The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Mongolian Foods. If you manage to be in an Mongolian restaurant or you are visiting Mongolia, I recommend the following:
1. Budaatai khuurga
This is one of many Mongolian dishes with lamb as the main ingredient. It consists of boiled or sautéed lamb, cabbage, rice, paprika and onion. It’s a dish that can’t be faulted, it’s delicious and you can eat it in many restaurants all over the country. Sometimes you can see that lamb dishes come with pieces of cooked animal fat, for them it is normal to eat the fat even if they are huge chunks, it is part of their diet.
2. Khorkhog
Khorkhog refers to a traditional Mongolian barbecue. It is usually made with mutton or goat meat, vegetables and root vegetables cooked in milk churns with heated stones. To make khorkhog, the meat and vegetables are placed in a milk churn that is used as a cooking pot. To facilitate the cooking process, river stones are heated over a fire and added to the pot, followed by water that produces steam to cook the vegetables and meat. It is a cooking method that was invented by nomadic Mongolian tribes and is still used by families living in the countryside.
3. Ul Boov
It consists of layers of baked cakes, each shaped like the sole of a shoe, decorated with sugar cubes, wrapped sweets and aarul, a sweet, hard cheese. To an outsider, the thick tower of cakes may look like a pile of biscuits. But there is much more to the desserts than meets the eye. Ul boov is both a dessert and a spectacle. It can be served as a delicacy at weddings and other celebrations, or as an important decoration in the home. Either way, it’s a most welcome way to ring in the New Year.
4. Guriltai Shul
It refers to a family of Mongolian noodle soups made with fatty meat such as lamb or beef, vegetables, spring onions, root vegetables and noodles. The name of this popular Mongolian dish literally means noodle soup. An interesting type to try in Mongolia is tasalan guriltai shul. It is a simply spiced soup made with boiled lamb or beef bones, salt and hand-cut short flat noodles.
5. Tsuivan
Tsuivan is a type of Mongolian noodle dish made with meat and various vegetables. It is traditionally made with mutton, but other types of meat such as beef or pork can also be used. The noodles are placed on top of the meat and vegetables boiling together in a pot. The pot is covered tightly with a lid to allow the noodles to steam with the shallow layer of boiling water in the pot. Tsuivan is one of the most beloved and culturally significant Mongolian foods. Mongolian men love tsuivan, so there is a general saying that a woman’s skills as a housewife can be determined by how well she makes tsuivan.
6. Boortsog
Refers to a type of fried dough snack popular in Mongolia and Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It is available throughout the country and each province has its own unique twist on the dish. Recipes for boortsog vary, but they are generally prepared with a dough consisting of flour, butter, water, salt and sugar. The dough is cut into various shapes, such as spheres, rectangles or strips, before being fried until golden brown. When ready, they can be eaten on their own with tea or enjoyed with butter, honey or cheese.
7. Chanasan Makh
This dish is often prepared by Mongolian families and cooks because it is so easy to make. Chanasan makh is very calorific, but still a must on your trip to Mongolia. It is cooked pieces of lamb. Traditionally there is no side dish, but if you wish, chanasan makh can be served with potatoes, giving you the opportunity to fully savor Mongolian cuisine with your hands.
8. Buuz
Buuz are traditional meatballs stuffed with meat. The meat is usually lamb or beef. They are usually seasoned with onion, a little garlic, salt, pepper and herbs. They are then steamed and served with bread, salad or various sauces. Mongolians are very attentive to eating habits and usually eat with a knife, fork and spoon. Except buuz. The dish is traditionally eaten with the hands.
9. Gambir
Considered the Mongolian pancake, it is also known in other countries in the region. It is made from fried wheat flour dough and sometimes stuffed with small pieces of meat. Like all Mongolian food it is somewhat greasy but tastes quite good. The dish is said to have originated in Turkey and is now common in Central Asia.
10. Airag
Airag (or ayrag) refers to fermented mare’s milk. It is the traditional national drink of Mongolia and equally popular in Central Asian countries where it is known as kumis. Airag is made by filtering fresh mare’s milk through a cloth and pouring it into a leather sack called a khukhuur. The milk is stirred repeatedly for 1-2 days with a wooden grinder called buluur until it is ready to drink. Slightly bitter but pleasant tasting, it is often the first drink offered to guests as a token of hospitality.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional Asian Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.