with honey
• Zhent — mixture of cottage cheese, millet, butter, and sugar

Kazakh cuisine is not just about food — it is about people and hospitality.

Guests are always welcomed warmly and offered generous portions.

A traditional table (dastarkhan) is filled with a variety of dishes, symbolizing respect, kindness, and community.