Central Asian cuisine has been influenced by Persian, Indian, Arab, Turkish, Chinese, Mongol, and Russian cultures, as well as the culinary traditions of other varied nomadic and sedentary civilizations.
Contributing to the culinary diversity were the migrations of Uyghur, Slav, Korean, Tatar, Dungan and German people to the region.
[1][2] Nomadic peoples of the Eurasian steppe had simple subsistence diets based primarily on dairy products, and to a lesser extent game and plant-based foods.
[3] Archaeobotanical evidence has shown that crop diffusion was ongoing across the mountain valleys and oasis towns of Central Asia as early as the 3rd millennium BC.
The earliest evidence of domesticated grains bring used by nomadic herders (2800 to 2300 BC) has been found at the Tasbas and Begash sites of the Kazakh highland steppe.
The Mughal Empire, founded by Babur, a descendant of Timur, was noted for cultural achievements, among this a sophisticated cuisine that blended Indian and Persian elements into a unique style.
Fragrant spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and mace were used to flavor dishes, that were served with thick sauces made from yogurt and crushed nuts.
[1] The culinary cultures of Central Asia may be divided as follows: nomadic or urban; highland or lowland; and Mongol, Turkic or Iranian.
[2] The typical dishes of the settled Turkic peoples - Uzbek and Uighurs - are pilafs, kebabs, stews, noodles, tandyr flatbreads and savory pastries.
The Iranian cultural influence is seen in the cuisine of Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan, reaching into northern Pakistan and India, where rice and stewed vegetable dishes are more elaborately spiced.
A meal typically begins with tea or fresh tandyr nan bread, followed by soup (shorpo) or pulled noodles (lagman).
After the main course a guest may be offered dumplings or grilled skewers of meat, and fresh fruit often takes the place of a final dessert course.
[1] Rice pilaf is the most iconic Central Asian dish, with Uzbek cuisine offering a multitude of varieties, often mixed with legumes for added protein.