ASIAN CUISINE

Hello ladies and gents this is the viking telling you that today we are talking about the amazing country of

Uzbekistan

Uzbek cuisine shares the culinary traditions of Turkic peoples across Central Asia. There is a great deal of grain farming in Uzbekistan, so breads and noodles are of importance, and Uzbek cuisine has been characterized as "noodle-rich". Mutton is a popular variety of meat due to the abundance of sheep in the country and it is a part of various Uzbek dishes.

Uzbekistan's signature dish is palov (plov or osh or "pilaf"), a main course typically made with rice, pieces of meat, grated carrots and onions. It is usually cooked in a kazan (or deghi) over an open fire; chickpeas, raisins, barberries, or fruit may be added for variation. Although often prepared at home for family and guests by the head of household or the housewife, palov is made on special occasions by the oshpaz, or the osh master chef, who cooks the national dish over an open flame, sometimes serving up to 1,000 people from a single cauldron on holidays or occasions such as weddings. Oshi nahor, or "morning plov", is served in the early morning (between 6 and 9 am) to large gatherings of guests, typically as part of an ongoing wedding celebration.

SHASHLIK

INGREDIENTS

Lamb leg or shoulder, boneless, cut into 1-inch cubes -- 2 pounds

Onion, thinly sliced-- 1

Salt and pepper -- to season

Lemons, juice only -- 2

Oil -- 3 tablespoons

METHOD

Toss the lamb, onion, salt and pepper, lemon juice and oil together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate. Overnight is best.

Thread the chunks of meat on skewers and set at room temperature while you get a hot fire going in a grill.

Grill the meat skewers over the hot grill flame, turning frequently, until done to your liking.

Serve the skewers with a vegetable salad, slices of rye bread and shots of vodka or a nice Georgian wine.

SHASHLIK VARIATIONS

Vegetable Skewers: Shashlik is often accompanied by grilled vegetable skewers. Popular veggies include cherry tomatoes, chunks of bell pepper, mushrooms and onion wedges. Toss the vegetables with a little lemon juice, salt, pepper, oil and any remaining marinade. Skewer separately and grill until cooked through.

Meats: Shashlik is usually made with lamb, but you can try beef, pork or chicken if you like. There is even such a thing as sturgeon shashlik!

Instead of lemon juice, some cooks use vinegar or a dry white wine. Others eliminate the acidic element altogether.

Ok i dont know about you but now im hungry