Lunches
Kazakh Naryn
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) boiled horse meat or beef, thinly sliced
- 300 g (10 oz) fresh egg noodle dough, rolled thin and cut into fine strips
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 litre (4 cups) meat broth (reserved from boiling the meat)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or dill, chopped
Method
- Boil the meat in salted water with a whole onion until fully tender, about 1.5-2 hours; reserve the broth.
- Remove the meat, let it cool slightly, then slice it thinly against the grain.
- Bring a portion of the reserved broth to a boil and cook the fine noodle strips for 2-3 minutes until tender; drain.
- In a bowl, toss the warm noodles with half the sliced onion, a ladle of hot broth, salt and pepper.
- Layer the noodles on a large serving platter, top with the sliced meat and remaining raw onion.
- Garnish with parsley or dill and serve with a small cup of warm broth on the side.
Introduction: Naryn is a cold, sliced dish of boiled meat tossed with hand-cut noodles and onion, closely related to beshbarmak but distinct in its finer noodle cut and cooler serving temperature.
Cultural Background: Naryn is a cold, sliced dish of boiled meat tossed with hand-cut noodles and onion, closely related to beshbarmak but distinct in its finer noodle cut and cooler serving temperature. It is traditionally prepared from horse meat and served at gatherings as a lighter counterpart to the more ceremonial beshbarmak.
Tips: Slice the meat as thinly as possible for the most authentic texture. The dish is traditionally served warm rather than piping hot, allowing the flavours to settle.
Variations: A version using only beef is common in urban households. Some cooks add a light drizzle of the fatty broth over the top just before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate meat, noodles and broth separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat the broth separately and pour warm over the meat and noodles just before serving; avoid microwaving the noodles alone as they can become gummy.
FAQs:
Q: How is naryn different from beshbarmak?
A: Naryn uses finely cut noodles and is served cooler and more thinly sliced, while beshbarmak uses wider pasta sheets and is served hot as a communal centrepiece.
Q: Can I use store-bought noodles?
A: Fresh, unflavoured wide egg noodles cut into thin strips are an acceptable substitute if making dough from scratch is not possible.
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