'', the national dish in Uzbekistan prepared in the
tandir oven Uzbek cuisine is influenced by local
agriculture, as in most nations. There is a great deal of
grain farming in Uzbekistan, so
breads and
noodles are of importance, and Uzbek cuisine has been characterized as "noodle-rich".
Mutton is a popular variety of meat due to the abundance of sheep in the country and it is part of various Uzbek dishes.
Uzbekistan's signature dish is
palov (
plov or
osh), a main course typically made with
rice, pieces of
meat, and grated
carrots and
onions.
Oshi Nahor, or
Morning Plov, is served in the early morning (between 6 and 9 am) to large gatherings of guests, typically as part of an ongoing wedding celebration. Other notable national dishes include:
shurpa (
shurva or
shorva), a
soup made of large pieces of fatty meat (usually mutton) and
vegetables;
norin and
lagman, noodle-based dishes that may be served as a soup or a main course;
manti,
chuchvara, and
somsa, stuffed pockets of
dough served as an appetizer or a main course;
dimlama (a meat and vegetable stew) and various
kebabs, usually served as a main course.
Green tea is the national hot beverage taken throughout the day;
teahouses (
chaikhanas) are of cultural importance. The more usual
black tea is preferred in
Tashkent, both green and black teas are typically taken without
milk or
sugar. Tea always accompanies a meal, but it is also a drink of hospitality, automatically offered green or black to every guest.
Ayran, a chilled yogurt drink, is popular in summer, but does not replace hot tea. The use of alcohol is less widespread than in the west, but
wine is comparatively popular for a Muslim nation as Uzbekistan is largely secular. Uzbekistan has 14 wineries, the oldest and most famous being the Khovrenko Winery in
Samarkand (est. 1927). The Samarkand Winery produces a range of dessert wines from local
grape varieties: Gulyakandoz, Shirin, Aleatiko, and Kabernet likernoe (literally
Cabernet dessert wine in
Russian). Uzbek wines have received international awards and are exported to
Russia and other countries in
Central Asia. The choice of desserts in Bukharan Jewish and Uzbek cuisines are limited. A typical festive meal ends with
fruit or a compote of fresh or
dried fruit, followed by
nuts and
halvah with green tea. A Bukharan Jewish specialty for guests on a Shabbat afternoon is
Chai Kaymoki – green tea mixed, contrary to the standard Uzbek practice, with a generous measure of
milk (in 1:1 proportions) and a tablespoon of
butter in the teapot. The tea is sometimes sprinkled with chopped
almonds or
walnuts before serving. ==Sport==