How to make "Suzma"

As I mentioned in my older posts, "Suzma" is quite popular in Uzbekistan, especially in hot summers! It is used for salads, beverages, for soup toppings, also served with vegetables. For making "Suzma", try to use "Qatiq" which is made of full fat milk  - it will be thick and yummy! The taste of "Suzma" depends on how tasty is your "Qatiq", if it is sour, then your "Suzma" will also be sour. That's why it is important to have tasty and full fat "Qatiq", in this way, your "Suzma" will taste just like cream cheese! Spread it to bread, put some sun dried tomatoes, that were soaked in olive oil on top and try- it is irresistible!
Ingredients:
1.5 liters of "Qatiq" (http://uzbekcooking.blogspot.com/2010/04/qatiq-natural-yogurt.html)
Salt to taste
Cheesecloth or cotton fabric
Finely mix half a tbsp or less salt with "Qatiq". Layer cotton fabric/cheesecloth over the strainer and pour all of the "Qatiq" on it.

Gather the edges and secure with rubber band. Hang over deep bowl and let it drain for 7-8 hours.

Spoon out all of the "Suzma" in to a glass jar and enjoy it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

How to cook "Qazi" (horse meat sausages)

"Qazi" is sausage made of from horse meat with unique taste. It is considered as "strong" or "hot", nutritious meal and usually is eaten in winter times. It is not recommended for people with high blood pressure, scleroses, and people who suffer from stomach problems like gastritis and gastric ulcer. Qazi is hard to find in many places, as horse meat is usually consumed mostly by Central Asian countries.
In Uzbek cuisine there are several dishes made of "qazi" and the most famous among them are "Qazi palov" and "Norin". Lately I will post the recipes of these dishes. For starters, I would like to explain how to cook horse meat sausages.
Ingredients:
1 stick of "qazi"
3.5 liters of water for boiling
Put "Qazi" in cold water. Bring water to boil, but just before the boiling point, punch "qazi" all over with a thick needle (punching with needle will prevent "qazi" from cracking and tearing) below shown the stage when you have to pinch your "qazi":

When you done with pinching, scoop out all the foam, lower the heat and half cover the lid. Let it simmer for 3-4 hours depending on a size of your sausage, if it is small, then it will be ready in 3 hours, if it's big, it will take around 4-5 hours to cook. Usually 3 hour is enough. Time by time turn "qazi" on other side, to make sure it is cooked evenly.
When "qazi" is properly cooked, take out from pot and let it cool down. Make sure that it is chilled before slicing or it will crumble. The broth can be used for cooking "Qazi palov" or for cooking soup out of this broth.
When "qazi" is completely chilled, slice thinly, serve with vegetables or with meal.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Yupqa (Uzbek pancakes)

"Yupqa" is a truly Uzbek pancake:) I love it!!! It is a little messy to cook this dish, but I am sure that you will like it! If it is possible, try to cook it with some friend or a helper, to make thw work easier for yourself. One will be rolling the dough and the other will be frying and folding it. In my case, I work just by myself:) My husband mistakenly called me "Shiva" thinking that it was an Indian Goddess with six hands, but thanks to one of my Indian reader, we find out that the name of that Goddess is "Durga":)
You will get 12 "Yupqa"s from this recipe. In Uzbekistan we have many variety of recipes and ways of cooking this dish, I am posting you the easiest one. By the way, keep it under a towel or make sure that it is covered well, as it dries out quickly.
Ingredients:
200 gr minced meat
200 gr peeled and grated carrot
80 gr of vegetable oil (in original recipe filling is cooked with lamb's tail fat, but I used corn oil)
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin seeds
Salt to taste
For dough:
1 egg
100 gr of water
Half a tbsp of salt
Plain flour as needed
40 gr of melted butter for greasing
Some vegetable oil for frying "Yupqa"s
First of all make the dough. Beat slightly together, egg, salt and water.

Gradually add in flour until you form a medium hard dough, don't make it hard, as it will be hard to roll it out thinly and the dough will quickly dry out. Cover the dough and let it stand for 30 min.
While your dough is resting prepare the filling. Heat up oil in thick bottomed pan.
Fry ground coriander and cumin on a high heat for a 2 min and then put in minced meat and fry on a low heat with a covered lid. Fry until meat is brown in color, then add in carrots, add in 30 ml of water, and cover the lid. Fry until carrots are soft and ready, then add in salt. Take from the heat. Set aside.

Now when your filling is ready, prepare your dough for rolling. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Heat up your frying pan. Roll pieces one by one, as thin as you can.

Try to work very fast, as if dough will dry out you will not be able to fold it.
If you are cooking it alone, then roll and fry your dough pieces one by one. When your pan is hot enough, put some oil in a pan and fry rolled piece just 10-12 seconds for each side. Don't over fry or it will dry out and then you won't be able to fold it!

Then take it, quickly brush the surface with melted butter, put 1 tbsp of filling and fold it. Cover with towel. Repeat with other pieces.
After you will finish all this routine, just prepare some hot tea or a coffee (I like eating "Yupqa"s with coffee+milk), relax and enjoy your Uzbek pancakes with your family, surely you will get an appreciation for your work:) Believe me it worth it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Loviya ho'rak (Meat and kidney bean salad)

"Loviya ho'rak" is one another variety of "No'hot ho'rak". It is very rich in protein, iron and minerals. Usually it is served with sliced onions.
Ingredients:
300 gr of meat, beef or lamb
200 gr of kidney beans
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin
30 gr of butter
Put meat in a cold water about 1.5 liters and bring to boil. Scoop out all the foam that will float to the surface. Boil meat for 2 hours over medium heat with a half covered lid. Stir every half hour. At the end add in spices and salt.
Separately boil kidney beans with 1 liter of water over low heat with a closed lid. Add salt only after kidney beans are soft. If you put salt earlier beans will not soften.
Take out all the meat and cut in big chunks. Drain all the water from beans and put in all the butter. Mix well until butter will melt properly. Put beans on a plate, place meat over it and sprinkle with sliced onions. Onions must be sliced and mashed with 1 tsp of white vinegar.
Serve and enjoy this healthy and high in protein meal.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Gusht va ismaloqlik non (Meat pie with spinach)

I love spinach!!! It is very very useful and healthy. This pie is just amazing, it's crumbly, tasty flavorous pie! Your kitchen will smell heavenly while baking this pie.It's good for breakfast and for a quick snack. In Uzbekistan pies and "Somsa"s with spinach and with another greens are often baked in spring, as in spring our body is weak and needs vitamins.
Ingredients:
For dough:
130 gr butter
200 gr sour cream
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
2 tsp of baking powder
Plain flour as needed
For filling:
200 gr minced or finely chopped meat
1 big onion, peeled and chopped
300 gr of spinach, chopped
30 gr of butter, melted
1 tbsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 small zucchini, cut in small cubes
Salt to taste
Prepare dough: grate hard butter, pour in sour cream and eggs, stir well, add in salt, baking powder and gradually start adding flour until you form a medium hard dough. It mustn't be soft. Cover it and let it rest in fridge for 20 min.
Mix together meat, chopped onion, spinach, zucchini salt and spices. Pour in melted butter and mix all together. Mix well until smooth.
Now take the dough divide in two equal pieces and roll them out. Put one piece on to the baking sheet and spread all of the filling on top. Cover it with the second rolled piece and carefully pinch the edges well. Bake in preheated oven until nice golden color. Take out, cut and serve as hot. You can also serve some sour cream with this pie. You can top your piece with cream and enjoy it!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Garmdori va suzmalik gazak (Dip with chili yogurt)

In Uzbekistan it's a salad, but you can also use it as dip. in Uzbekistan usually it is eaten with main dishes dipping bread in it. I usually cut some vegetables and love to dip them in this yummy salad. It is hot and refreshing. Use fresh yogurt and cottage cheese (tvorog).
Ingredients:
200 gr of plain yogurt
1 tbsp of chili powder
100 gr of cottage cheese
2 cloves of garlic
Half a tsp of salt (optional)
Mash garlic, grate the cottage cheese. Mix garlic, grated cheese, chili powder and yogurt. Mix vigorously. It must be smooth and without crumbs. Serve and enjoy!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Jizza (Fried fat of lamb's tail)

"Jizza" is favorite snack of Uzbek men. It is crunchy, tasty and very nourishing. High in calorie "jizza" helps to stay strong in cold winter days. It is also good if you have sore throat. While making "jizza" you will see how heated fat will give transparent oil, use this oil to cook different dishes and for greasing breads before cooking. You can also use "jizza" itself as filling for breads. I will later post a recipe of "Jizzali non" which means bread with "jizza".
Ingredients:
300 gr of Lamb's tail fat
Salt to taste (optional)
Heavy crock pot
Cut fat in small squares. Don't cut very big squares, it will take more time to melt them and your oil will just burn.





Heat the crock pot and then put all the fat in it.

Put the heat on medium. You will see how fat will start to melt.

When fat will shrink thrice in size and will become brown, "jizza" is ready! Take it out from oil and sprinkle a little salt on it.

Enjoy "jizza" with some bread and surely drink hot green tea. Avoid drinking cold water or soda!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Baqlajon urama gazak (Eggplant rolls)

As I posted earlier I love eggplant! That's why I love this rolls, they are soft on outer side and crunchy inside. I like the taste of a garlic with eggplant. "Baqlajon urama gazak" is a good appetizer.
Ingredients:
3 medium carrots, peeled
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 big long eggplants
A little oil for frying
Salt to taste
Grate carrots or cut in thin long strips, add in 1 tsp of salt, mashed garlic and 2 tbsp of oil. Mash with hands until carrot will start to give its juice, but don't over mash. Set aside.
Cut eggplants in thin long slices, and put them in cold salty water for 15 min. Drain the water. Heat up heavy pan and drop 6-7 drops of oil and fry both sides of eggplant slices. Repeat with the rest of eggplant slices. Place in 1-2 tbsp of filling on a fried eggplant slice and roll it up tightly. Done! Serve and enjoy this yummy rolls.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Liq liq (Jellied hoof and meat soup)

"Liq liq" is very famous meal in Uzbekistan, it is very useful meal for bones as it contains natural gelatin. It's a good cure for broken bones, as it helps them to restore.
Ingredients:
1 kg of hoof, well cleaned and broke in 2-3 pieces
300 gr of meat, cut in medium pieces
3 liters of cold water
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 onions, peeled
3 eggs, hard boiled
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of ground coriander
Some fresh chopped coriander or dill
Put hoof and meat in cold water and bring to boil over high heat, scoop out all the foam, reduce and half cover the lid. Let it simmer for 4 hours, stir occasionally. If you are using a big hoof, you have to boil it a little longer, like 5 hours, if you take hoof of a young animal you can boil it for 4 hours. If the hoof is big, ask your butcher to half it in 3-4 pieces. After 4 hours put in carrots and whole onions. Let it simmer for another 1 hour, add in salt, cumin seeds and ground coriander. After take out all the hoof bones and meat out and separate flesh from bones. Cut the meat in small pieces. You can also put them in food processor and blend them. (The first picture that I posted here is with chopped meat and flesh, the second one is with blended meat and flesh. You can see that if you chop meat and flesh the "Liq liq" will be clear in color, while blended one is smooth in color).

Now take out onions and carrots from soup. Pour soup through sieve as it can contain small bones in it. Then add in blended or chopped meat and hoofs flesh. Mix them well with soup. Slice hard boiled eggs in circles or in small cubes and put to the bottom of hot proof dish, sprinkle some chopped greens, put some carrot that you have taken out from soup and pour soup over. Continue with the rest of the soup, every time putting some egg, carrot and chopped greens to the bottom and pouring soup over them. Use your imagination, choosing your favorite ingredient to decorate, like corn, beans or something else:)
Let them cool then put in fridge for at least 5 hours. Then take out and run the knife over the edge of the dish and place "Liq liq" on plate and enjoy:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Qatlamali urama

I usually make "Qatlamali urama" for breakfast, as it is healthy and rich in calcium. Yoo will use some flat breads as in recipe "Qatlama", just make sure you will roll them up immediately after frying. For 6 buns as in picture below, I use two "Qatlama"s.
Ingredients:
2 "Qatlama"s
100 gr of cottage cheese
2 tbs of cream or cream cheese
Salad leaves
100 gr cream or yogurt for serving
Grate cottage cheese and add in cream, mix well together until smooth. Open up your rolled "Qatlama" and spread the filling evenly. Put some fresh leaves of salad on top and then again roll it up tightly. Put in to the fridge for a 15 min, then cut in to hte pieces with a very sharp knife. Put them on their flat side and serve with sour cream or just plain yogurt.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

"Lazzat" gazagi (Capsicum with "suzma")

Preparing this salad is just pleasure, as it is easy and quick. It is better to prepare it with capsicums of different color, it will give more dramatic look when you cut them out, but today I found only green ones:)
Ingredients:
for 2 capsicums you will need
70 gr of "suzma" (or you can use also cottage cheese, just grate it before using and add 1-2 tbsp of sour cream)
3 cloves of garlic, mashed
Fresh chopped coriander and dill leaves
Salt to taste
2 medium sized capsicums
Finely mix "suzma" with mashed garlic, salt and chopped greens. Wash the capsicums, cut the top and clean from seeds and from white flesh, wash again. Fill it with the "suzma" mixture and put it to the fridge for an hour. Cut the capsicums in circles and serve.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Murchlik bug'lama ju'hori (Steamed corn with pepper)

Corn is very useful for health. Very easy and no attention is required to cook this meal:) Cook as many corn as you wish to eat, eat it while hot, taste will be great!
Ingredients:
3 corns (as we are three people in our family:)), peeled and cleaned
Fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
Boil the water in a steamer. After water comes to boil, place all your corns in a steamer's sheets and put them on. Steam for a 30 min or until corns are soft when you punch them with a fork. Take out corns, sprinkle some salt, pepper and enjoy! I love eating corn while watching some movie:) It is good and healthy snack.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Barra sarimsoqli va garmdorilik chakka (Salad with sour yogurt, leek and chilli powder)

“Chakka” or “Suzma” is very famous in Uzbekistan, we make many beverages like “Ayron”, “Chalob”, and many other different salads from it.
“Barra sarimsoqli va garmdorilik chakka” is mostly served with main dishes. It is hot and it will help digestion. Good for intestines.
Ingredients:
150 gr of suzma or chakka
1 leek, chopped
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp of chili powder
Salt to taste
Combine all the ingredients and serve sprinkling additionally with red chili powder. Enjoy:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Baqlajon ikrasi (Eggplant caviar)

In uzbek cuisine vegetable caviars are famous, as we preserve them for winter. One of them is "Baqlajon ikrasi". I have different recipes of caviar which I will be posting later:) For today try this one, it is yummy, especially for eggplant lovers.
Ingredients:
100 ml of vegetable oil (you can use olive oil also)
150 gr of sliced onions
300 gr of peeled and chopped tomatoes
100 gr of capsicum cut in small cubes
200 gr zucchini, peeled and cut in small cubes
600 gr eggplant, peeled and cut in small cubes
6 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste
1 tbsp of ground coriander
Heat up oil and put in onions, fry on a medium heat until soft, then add tomato and capsicum, fry until oil separates out. Now add zucchini and eggplant and fry stirring constantly for 5 min. Reduce the heat add in mashed garlic, stir well and close the lid of your pot. Continue to cook until eggplant is soft and zucchini is ready. Add in salt and spice.
You can serve it as hot and as cold. It is a good appetizer or salad:)
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Yahna til (Boiled tongue)

Yahna til is a great appetizer, it is tasty, soft and very useful. If you suffer from anemia you must surely eat boiled tongue at least 3 times in a week. It is easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
Beef's tongue, finely washed and cleaned
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 tbsp of ground coriander
5-6 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste
Put tongue in cold water, water must cover tongue for 5 cm. Bring to boil, scoop out all the foam. Cover the lid and let it simmer gently. After 2 hours add onions, salt, garlic and spices. Continue to boil for 1 hour. Then take from the heat, remove from broth and get rid of that thick skin while tongue is warm. Cool it and cut in slices. Serve with fresh or pickled vegetables.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Nuhot hurak (Chickpea with meat)

Nuhot hurak is a high calorie meal. This dish is cooked mainly in Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand and in Ferghana valley. You can serve it with or without it's soup.
Ingredients:
400 gr of chickpeas, soaked in salty water for at least 8 hours
300 gr of meat
Salt to taste
1 tbs of pepper
1 onion, peeled and sliced
3 litrers of water
Wash soaked chickpeas well. Put them and the meat in cold water. Bring water to boil and scoop off the foam. Half close the lid and let it simmer for 3 hours. Stir every 20 min. Add salt. Serve with pepper and sliced onions. You can also top it with some butter or sour cream.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!

Buglama qovoq (Steamed pumpkin)

Pumpkin is very useful and low calorie vegetable which is just for me:) If you prepare pumpkin in steamer it will remain all vitamins, and it will be easier for our body to consume this vitamins. I love pumpkin!
Ingredients:
Take as much pumpkin as you want to eat, peel it, clean from seeds and slice
4 tbsp of butter
Salt as taste
Salt as taste and if your pumpkin is not sweet enough
Fresh coriander leaves
Boil the water in your steamer, place pumpkins in a layer of steamer and cook for 15 min. At the end, open up the lid and sprinkle some salt and sugar. Continue steaming for 5 min. Serve topping butter on it, and sprinkling over fresh chopped coriander leaves.
Yoqimli ishtaha:)

Eggplant sliced salad

Ingredients:
3 large eggplants
2 large eggs
3 large tomatoes
2 sweet pepper
2 cucumber
Salt to taste
Fresh chopped coriander leaves for serving
Slice out eggplants in circles, put them into a salty water for 15 min, then drain well. Separately whisk 2 eggs with a pinch of salt. Dip each circle of the eggplant in to the egg batter and fry in a non stick pan with a little oil. Set aside.
Cut the rest of the vegetables in circles. For serving place eggplants on top of the flat plate, then place sweet pepper, tomatoes and cucumber on top sprinkling some salt to taste. Cover with another circle of eggplant. Sprinkle with fresh coriander. Serve as hot as well as cold.
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!