Mongolia: Mongolian Food Recap

Mongolian food is a vegetarian’s nightmare – with 75 million heads of livestock and only 1% of cultivated land – it’s all meat and milk and no vegetables or fruits. Meat and dairy products form almost the entire Mongolian diet (Mongolians actually believe that since their livestock roam free and eat all the wild grass on pastures, by consuming meat they eat all the greens as well). The main three staples are boozy (large lamb dumplings), huushuur (even larger pirogi-styled lamb fried dumplings), and tsuivan (meat and noodle fried mix) – these three are ubiquitous and available everywhere in the country in different shapes and forms. Soups are also very common – noodles with meat or fat – lamb, beef, or even horse or camel (I tried both multiple times). More esoteric meals included a whole lamb head or khorhog (a feast on goat’s internal organs – see post #51). Milk ranged from fresh to fermented – ayrag (horse and camel) to various cheese and curds. All Mongolians drink Mongolian tea – a sour drink with milk. Beer, vodka, and fermented milk-based alcoholic drinks complete the meals.
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