This time between April and September I have traveled 7 central asian countries . There are Different types of bread in central asia . First I started from Azerbaizan , then going one by one to every country in central asia like Kazakisthan , Uzbekisthan , Kyrgisthan , Tajikisthan and Iran . There are lots of different types of bread in there among them bread made in tandoor oven , Lavash , western sliced breads are common in all areas . In between them IRAN , Uzbekisthan and Azerbaijan have some special types of bread .
Tandoori Bread :
According to the people’s demand and wish they made this bread . It might be round or oval size . I think oval size is more popular . This breads will be fresh for upto two days . So you can preserve it in cold places .
Lots of time in the night time I simply eat this bread with Yogurt or kymak . In the top of this bread they spread black cumin and sesame seeds .
I can still remember that when I was going from Baku to Saki in Azerbaizan . The mashrutka stops in between and there was a old lady making the oval sized long tandoori bread with sesame seed and black cumin . If you observe properly mostly old people are associated with this bread making . The passion of bread making can be reflected in their face . It costs in between 1-2 Azerbaizani Mannat . (since I write from my memory I forget the exact price ) . She put it into a long paper packet After the Mashrutka starts I just start eating it without anything . It is very delicious . It is so aromatic . If you pass by a tandoori bread factory and if it is quality product then the aroma will bring you there .
sangak bread :
This breads are specially made in persia and made over the small stones . actually the small stones were put over the oven to heat . Then this bread made and put over a flat wooden plate with long handle and then it was put inside the oven with this wooden structure . After that this bread is spread over the hot stones .
After few minutes when the bread is ready they taken out with a stick . That is why small small holes appear in this types of bread .
Lavash :
Lavash is popular throughout the central Asia specially in Azerbaizan , Armenia and Turkiya . It is made of the white flour of the wheat and this breads are very thin . The shape can be long rectangular or small round .
This are almost looks like our rumali roti and this breads are used to wrap mixture of any kind of roasted meat with cucumber , tomatoes and cheese and Mayones .
Samarkhand non :
Samarkand Non are one of the heaviest bread I have seen . This breads are made in the Tandoor oven . Often in Samarkand and Bukhara , in the sides of the road you see specially woman are selling it . They keep it in the sun and polish it by the cloth to shine like perfect reddish brown color . In the middle you can see the topping of the black cumin .
There are different sizes of tandoori non . I think you should buy the smaller ones for the better taste . Because for the bigger non are very heavy and almost like 2 kg and in the inside it is little wet type not baked like the smaller ones . It lasts for long time .
Nan e barbaric :
Noon e Barbari is one of the popular bread for breakfast which are shaped almost oval and in the top of the bread there is seaseme seed and black cumin . The top of the bread is golden colored and it is a little thick bread and inside , it is little chew . It is mainly served with breakfast and people buy it from the local shops .
Price of this bread is from 5000 ($.08) – 10000($ .17) toman .
Pidem Bread :
I eat this bread in a supermarket in the Azerbaizan . it was looks like a pizza but shaped differently . like this type but taste very well . It was garnished with tomato , capsicum , onion and may be cheese . this are cut into small pieces and served to the customer . It is really tasty .
Noon e Gandi :
Noon e gandi is a special type of bread which is made of wheat and the dates . This is a sweet bread where the sweetness comes from the dates . It is garnished in sesame seed . This are taste like floppy biscuit .
This is a special types of bread only found in Iran and made in the tandoori oven .
Price of the bread is less than a doller .
Qatab :
Qatab is my favorite stuffed bread in Azerbaizan . First they make a round thin bread with the wooden stick then they stuffed with the combination of leaves or the minced meat . then they flip the other part and sealed the corners .
Now one types of qatab is just baked in hot pan and another types fried in the hot oil . I loved the first one because it is more healthy and stuffed with vegetables . but the second is less healthy and more tasty .
The price of the vegetable qatab is .50 mannat .
Lepeshka :
Lepeshka is a another types of bread which are little softer and in the center there will be black cumin . This breads are made in the tandoor oven .
People says that this bread is sacred to the Uzbek people . when someone leaves the house he bite the bread and when they return back he also bite it back .
Qatlama :
Qatlama are the fried big breads in Uzbekistan . This is a multi layered bread . and this are also the fried breads . It taste very good . It is almost like the kerala parota in Kerala .
This will also be good for multi days and served with any curry .
Summary :
Central Asia is famous for it’s bread making . It has different shaped and different types of bread . This breads are mainly made in tandoor oven , some are made above the hot rocks and some in simple pan . In central Asia eating rice is less and bread is more . They sit surrounding a table and take a chunk of bread and eat . Though in the most of the countries pulav is the national dishes of their country but this are prepared only in the festival times .
