Kyrgyz food is basically an epic mix of Central Asian and Chinese foods, which means some fabulous fusion noodle dishes, such as Ashlyan-Fu.
This is basically a cold noodle dish featuring hard wheat noodles, as well as strips of starch jelly in a sexy vinegar broth. And its not only cheap as hell, but one of the national dishes of Kyrgyzstan.
Therefore you should probably give it a crack
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What the Ashlyan-Fu?
Ashlyan-Fu (also spelled Ashlam-Fu or Ashlyamfu), one of the most famous dishes in the country. Despite being considered a Kyrgyz national dish today, it actually comes from the Dungan and Uyghur communities, descendants of Chinese Muslims who migrated to Central Asia in the 19th century.
What makes it unusual is that it’s served cold and consists of:
- Wheat noodles (similar to lagman noodles)
- Strips of starch jelly made from potato, corn, or mung bean starch
- A sour vinegar-based broth
- Garlic
- Chilli paste (lazjan)
- Egg strips
- Various vegetables and herbs
The flavour is hard to compare with anything Western. It’s basically….
- Sour
- Spicy
- Garlicky
- Refreshing
- Slightly slippery because of the starch noodles
The spiritual home of the dish is the city of Karakol, where entire streets and market sections are devoted to selling it. Many Kyrgyz people swear it’s the best hangover cure in the country.
Historically it’s related to Chinese cold starch dishes such as liangfen, which explains why it feels more Chinese than Turkic despite being a Kyrgyz staple today. The name itself likely derives from Chinese roots, although Dungans and Uyghurs still debate exactly whose dish it originally was! Yep everyone claims it…
Click to read about Shanbei Cuisine.
How does Ashlyan-Fu taste?
The taste is hard to describe. It is sour as hell, thanks to the vinegar, with plenty of garlic and chilli thrown in for good measure. The noodles themselves are fairly plain, but the broth packs a serious punch. Then you get the jelly bits, which have a weird slippery texture that should not work but somehow do.
The whole thing is refreshing rather than filling, which is probably why it is so popular during the summer. It is also widely regarded as I have previously stated as the best hangover cure in the country. I honestly don’t know, but it did go well with a Long Island, a beer and a few B52’s.
Where can you get Ashlyan-Fu?
This dish is bloody everywhere and it is cheap as hell. In canteens it can be as little as 50 cents, going to no more than like $4 even in swanky pants places. The best place to have it though is Karakol – so that’s where I tried it!
Click to see my Kyrgyzstan Tours with YPT.
