Tajikistan offers many unique and unusual dishes that are worth trying. If you're planning a trip to Tajikistan, make sure to look for these national dishes on the menu to get a deeper taste of the local culture.
Kurutob
If you ask any local to name the top 10 dishes to try in Tajikistan, the first one they'll mention is Kurutob. It’s the most famous and beloved Tajik food. The main ingredients are chakka — a type of sour milk product, qatyk or kefir, layered flatbread — fatir, flaxseed oil, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, onions, and salt.
Sambusa
These are Tajik pastries cooked in a tandoor or clay oven. You can find them at any gathering. The filling can be finely chopped lamb meat with onions and spices, as well as peas, lentils, potatoes, and other vegetables.
Fatirmaska
In southern Tajikistan, there is a dish commonly known as Changoli. It's made from fatir and butter, with the addition of melon or watermelon.
Plov
A popular dish in Eastern cuisine, with boiled rice as the main ingredient. The most delicious plov in the country is made in Penjikent.
Siyoalaf
A traditional Tajik spring soup. Siyoalaf translates from Tajik as "black grass." The main ingredient is a mountain herb that only grows in spring.
Kalapocha
A traditional Tajik soup, similar to Armenian khash. It’s made from offal and is also known as "horns and hooves." The taste and consistency resemble reheated Russian aspic.
Shir-birinch
Tajik milk rice porridge. Butter is also added to the porridge when served.
Otala
A national flour-based dish made with flour, butter or ghee, and vegetables cooked in a cauldron.