I’ll admit to always thinking of Genghis Khan when I think of Mongolia, but that’s mostly because of all my time spent playing the Civilization games. I didn’t know what food from Mongolia would be like but I was pretty sure it would be interesting due to the country’s location between China and Russia.
Mongolia is an East Asian country situated between China and Russia. It’s the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign state, and the largest landlocked country that doesn’t border a closed sea.
Over the centuries, the region has been ruled by various nomadic empires. It wasn’t until 1206 that Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous land empire in history. His grandson even conquered China proper, though this was short-lived.
In the 17th century, Mongolia was absorbed by the Chinese Qing dynasty. After it collapsed in 1911, Mongolia declared independence from China, though did not officially achieve it until 1921.
Only a few years later, the country fell under the control of the Soviet Union. Eventually, Mongolia emerged as a democratic country with a multi-party system, a new constitution, and a market economy.
Today, around 30% of the population is nomadic or semi-nomadic. Horse culture, which has historically been important to Mongolians, is still integral today. It’s traditionally said that ‘a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without wings.’
What Do People Eat in Mongolia?
Mongolian cuisine has historically focused on dairy products, meat, and animal fat. Vegetables and spices have never been very easy to obtain due to the harsh climate, so they do not show up much in traditional Mongolian cooking. I found that many dishes focus on meat such as mutton, with maybe a few vegetables such as potato, carrot, onion, and cabbage.
Mongolia is different from most other Asian countries in that rice is not considered a staple food—wheat, barley, and buckwheat are more common. In fact, many Mongolians would consider lamb as a staple rather than any kind of grain.
Mongolia shares some dishes with both Russia and China. There are also many dumpling varieties and some noodle dishes, which are a result of Chinese influence.
What I Made
- Bantan (Meat Porridge)
- Tsuivan (Handmade Noodle Stir-Fry)
- Buuz (Meat Dumplings)
- Chanasan Makh (Braised Lamb and Vegetables)
Scroll down to read about other popular Mongolian dishes I didn’t make!
Bantan (Meat Porridge)
I wasn’t so sure about this dish; after all, ‘meat porridge’ doesn’t sound that appetizing. It’s made by cooking some meat in broth and then adding flour to thicken it.
I started by sautéeing some finely chopped beef, then adding water and beef Better Than Bouillon. The recipe said to ‘make soup in the normal way’ with the ingredients given so this felt fairly ‘normal’ I guess.
Next, I put some flour in a bowl and added some of the meat broth. I kneaded to form little lumps, which I added to the soup along with more flour. I cooked, stirring often, until the soup had thickened. The recipe specifies that although the lumps of flour/dough will probably get smaller while boiling, they shouldn’t disappear—this is supposed to be a lumpy soup! If I were to make this again (which I may, because it was actually really good) then I’d probably just add all the flour directly to the soup. Some lumps would form naturally that way so I think the result would be similar.
I served this as suggested, with sliced green onion. The recipe also mentioned other spices but didn’t specify which ones; I didn’t add anything except salt, pepper, and the bouillon. I thought it tasted really good; it would make a perfect dinner for a cold night when you don’t have a lot of time but want something warm and comforting.
The recipe I used is from Mongol Food.
Tsuivan (Handmade Noodle Stir-Fry)
Tsuivan is a stir-fry made with meat, vegetables, and handmade noodles. It is an example of Chinese influence on Mongolian cuisine.
First I made the noodle dough, which consists of just flour and water. I let it rest, then rolled it out into a thin sheet. I cooked it in a dry skillet on both sides just enough so that it was no longer sticky. The recipe said until it was golden brown but I was afraid of making a giant cracker so I did not cook it for as long.
Next, I cut the par-cooked dough sheets into long strips to make noodles. This took longer than expected; I’m glad I was only making two servings!
I cut some beef top round into thin slices and tossed them with a little baking soda. After letting the beef sit for about 15 minutes, I rinsed it and drained it. This is something I learned from Chinese cooking; it makes the beef super soft and tender. The recipe didn’t call for it but I thought it would be appropriate here.
I sautéed some onion and carrot in my wok, then added garlic and the meat. After a minute or two. I added soy sauce, black pepper, and a little salt. I added water as well as bell pepper, broccoli, and cabbage, and simmered for a few more minutes.
Next, I added my noodles but didn’t mix them in. I put a lid on and let them steam for a few minutes to soften, then stirred to combine them with the other ingredients. I cooked for another minute or two so that there wasn’t too much broth left, and then I was ready to serve. I garnished with green onion and cilantro.
This way of making noodles was something I’d never heard of before, but it seemed to work pretty well. The overall dish was delicious, especially considering the fact that the seasoning was very simple. I’d make this again but I think I need a faster way to make the noodles!
The recipe I used is from Three Camel Lodge. I used the ingredients listed (except for garlic scapes) but I was loose with most of the measurements.
Buuz (Meat Dumplings)
There are a few types of dumplings popular in Mongolia, but I chose to make buuz since they are considered a national dish. These simple dumplings are typically filled with mutton and onion and steamed. There are a variety of shapes but I chose a traditional shape with a little bit of the filling exposed.
First, I made the dough from flour and water. While it was resting, I combined ground lamb with onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin. The recipe actually called for caraway here but I feel this may have been another case of cumin/caraway confusion which I’ve encountered often during this challenge. I felt that cumin was more likely to be correct but please let me know if I am wrong! I also added a little water which made the mixture stickier and probably helps prevent it from drying out when cooking.
I filled and shaped the dumplings, which was difficult at the beginning but I think I got the hang of it eventually. They didn’t turn out perfect but I think they looked decent for a first attempt at this shape.
I steamed the dumplings in my bamboo steamer and served them with a little soy sauce. These were really good!
The recipe I used is from Mongol Food.
Chanasan Makh (Braised Lamb and Vegetables)
Chanasan makh typically consists of large chunks of fatty meat, such as mutton, beef, or goat, which is boiled with salt and a few vegetables. This is a loose interpretation of that dish, using leaner lamb leg instead, braised with potatoes, carrots, and onion. I didn’t use a recipe for this.
I seasoned the lamb and browned it in some oil, then removed it and sautéed some onions. I added the lamb back in, as well as water to cover, and simmered with the lid on until the lamb was nearly tender. I added the carrots and potatoes and continued cooking until they were done. Other than salt and pepper, I only added a little beef Better Than Bouillon for seasoning, but that was all that was needed. I always find that lamb adds a lot of flavor on its own.
It looks like this dish is normally served by piling the meat and vegetables on a plate, but I wanted to have the broth too so I served it in bowls like a stew instead.
This was delicious, especially with some homemade bread!
Other Popular Mongolian Dishes
- Boodog – meat cooked by inserting hot stones inside an animal carcass—typically goats or marmots are used.
- Khorkhog – Mongolian barbecue, a more modern version of boodog. Meat is put in a large pot (or a metal milk jug) with vegetables and water, then hot stones are added and the pot is sealed. The heat of the stones may be enough to cook the meat, but the pot is often put on the fire too.
- Suutei tsai – tea made with milk and salt.
- Bansh – small meat-filled dumplings, often served in soup.
- Boortsog – Mongolian’s fried dough dish. The dough is usually shaped into triangles, sometimes spheres, and it’s often eaten with syrup, jam, or honey.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this week! My favorite was the tsuivan but everything was great.
Next week, I will be cooking food from Montenegro.