Kuurdak

Kuurdak is a traditional dish of roasted meat found in most central Asian countries cuisine. The name of the dish derives from the nominalization of the Kyrgyz word 'kuur', which means 'fried'. It is also known as Kavardak, meaning 'shambles' or 'mess' in Russian. Indeed, it is a 'mess' of meat, onions, carrots and potatoes.

In Kazakhstan, the meat commonly used for this dish includes horse meat, mutton, beef, and even poultry. Sheep's heart,kidney, livers are also sometimes found in kuurdark.

There are a few versions of kuurdak – one is called kara kuurdak or black kuurdak, made exclusively with meat and no onions, and tondurma kuurdak or frozen kuurdak, in which meat pieces are fried in sheep fat without any contact with air, ensuring that the meat can be keep well for a prolonged period of time.

In the past, nomads would carry frozen kuurdak with them for long walks or hunting trips. Nowadays, they are prepared as one of the main courses to be served before beshparmak.