Mongolian Cuisine

Mongolian cuisine is the cuisine of the Mongolian people. They primarily live in Mongolia and surrounding areas of China with some diaspora elsewhere as well.

Khalkha Mongols are by far the most populous subgroup of Mongols and make up the majority of Mongolia’s population.

The Mongolian people are traditionally a nomadic people living in portable tent homes known as ger(ᠭᠡᠷ гэр) in Mongolian, also called yurts. Ulaanbaatar(Улаанбаатар) is a major city for Mongolian culture, though the best place to experience Mongolian culture is out in the grasslands.

Ingredients

Barley is ground into flour and toasted to make arvain guril, to which milk tea or other liquid is added until it can be pressed into pieces for eating. This is similar to Tibetan tsampa.

Garlic, chives, and onions are used; wild varieties can be found and foraged in the grasslands.

Potatoes, carrots, and sometimes cabbage can be found in modern Mongolian dishes.

Lamb, cow, and even horse, camel, yak, and other domesticated animals are major foods. Sometimes wild animals such as marmot are also eaten. Animal milk is used for drinking and making yogurt and similar products.

Dishes

• arvain guril: toasted barley flour with liquid added until it can be pressed into pieces
• buuz(Бууз): steamed dumpling, typically with meat filling
• khuushuur(хуушууp): fried dumpling, usually large with meat filling
• tsuivan(цуйван): shredded flatbread with meat and vegetables
• meat hot pot
• khorkhog(xopxoг): meat barbecued with hot stones in a container
• borts(Борц): strips of meat dried in the shade