Mongolian Cuisine and Typical Recipes

The extreme climate in Mongolia affects the traditional diet and this cuisine is largely composed of meat, dairy products, and animal fats. Milk and cream are used to make beverages and cheese is also enjoyed. Spices and vegetables are limited and because the country is near Russia and China, these cuisines also have an impact on mongolian dushes.

Horses, cattle, yaks, goats and sheep are used in this cuisine, as well as game meats. These can be used as an ingredient for dumplings or soup, cooked in pieces, or dried for use in the winter. The large proportion of animal fats consumed by mongolians is essential to keep them warm during their cold winters when the temperatures often plummet to a sobering minus forty degrees. This diet is rich in fats and animal products and would not be appealing to most western tastes.

These nomads from Mongolia are self-supporting and travelers will see "yurts" by the roadside. These simple restaurants serve food cooked in aluminum or cast iron pots and they use dried animal dung or wood as fuel. If you go into one, you will be offered something to eat or drink. It is considered bad manners to refuse but you can have one small bite or sip. If you empty the plate or cup it will be refilled, so leave a little if you are done.

Popular mongolian dushes

Cooked mutton is the most popular rural dish and this is made without any other ingredients. Steamed, meat-filled dumplings are also popular and these can also be deep fried in mutton fat or boiled. Stews are made with fresh noodles or rice and noodle soup is also served. On special occasions, chunks of mutton are put into a sealed milk can or a marmot or goat abdominal cavity and cooked on hot stones, which have been heated in the fire.

Barley is a popular cereal and this is fried and malted. The flour you get from this is used to make porridge or added to tea. Salted milk tea is a typical mongolian drink and you can add meat or rice to make it into a stew. This drink might sound unappetizing to westerners who tend to prefer mild-flavored or sweet beverages but it is the most popular drink in the country.

What is a mongolian Barbecue?

Some places offer a mongolian barbecue and this is when lots of ingredients are cooked on a big plate in front of the customer. This cooking method is inspired by Japanese teriyaki and bears no resemblance to anything mongolian. The ingredients are not traditional either.

Also, if you have seen "mongolian beef" on a menu, it might interest you to know that this beef and vegetable stir fry is unknown in Mongolia too and is more like American Chinese food. Traditional recipes from this country are simple and basic and designed for nomadic families using easily available ingredients and cooking apparatus, which is easy to transport from place to place.

mongolian food tends to be basic and some dushes might seem strange to the western palate but it is interesting to read about. You might prefer a baked chicken rice recipe for your dinner tonight or, if the weather is warm, what about browsing some mouthwatering chicken salad recipes instead?