🍽️ Cuisine
On the vast Mongolian steppe, cuisine is shaped by nomadic life and extreme climate. Meat and dairy from the "five snouts"—sheep, goats, cattle, horses, and camels—form the foundation of Mongolian cooking. Summer brings fermented mare's milk (airag), while winter demands hearty dishes like buuz dumplings and mutton soups. Food is prepared simply, often boiled or steamed, letting the quality of pastoral meat speak for itself. Hot pot dining, Mongolian barbecue, and stone-cooked khorkhog showcase the ingenuity of cooking without kitchens across the endless grasslands.
Buuz
Mongolia's beloved steamed dumplings, traditionally prepared in huge quantities for Tsagaan Sar (Lunar New Year). The hand-sized parcels are filled with seasoned mutton, sealed with a distinctive pleated top, and steamed until juicy. Eating buuz is a communal winter ritual.
Ingredients: For the dough, 200g all-purpose flour, 100ml warm water, Pinch of salt, For the filling, 300g ground lamb or mutton, 1 onion (finely minced), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 30ml water, 5ml salt, 3ml black pepper, Caraway seeds (optional).
Preparation: Make dough: Mix flour and salt, add warm water, knead until smooth. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Mix filling: Combine lamb, onion, garlic, water, salt, pepper, and caraway if using. The water keeps the filling juicy. Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll each into a circle about 10cm across. Place 2 tablespoons filling in the center. Gather the edges upward, pleating as you go, leaving a small hole at the top. Arrange buuz in a steamer, not touching. Steam over boiling water for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Bite a small hole first to release steam, then drink the juice before eating.
💡 The small hole at the top is traditional—it releases steam during cooking and lets you drink the accumulated juices.
Khuushuur
Deep-fried meat pockets, the crispy cousin of buuz. Khuushuur are essential festival food, especially during Naadam celebrations. The thin dough fries to golden perfection while the meat inside stays juicy. They're eaten by hand, often straight from the fryer.
Ingredients: 200g flour, 100ml water, 300g ground lamb, 1 onion (minced), 30ml water for filling, Salt and pepper, Oil for deep frying.
Preparation: Make dough as for buuz. Rest for 30 minutes. Mix lamb with onion, water, salt, and pepper. Roll dough into thin circles, about 15cm across. Place filling on one half. Fold into a half-moon and press edges firmly to seal. Heat oil to 180°C. Fry khuushuur for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.
💡 Press edges firmly—any gaps will cause the filling to leak during frying. A fork crimp ensures a tight seal.
Airag
Fermented mare's milk, the national beverage of Mongolia. Slightly alcoholic and effervescent, airag is an acquired taste—sour, tangy, and refreshing. It's traditionally made in a leather bag and stirred hundreds of times daily. This home version uses cow's milk with kefir as a starter.
Ingredients: 1 liter whole milk, 60ml kefir (as starter culture), 15ml honey or sugar (optional).
Preparation: Heat milk to 30°C (lukewarm). Remove from heat. Stir in kefir thoroughly. Pour into a clean jar or container. Cover loosely with cloth—the fermentation produces gas. Leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours, stirring vigorously 3-4 times daily. The airag is ready when it's slightly fizzy and has a sour, tangy taste. Strain if desired. Serve cold. Sweeten with honey if the sourness is too intense.
💡 True airag is made from mare's milk, which has more lactose and ferments more vigorously. Cow's milk airag will be milder but still captures the essence.
