Let's Talk About Food
So, let's recap!
- The flight from Hong Kong to Mongolia was delayed for five more hours due to weather conditions (high winds) around Ulaanbaatar.
- By the time we arrived it was pitch black but I could already tell the city was very different from when I had last seen it, seven years ago. The airport was much nicer and there were many new buildings with bright lights. More signs were in English.
- We're staying in a one bedroom apartment with my stepmother's parents and brother, so space is a little tight. Sarnai (my stepmom) and the boys (my brothers) slept on the living room floor. Ella (my sister) and I got the living room futon. Sarnai's parents and brother got the bedroom.
- Being in such close proximity means we all go to bed and the same time and all wake up at the same time (aka we wake up when the boys wake up, which is way too early).
- We showered at my aunt's home since the apartment we're staying at currently has no hot water. In the spring every year, the city turns off hot water in different neighborhoods to repair pipes that froze over in the -40C/F winter.
- I got a Mongolian sim card.
- We went to a large park where we rented a four-person bike for 30+ minutes for $3.50, not a bad deal!
What's in the future?
- I'm going to start taking Mongolian language classes soon - we emailed a teacher
- I'll be visiting my workplace (volunteer site?) for the first time on Monday. It's an organization that assists disabled adults. I'm helping with english lessons.
- Ella and I are likely to travel the countryside for seven to ten days sometime in the next month, more details to come!
What's up with food?
Photo below: I got this meal in a restaurant for 6000 tugriks, or $3.
Mongolian food is largely comprised of a lot of meat, dairy, and grains (aka pasta, bread, or something dough-y). This is due to Mongolia's extreme climate limiting traditional access to fruits and vegetables; only more recently have these food groups begun to be imported (sold on the streets of UB). The exceptions to this are potatoes, radishes, and other starchy roots.
Most dishes have a large meat portion with some sort of starchy addition on the side. However, nomadic families (1/3 of the Mongolian population) are more limited in access to this, so many of their meals consist of just meat. Common foods are dough fried with meat inside, such as buuz or khuushuur. Nearly every restaurant in Ulaanbaatar sells these.
Dairy is also a staple; milk is commonly consumed, but it doesn't taste like milk in the U.S./Europe. When Liam (the older of the two little ones) first tried it, he yelled "yucky!" and then laid on the floor crying. He can be a bit dramatic. Cheese-like products are made, the most common of which is aaruul, or dried curd. Mongolians love aaruul, and uses range from casual snacking to ceremonial celebrations. As much as Mongolians love aaruul, foreigners tend to have a distaste for it. I am no exception. Other uses for dairy include airag, or fermented mare's milk. It is used in ceremonies and for welcoming guests. Despite it's sour taste, it would be best to accept a sip; outright rejecting an offer is considered rude. In general, this is a good rule of thumb to go by when offered food in Mongolia.
And now for desserts! Ul Boov (in first food image above, center), a traditional cake, is filled with aaruul and other sweets (including sugar cubes and wrapped hard candies) and used for celebrations. As far as I can tell, the cake is not actually ever consumed. The doughy material it's made out of is rock hard and seems to last for weeks at a time in the open air. The sweets are snacked on throughout, and everyone accepts a piece of aaruul at the event that demands the cake's presence. Once more, its rude to reject (but you don't have to eat it afterward!) Additionally, standard (non-traditional) Mongolian cake is far sweeter and softer than cake in the U.S.; there is always an abundance of frosting. Ella explained that when she first came to the U.S. and tried American cake she was very underwhelmed by it - not what she had been expecting.
The verdict: Absolutely delicious, very sweet sweets, and fat-heavy meats. Possibly the least vegetarian-friendly country in the world.
Most dishes have a large meat portion with some sort of starchy addition on the side. However, nomadic families (1/3 of the Mongolian population) are more limited in access to this, so many of their meals consist of just meat. Common foods are dough fried with meat inside, such as buuz or khuushuur. Nearly every restaurant in Ulaanbaatar sells these.
Dairy is also a staple; milk is commonly consumed, but it doesn't taste like milk in the U.S./Europe. When Liam (the older of the two little ones) first tried it, he yelled "yucky!" and then laid on the floor crying. He can be a bit dramatic. Cheese-like products are made, the most common of which is aaruul, or dried curd. Mongolians love aaruul, and uses range from casual snacking to ceremonial celebrations. As much as Mongolians love aaruul, foreigners tend to have a distaste for it. I am no exception. Other uses for dairy include airag, or fermented mare's milk. It is used in ceremonies and for welcoming guests. Despite it's sour taste, it would be best to accept a sip; outright rejecting an offer is considered rude. In general, this is a good rule of thumb to go by when offered food in Mongolia.
And now for desserts! Ul Boov (in first food image above, center), a traditional cake, is filled with aaruul and other sweets (including sugar cubes and wrapped hard candies) and used for celebrations. As far as I can tell, the cake is not actually ever consumed. The doughy material it's made out of is rock hard and seems to last for weeks at a time in the open air. The sweets are snacked on throughout, and everyone accepts a piece of aaruul at the event that demands the cake's presence. Once more, its rude to reject (but you don't have to eat it afterward!) Additionally, standard (non-traditional) Mongolian cake is far sweeter and softer than cake in the U.S.; there is always an abundance of frosting. Ella explained that when she first came to the U.S. and tried American cake she was very underwhelmed by it - not what she had been expecting.
The verdict: Absolutely delicious, very sweet sweets, and fat-heavy meats. Possibly the least vegetarian-friendly country in the world.
Article is informative and fun to read! And the food seems delicious!!!!
ReplyDelete