Osh Food: What to Eat While in Osh?
Osh Food
Across Kyrgyzstan, Osh is known for having the most delicious food in the country. It is no surprise, as Osh has combined the best culinary traditions of several cultures over thousands of years. It is the place where Uzbek culinary diversity and Kyrgyz generosity with meat have merged. As a result, the food in Osh is diverse in its ingredients and nutritional value and is served in large portions. Moreover, all of these food fantasies come at a reasonably low price. Therefore, to make your visit a bit yummier, here is the list of Osh’s must-eat dishes. Sharpen your teeth, loosen your belt, and prepare yourself for the upcoming foodgasm!
Across Kyrgyzstan, Osh is known for having the most delicious food in the country. It is no surprise, as Osh has combined the best culinary traditions of several cultures over thousands of years. It is the place where Uzbek culinary diversity and Kyrgyz generosity with meat have merged. As a result, the food in Osh is diverse in its ingredients and nutritional value and is served in large portions. Moreover, all of these food fantasies come at a reasonably low price. Therefore, to make your visit a bit yummier, here is the list of Osh’s must-eat dishes. Sharpen your teeth, loosen your belt, and prepare yourself for the upcoming foodgasm!
1. Osh Plov
For those unfamiliar with this culinary masterpiece, plov is a dish of rice, meat, vegetables, and spices. These ingredients are fried, boiled, and steamed. Plov is available throughout Central Asia, and while the ingredients and cooking techniques are all similar for the most part, Osh plov is different and superior to other versions (Yes, I said it!!!). It is made with devzira rice, a special type of rice grown only in Uzgen, and yellow carrots (specifically, yellow). Regarding spices, we use only salt and cumin. Other minor ingredients, such as chickpeas, sheep fat, and other fats, are optional. The best way to taste it is to order one kilo of plov, which can feed four to six people. You can also order plov by the portion in a few places, but note that the taste will differ from that served straight from the cauldron.
Where to eat:
- Plov cooking class
- Faiza: 10a, Dostuk 2
- Farhad Plov Center: 83, Mamyrova street
- Karavan: 84a2, Zakirova street
- Darkhan: 3a, Miyasheva street
2. Samsa
Samsa is a dish found throughout Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Generally, it is a dough stuffed with meat and vegetables. In Osh, you mostly find samsa filled with meat and onion, potato, or pumpkin, which is baked in a clay oven called tandyr (tandoor). It is believed that the clay and exposure to the open fire, along with proper temperature and pressure inside the tandoor, enrich the samosa with a unique flavor. Samosas in Osh vary in size. Most places serve small and average sized samosa. If you plan to make a meal of it, I recommend ordering just one piece and sampling it first. This way, you will see how many you need to feel full. Wanna go big? Go ahead and challenge yourself with a mega samosa – one piece can easily feed all but the hungriest of Central Asian men
Where to eat:
- Join Foodie Tour
- Afganets: 1, Nematjan Soliyev street
- Nargiza: 14, Bekmamat Osmonov street
- Samsakana #1: 76, Alisher Navoi street
- Aydar-Ata: 4/5, Mamyrov street3a, Miyasheva street
- Semeyniy cafe, 123, Shakirov street
3. Manty (Central Asian Dumplings)
Manty is a Central Asian variation of dumplings. Their consistency is similar to that of samosas; however, they differ in shape and are steamed in water (rarely fried). In most cases, manty is served with a tomato-pepper sauce or with sour cream. Have you tried ravioli? Then you can imagine how many looks and tastes there are. It is a miniature dumpling filled with mashed potatoes, which makes it an excellent option for vegetarians. However, unlike ravioli, this dish is cooked in water, just like manty. Mayda-manty are tiny; that’s how they got their name, which literally translates to "mini-manty." WARNING: this dish can’t be found anywhere else in the world except Osh. Maida-manty is also super cheap, a half-kilo portion costing only 70 som.
Where to eat:
- Join Foodie Tour
- Oybek Mantykana: 262, Kurmanjan-Datka street
- Mayda-Manty: 590, Kurmanjan-Datka street
- Besh manty: 87, Kurmanjan-Datka street
- Mantykana: 8k, Tolonov street
4. Shashlyk (kebab on a skewer)
You may know this dish as ‘kebab’. The term shashlyk originates from the Turkic word ‘shash’, meaning ‘roaster’. Shashlyk will be adored by meat lovers as it is literally meat on a stick. This dish is truly special due to its grilled flavor and the meat's tenderness. The tenderness comes from overnight marination. The meat is cut into cubes and placed in a high-acid marinade made of vinegar, onions, and herbs. The next day, the marinated meat is threaded onto skewers and roasted (grilled) over a coal fire. What makes sampling shashlik in Osh even more amazing is the variety of its types. You can order shashlik made of beef, lamb, chicken, duck, and rabbit. Also, there is a variation of minced kebab, made of ground meat, onions, and spices.
Where to eat:
- Join Foodie Tour
- Kebab-saray: 473, Kurmanjan-Datka street
- Islambek: 143, Kurmanjan-Datka street
5. Lagman
If you are a fan of Italian spaghetti and Chinese noodles, then this dish is definitely for you. The term Lagman derives from the Chinese "lo mein" and means "stretched noodles." It is a mixture of handmade noodles and hearty soup. The dough for noodles is prepared from flour, vegetable oil, and salt. The soup consists of meat, bell peppers, tomato paste, celery, cabbage, and spices. Lagman has several variants, and the differences among them are insignificant. If you sample Lagman in Osh, I recommend the classic Uyghur Lagman. It is a golden middle between all other variants. You should also try the Boso Lagman, a variant with fried noodles served without the bullion. Those who prefer deep-fried dishes should try the Airimsei Lagman.
Where to eat:
- Al-Mansur: 17, Masaliev avenue
- Laghman Padyshasi: 165/5, Lenin avenue
- Gulnaz: 21/1a, Masaliev avenue
- Semeyniy cafe, 123, Shakirov street
6. Kuurdak
Kuurdak is a dish heavily based on meat. You may find several variations of kuurdak in terms of ingredients and cooking techniques. Yet, the classical kuurdak is when the lamb is fried with onions and garlic in a fat tail and later stewed in a cauldron. As a result, you get a delicious, tender dream dish for meat lovers.
7. Mastawa
If you decide to unload your body from heavy Central Asian dishes, turn your attention to mastava. Mastava is a thick soup made of rice, meat, and vegetables. There are two variants of this dish - boiled and fried. The boiled mastava is considered a dietary item. It is mostly prescribed to people who are on a strict diet or recovering from illnesses. The fried mastava, on the other hand, is more common and served in many cafes. The ingredients (meat and vegetables) of a fried mastava are fried, then filled with water and added to rice. As a result, you get a hearty soup that will leave you feeling full after the culinary hospitality of Central Asians. If you visit Osh and decide to enjoy this soup, try it with a spoonful of sour cream. It will add an unusual and refreshing flavor to your mastava.
Where to eat:
- Semeyniy cafe, 123, Shakirov street