Mongolian cuisine, shaped by centuries of nomadic traditions and the vast landscapes of Central Asia, offers a unique and hearty culinary experience. Rooted in simplicity and making the most of available ingredients, Mongolian Food is a testament to the resourcefulness and resilience of its people. Meat, particularly mutton, beef, and dairy, forms the cornerstone of many dishes, reflecting the pastoral lifestyle that has defined Mongolian culture for generations.
Beyond the hearty meat dishes, Mongolian food also features noodles, rice, and a surprising variety of dairy products, showcasing the diverse flavors and textures found across this captivating country. From savory dumplings to warming soups and unique beverages, get ready to explore the must-try Mongolian foods that await you, whether you’re in a bustling city like Ulaanbaatar or venturing into the serene steppe.
Traditional Mongolian Cuisine: Savory and Hearty Dishes
Huushuur – The Quintessential Fried Meat Pie
Huushuur, the iconic Mongolian fried meat pie, is a beloved street food and a staple at celebrations like the Naadam festival in July. These half-moon shaped pastries are crafted from simple dough and generously filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, typically mutton or beef, and onions. Deep-fried to a golden crisp, Huushuur is juicy on the inside and wonderfully crunchy on the outside. While traditionally filled with meat, you can also find variations in Ulaanbaatar with fillings like potatoes, cabbage, kimchi cabbage, or even Mongolian cheese, offering a vegetarian twist on this classic.
Buuz – Steamed Dumplings: A Festive Delight
Buuz, large steamed dumplings, are another cornerstone of Mongolian cuisine, especially prominent during national holidays like Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian New Year. These hearty dumplings are made with a dough wrapper enveloping a flavorful filling of ground meat (sheep or beef), onion, and garlic. Steamed to perfection for about twenty minutes, Buuz are juicy, savory, and incredibly satisfying. During Tsagaan Sar, families traditionally prepare hundreds, even thousands, of Buuz to welcome guests, symbolizing abundance and hospitality.
Bansh – Small Dumplings: Versatile and Delicious
Bansh are smaller cousins of Buuz, offering similar savory flavors in a more bite-sized package. These dumplings are typically filled with meat and can be prepared in various ways. They are commonly boiled in a flavorful soup, creating Banshtai shul (dumpling soup), a comforting and warming dish perfect for colder days. Bansh can also be fried to a crispy golden brown, making a delicious snack or side dish, especially when dipped in a rich sauce.
Tsuivan – Stir-Fried Noodles: A Filling and Flavorful Meal
Tsuivan, a popular Mongolian stir-fried noodle dish, is a hearty and satisfying meal. Homemade noodles are stir-fried with meat, usually mutton or beef, and onions in a covered pan. Horse meat is also a particularly delicious addition to Tsuivan, adding a unique richness. Known for its generous portions, Tsuivan is a filling dish best shared or ordered in a smaller portion if you’re eating alone.
Chanasan Makh – Simple Boiled Meat: Honoring the Ingredient
Chanasan makh, meaning “boiled meat,” embodies the simplicity and respect for ingredients in Mongolian cooking. This dish features fatty cuts of meat – typically sheep, beef, or goat – simply boiled with salt and sometimes accompanied by vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Chanasan makh highlights the natural flavors of the meat and is a testament to the nomadic tradition of utilizing every part of the animal.
Khorkhog – Mongolian Barbecue: Cooked with Hot Stones
Khorkhog, often called Mongolian barbecue, is a special dish prepared for celebratory occasions. Legend has it that this cooking method originated in the time of Genghis Khan. Khorkhog involves cooking meat, usually mutton or goat, along with potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, garlic, and a bit of water in a large pot with hot stones. The pot is tightly sealed and placed over an open fire for about half an hour. The hot stones cook the meat and vegetables thoroughly, imparting a unique smoky flavor. Traditionally, holding the hot stones after cooking is believed to relieve fatigue and improve circulation.
Boodog – Goat or Marmot Cooked in its Skin
Boodog is an even more unique and traditional Mongolian cooking method, often prepared in more rural settings. It involves cooking meat, typically goat or marmot, by placing hot stones directly inside the animal’s skin. Vegetables and onions can also be added for flavor. This method of cooking within the skin creates a naturally steamed and incredibly flavorful dish, showcasing the ingenuity of nomadic cooking techniques.
Guriltai Shul (Lavsha) – Noodle Soup: A Comforting Broth
Guriltai shul, also known as Lavsha, is a comforting Mongolian noodle soup. Similar to Tsuivan in ingredients, Guriltai shul features homemade noodles but is prepared with more water, creating a hearty and flavorful soup rather than stir-fried noodles. This soup is perfect for warming up on a cold day and offers a lighter alternative to some of the heavier meat dishes.
Bantan – Meat Porridge: A Traditional Remedy
Bantan is a thick, porridge-like dish made from a rich meat broth with onions. Flour is added to thicken the broth, creating its distinctive consistency. Traditionally, Bantan is considered a remedy for hangovers and food poisoning, highlighting its comforting and easily digestible nature.
Uuts – Whole Steamed Sheep: A Lunar New Year Feast
Uuts, a whole steamed sheep, is a truly unique and impressive Mongolian dish, primarily prepared for Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year. This dish symbolizes abundance and prosperity for the New Year celebrations. The entire sheep is steamed, resulting in tender and flavorful meat that is shared among family and guests, showcasing Mongolian hospitality and tradition.
Budaatai Huurga – Stir-Fried Rice: A Versatile Side Dish
Budaatai huurga is a Mongolian stir-fried rice dish. Homemade rice is stir-fried with meat (mutton or beef) and onions in a covered pan, similar to Tsuivan. Budaatai huurga makes a delicious and versatile side dish or can be enjoyed as a light meal on its own, especially when accompanied by a fresh salad.
Gedes Dotor – Intestine Feast: A Dish for Honored Guests
Gedes dotor, an intestine feast, is a special Mongolian dish served to honored guests. This dish includes various parts of the animal’s intestines, such as the stomach, liver, lung, and sometimes even the head and heart. Preparing Gedes dotor requires skill and is a sign of deep respect and hospitality, showcasing a unique aspect of Mongolian culinary traditions.
Borts – Dried Meat: Nomadic Sustenance
Borts, dried meat, is a crucial food source for nomadic Mongolians, particularly during the summer months when freezing is not readily available. Meat is cut into strips and air-dried, preserving it for long periods. Borts is a concentrated source of protein and a convenient food for nomadic life, reflecting the practical and resourceful nature of Mongolian cuisine.
Mongolian Traditional Pastry: Sweet and Savory Treats
Bin – Fried Bread: Simple and Versatile
Bin, a simple fried bread, is made from a dough of flour, water, and salt. Thinly rolled and fried, Bin is often eaten alongside soups, providing a simple and satisfying accompaniment to savory dishes.
Gambir – Fried Cake: A Sweet Snack
Gambir, a fried flour cake, offers a touch of sweetness in Mongolian pastry. Made from flour, sugar, and oil, Gambir is a simple yet delightful fried cake, enjoyed as a snack or a light dessert.
Boortsog – Mongolian Cookies: National Sweet Bites
Boortsog, considered national cookies of Mongolia, are small, fried dough pieces made from flour, oil, salt, and sugar. Fried to a golden puff, Boortsog are slightly sweet and often enjoyed for breakfast instead of bread, or as a snack throughout the day.
Ul Boov – Biscuit Stacks: Lunar New Year Symbolism
Ul boov, a biscuit made of flour, holds significant cultural importance, particularly during Tsagaan Sar. These large, thick biscuits, about thirty centimeters long and four centimeters thick, are stacked in pyramid shapes on plates for the Lunar New Year celebrations. The stacks always have an odd number of layers – three, five, or more – as odd numbers symbolize happiness in Mongolian culture. Ul Boov represents prosperity and good fortune for the coming year.
Mongolian Dairy Products: Rich and Varied
Aaruul – Dried Curd: A Nomadic Snack
Aaruul, dried curd, is a staple dairy product in Mongolian cuisine. Made from dried milk, with or without sugar, Aaruul is a portable and nutritious snack, particularly popular among children. In rural areas, it’s often enjoyed with yogurt for breakfast.
Byaslag – Mongolian Cheese: Cottage Style
Byaslag is a Mongolian cottage cheese, made from the milk of goats, sheep, yaks, or cows. This fresh cheese is a versatile ingredient, enjoyed on its own or used in various dishes.
Eezgii – Dried Sour Milk Solids: A Tangy Treat
Eezgii is made by souring milk with yogurt and then boiling the mixture for several hours. The thick solids that settle at the bottom are collected and dried, resulting in a hard, tangy dairy product. Eezgii is a unique and flavorful element of Mongolian dairy traditions.
Holison Tos – Mixed Oil Porridge: A Warm and Rich Dish
Holison tos is a porridge-like dish made from boiled butter mixed with eezgi (dried sour milk solids) and flour. Hot tea or water is stirred in until oil separates from the mixture. Sweetened with sugar, Holison tos is a rich and warming dish, particularly enjoyed in colder weather.
Orom – Clotted Cream: A Luxurious Dairy Delight
Orom, Mongolian clotted cream, is a rich and luxurious dairy product. Made by adding a flour mixture to milk and boiling it at low heat, Orom is the thick cream that rises to the top. It’s often enjoyed as a spread on bread, similar to butter, adding richness to meals.
Tarag – Mongolian Yogurt: Naturally Delicious
Tarag, Mongolian yogurt, is renowned for its delicious and natural flavor. Made by adding a starter culture (tarag) to warm milk (cow, goat, or sheep milk), the milk is then covered and kept warm for 5-8 hours to ferment. Tarag is a refreshing and healthy dairy staple in Mongolia.
Tsotgii – Cream for Bread: A Butter Alternative
Tsotgii is a simple cream made from cow, sheep, or goat milk. Mongolians often use Tsotgii as a substitute for butter, spreading it on bread or using it in cooking.
Shar Tos – Yellow Butter: Essential for Cooking
Shar tos, yellow butter, is a clarified butter widely used in Mongolian cooking. It’s made by heating rancid clotted cream in a large pot. Shar tos has a high smoke point, making it ideal for cooking at high temperatures without burning. It also stores well without refrigeration due to its low moisture content and is considered easily digestible. Traditionally, Shar tos is stored in the preserved large intestine of livestock.
Khoormog – Camel Milk Yogurt: Medicinal and Nutritious
Khoormog is yogurt made from camel’s milk. It’s often consumed before bed and is believed to have medicinal properties, particularly beneficial for the liver and stomach. Khoormog is a unique and nutritious dairy product from the arid regions of Mongolia.
Aarts – Sour Milk Curds: Healthy and Versatile
Aarts, milk curds or sour milk, is made by drying yogurt until it becomes a hard, white cake. Aarts can be eaten as a snack, rehydrated with milk and sugar, or boiled with water, sugar, and flour. It’s considered a healthy food, especially for babies’ digestion.
Hailmag – Sweet Cream Dessert: A Festive Treat
Hailmag is a sweet cream dessert made with butter cream, flour, raisins, and sugar. This rich and sweet treat is often enjoyed during festive occasions.
Mongolian Traditional Beverages: From Milk Tea to Fermented Delights
Nermel – Home-Made Vodka: A Potent Spirit
Nermel is a home-made vodka traditionally distilled from milk. It comes in various flavors and strengths. Despite its seemingly mild taste, Nermel can be quite potent and is known to cause intoxication quickly.
Airag – Fermented Mare’s Milk: A National Drink
Airag, fermented mare’s milk, is perhaps the most iconic Mongolian beverage. Traditionally, mare’s milk is fermented in a sheep’s stomach (though modern methods exist). It’s vigorously pounded with a stick for about an hour to aid fermentation, and then left to ferment for 3-4 hours. Fresh Airag is preferred and is believed to have cleansing properties. However, it’s advised to consume it in moderation due to its fermented nature.
Arkhi – Vodka: The Modern Strong Drink
Arkhi, vodka made from wheat, has become a popular strong alcoholic drink in Mongolian cities, replacing Nermel to some extent. Like Nermel, Arkhi comes in various flavors and strengths.
Suutei Tsai – Milk Tea: A Daily Staple
Suutei Tsai, Mongolian milk tea, is a traditional and essential daily beverage. Mongolian women prepare it by adding milk and salt to tea leaves, brewing it in a large pan on the stove. A characteristic step is scooping the tea with a ladle and pouring it back into the pan, aerating the tea and enhancing its flavor.
Tsatsargana – Seabuckthorn Juice: Vitamin-Rich and Healthy
Tsatsargana, seabuckthorn juice, is made from berries that thrive in harsh environments like the Mongolian Gobi. Seabuckthorn berries are naturally rich in minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamin C and antioxidants. Drinking Tsatsargana juice is believed to boost the immune and digestive systems and protect against colds, especially during winter and spring.
Explore Mongolian Flavors on Your Journey
Embark on a culinary adventure and discover the rich tapestry of Mongolian food and beverages. From hearty meat dishes to unique dairy products and traditional drinks, Mongolian cuisine offers a fascinating glimpse into the nomadic culture and traditions of this captivating land. Consider experiencing these authentic flavors firsthand on a guided tour and immerse yourself in the culinary heritage of Mongolia.
