Beshbarmak

Serves 6 Prep 40 min Cook 2 hrs 30 min Difficulty Medium

Beshbarmak means "five fingers" in Kazakh — a nod to the tradition of eating this dish by hand. It is Kazakhstan's most celebrated dish, prepared for weddings, Nauryz (New Year), and any gathering worthy of honour. Slow-braised lamb is laid over wide boiled noodles and crowned with caramelised onions dissolved into a glossy sauce made from the cooking broth.

Ingredients — Meat & Broth

1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder or ribs
1 whole onion, peeled
1 carrot, halved
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
Salt to taste
2.5 litres water

Ingredients — Noodles

300 g (2 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 egg
½ tsp salt
100 ml warm water (adjust as needed)

Ingredients — Onion Sauce

2 large onions, thinly sliced into rings
250 ml reserved lamb broth
Salt and black pepper

Method

Place the lamb in a large pot with the whole onion, carrot, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and skim off any foam.
Reduce heat to a low simmer, season generously with salt, and cook for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is very tender and falling from the bone.
While the meat cooks, make the noodle dough. Combine flour and salt, then mix in the egg and enough warm water to form a stiff, smooth dough. Knead for 8 minutes, cover with a cloth, and rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough out thinly on a floured surface and cut into wide rectangles roughly 5 cm × 8 cm. Dust with flour to prevent sticking.
Remove the cooked lamb from the broth. Shred or slice the meat and keep warm. Strain and reserve the broth.
For the sauce, simmer the sliced onions in 250 ml of the reserved broth for 8–10 minutes until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring the remaining broth back to a boil and cook the noodles in batches for 3–4 minutes until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a large flat platter.
Arrange the meat on top of the noodles, spoon the onion sauce over everything, and serve immediately with small bowls of warm broth on the side.

Tips

Horse meat is the most traditional choice; lamb is the common everyday substitute. Leftovers reheat well with a splash of broth. The noodle dough should be stiff enough that it doesn't turn mushy when boiled — err on the side of less water.