🌍 Central Asia

Central Asia is a region of steppes, deserts and mountains in the heart of Eurasia, long home to nomadic herders. For centuries the steppes, semi-deserts and mountain pastures of Central Asia fed nomadic herders. People here milk not only cows, sheep and goats but also mares and camels, the animals best adapted to a dry climate and long migrations. In this sense Mongolia, with its similar way of life, is often counted as part of the region.

The best-known drink is kumis (airag in Mongolia), made from mare’s milk; camel milk becomes shubat, or chal among the Turkmen. Sour milk is pressed and sun-dried into kurt, salty balls that keep for months and travel well. Everyday cooking in settled areas uses katyk, suzma and ayran.

Milk here is tied to hospitality and the calendar: the spring rites of Kazakh horse breeders that open the kumis season and the Mongolian tradition of making airag are inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible heritage lists.