14 Incredibly Flavorful Uyghur Recipes Everyone Needs To Try

What is it? Flaky, tender, and buttery, these meat hand pies are baked, not fried, and usually made with lamb. They're enjoyed in many parts of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, as well as the Xinjiang Uyghur region of China.

Recipe: Samsa (Hand Pies)

What is it? Hand-pulled noodles served with a colorful and flavorful mix of eggplant, onion, peppers, tomato, and garlic ragù.

Recipe: Laghman noodles

What is it? Lamb skewers rubbed with a spicy, gloriously mouth-numbing mix of Sichuan peppercorns, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, garlic, and more. As always, feel free to swap out the lamb for beef if it's not available near you.

Recipe: Kawaplar (Lamb Skewers)

What is it? Boiled dumplings made with lamb, onion, and other vegetables. It's often served in a soup.

Recipe: Ququre (Uyghur "Tortellini")

What is it? One of the most popular dishes in Uyghur cuisine, this pilaf is traditionally made with carrots, onions, cumin powder, raisins, and a hefty portion of lamb meat. The recipe calls for cooking the meat first, then steaming it with the rice — for a final result of juicy and tender meat and super-savory rice.

Recipe: Polo (pilaf)

What is it? This lamb and vegetable soup comes together easily with browned meat and roughly chopped carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, and onions. It's often served with samsas (meat hand pies).

Recipe: Shurpa (Lamb Soup)

What is it? Translating to "Big Plate Chicken," this simple dish consists of braised chicken served on a bed of noodles. It's simple and craveworthy, and is served in many cities in China beyond the Xinjiang region.

Recipe: Da Pan Ji (Braised Chicken and Noodles)

What is it? This fried chicken isn't exactly native to Xinjiang but its spice rub is. Consisting of cumin, chili, Sichuan peppercorns, and garlic powder, the mix is spicy and rich.

Recipe: Uyghur-Style Fried Chicken

What is it? Steamed dumplings are nothing new but as the Mongol Empire (which once included China) is sometimes cited as their birthplace, this Uyghur iteration is as authentic as it gets. This recipe uses ground meat and pumpkin for a nourishing and filling meal.

Recipe: Manti (Steamed Dumplings)

What is it? A chickpea salad fragrantly infused with chopped herbs and carrots, then drizzled with a sweet ginger-vinegar dressing.

Recipe: Nokot (Chickpea Salad)

What is it? Xinjiang might be thousands of miles away from NYC, but these bagel-like breads sport the same glossy sheen. Unlike bagels though, these are crunchier on the outside and fluffier on the inside, and the hole doesn't actually go all the way through. Oh, and there's no cream cheese here — these are eaten with jam and butter, or dunked in soup.

Recipe: Girde Naan (Uyghur Bagels)