Irkutsk Oblast/Buryatia: Siberian Food Recap

Here’s one of the best food recaps ever – Siberian food! It’s a mix of hearty Russian food with the Mongol-influenced Buryat food and a healthy dose of fish from lake Baikal. Omul is a type of fish that lives only in Baikal and it’s a staple for “zadugai” (a version of sashimi with onions and pepper), lightly salted or smoked – all fantastic. There are several other mostly endemic fish that are eaten as well. Then there are “boozy”, or Buryat dumplings that are ubiquitous – round dumplings with chopped meat inside and some juicy liquid. And of course there are pelmeni, Siberian style with liver. Add vodka to all that…