Zhunisova Zh.K. Almaty Technological University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

KAZAKH FOOD Products. Before proceeding to talk about the meat products of Kazakh people, we will briefly tell you about the rules of slaughtering. Maldy soyu – Slaughtering In ancient times every second man was a master of slaughtering, but today you can hardly find them. Some people while slaughtering a sheep would cut so that the cervical vertebra remained with the head, which is wrong. Usually Kazakhs slaughtered a cattle for invited guests, to make feast and celebrations (such as a toi) and earlier mentioned shildekhana, and for some other occasions. If they could not afford slaughtering they might not be too concerned, but if there was no meat hanging on the kerege or no vegetables or grain in the bottom of the sack they might become upset! In Kazakh tradition, women were not allowed to perform initial slaughtering, but they could join later cutting of the meat. Before slaughtering, Kazakhs used to pray. So, the first step (after playing) was killing the animal and then cutting the spinal cord. Not performing in such a fashion might restrict the blood from flowing freely out of the carcass, and the meat would be black; and Kazakhs never eat black meat. Slaughtering of a was a bit different. For that the camel had to be on its knees. Kazakhs would say that the slaughterer’s hand was light if the cattle immediately died after the first attempt. Not killing the animal quickly might earn a man the reputation of being heavy handed. The head of the sheep or horse about to be slaughtered was pointed to the west. After removing the skin, the man would cut a carcass to pieces, while women were typically assigned to deal with the . Musheleu, zhilikteu- cutting a carcass to pieces and cutting the marrow bones. First of all we said the man would cut the carcass to pieces, because in our tradition every piece has its “owner” ( or is assigned for various persons); i. e the head and the pelvic bones for guests and kinsmen; the breast bone and ankle bones for the son-in- law a large intestine for herdsman,” and neck vertebra for the children. After cutting into pieces, the man must remove two white arteries. Should a guest perceive that the host had overlooked this duty, it would bring great shame upon the household, and especially upon the hostess who had forgotten to remind her husband of this responsibility. Then the cutter was responsible for removing glands under the arms, all the while not confusing the sections of meat (usually Kazakhs divide a carcass into twelve pieces). For kuyrdak, Kazakhs used to roast meat right after slaughtering, and cuttings up the carcass into pieces correctly, inviting guests, and distributing meat correctly was real art. We believe that the younger generation must relearn this art. Pisiru – Boiling the meat Kazakhs first of all put the meat into the kazan and boiled on a strong flame in order to get rid of bloody foam or spume after butchering. Then they would reduce the heat somewhat, for too strong a fire would make the meat too tough. In old times, Kazakhs used sheep dung to boil meat: it was very convenient and the meat didn’t separate from the bone. When the broth became thick, they’d add wild garlic which grew in the mountains. In ancient times Kazakhs didn’t know about onions. The meat mustn’t be over boiled; one should be able to bite it from the bone. While boiling, the cook had to put meat pieces into the kazan separately, otherwise it might easily be overcooked. On the other hand meat was convenient to handle and remove from the kazan. One more thing a cook had to remember: the fat intestine had to be added to the kazan while cooking in order to keep meat from splitting. In the Winter, freshly slaughtered and boiled meat was often eaten right after reading the Koran. During later feasts and celebrations, however, people wouldn’t boil too much, thinking previously boiled meat was fine. As for kuyrdak – meat while cutting the carcass a man would give some pieces for kuirdak and they’d roast with meat; later too the . This kept the liver meat more tender. Women knew one more secret about preparing liver; first they’d fry it separately, then they’d add it to the meat. Saktau – preservation or storage Kazakhs were real masters in preserving meat. You know that corned is tasty and doesn’t spoil. Kazakhs too used to cure meat by aging and drying. Especially tasty corned pelvic meat was easy to cut and eat. When kazy was cut, it looked like a rainbow. In early times Kazakhs knew three methods of preservation. First, aging and smoking which required a fire and a shed. The fire had to be a smoldering one with yellowish smoke, and the meat was hung from a post. This kind of preservation came from an early time. A second method involved digging frozen meat out from the snow before if thawed. Meat kept its taste and nutrition when frozen and later cooked in this manner. Mostly herdsman used this method, preserving a carcass immediately after slaughtering. In another method, after winter slaughtering some relatives might ask for sybaga. For this they’d preserve a portion of meat in a sack full of flour and take it with them to the summer pasture. In summer they’d roast the meat without using water in order to protect it from rotting; but the meat mustn’t be overcooked. It was then added to other food. Finally, if a family wanted to take fresh meat somewhere in summer, first they might wash it with cold water. Then they would salt it and hang it for a while. But the person who would receive it had to wash it for long hours before cooking because there much salt would remain. Uitip alu – Pitching poorer families couldn’t afford to slaughter a horse or a cow, so they might slaughter a fat sheep or a colt. After slaughtering and getting rid of the skin, they’d “pitch” the carcass, which is a method of rotisserie cooking on a spit over an open fire. Pitched meat was especially delicious. It would not be dried but would be used in daily food preparation. According to Kazakh tradition, though, sybaga for the relatives in remote area sand for respected guests would also be put aside National dishes and meals. Kazy (horse ). Only wealthy people among the Kazakhs could afford to slaughter a horse in its pasture. If the horse was fattened by eating grass in the lowlands and by mixed fodder its kazy would be white and lean. Were the horse grazed in the mountains, its kazy would be yellow and nourishing. Kazakhs especially cared for horses which they intended to slaughter, keeping them separate from other cattle. Horses fattened for eating often became so large they had difficulty moving. In order to bring fattened horses from the mountains, first of all they’d wrap his stomach, because going through mountains his kazy would split, so they’d bridle it carefully. For this kind of job, wealthy people hired only experienced zhigits. Kazakhs never used to eat the horse’s head, but in order to document for others ones wealth (i.e., that a family was wealthy enough to slaughter its own horse in the Autumn), the horse’s head would be kept in a shady place or in a mud-hut for years and years . Kazakhs measured the fatness of the kazy by fingers. For example, the sausage might have a diameter like that of a small finger, a large finger,etc. It was difficult to put larger amounts into an intestine. Kazy is tasty either hot or cold. And science horses fat is difficult to freeze, it is very good food for the traveller. Kazakh people preferred kazy to mutton. While serving meat, Kazakhs first of all prefared kazy for everybody to enjoy. It was also good food for treating kinsmen. Nowadays people slaughter a horse too. Kazy is a very dear and delicious meal but the tastiest part is the fat stomach. So, people serve kazy with karyn (stomach). In old times people liked to drink fresh meat broth with kurt. Even in winter after drinking this one felt full and warm.

References:

1. G.Botagarina “Modern English”, 2002 2. N.L.Uturskaya “English Traditions”, 2006 3. Vizit Kazakhstan 4. B.Akshalova “Kazakh traditions and customs”, 2002