An article dedicated to Uzbek flatbread has been published on the famous Belgian Dutch-language daily “De Tijd” website. The author writes that Central Asia combines centuries-old traditions, modernity, and mystery.

“Bread is sacred to the Uzbek people, and many legends and proverbs exist about it. One tells about the day when the Khan of Bukhara, after tasting Samarkand bread “non”, asked the best baker in the city to bake it for him in Bukhara. After the baker baked the bread, it tasted completely different.

The angry Khan demanded an explanation. The baker explained that the flour was not brought from Samarkand. The taste was still different after the second serving with the suitable flour. Maybe it’s the water, the baker thought. Han skipped the water, but the taste was still different. In the end, the baker said that the air of Samarkand was the missing ingredient of bread”, says the author.

The article notes that about 12 thousand flatbreads are baked daily in Samarkand. The recipe is simple: yeast dough is prepared the night before to let it stand overnight. In the morning, it is divided into round pieces of dough, the middle of which is pressed down so they do not swell. “A small pointed stamp is also made at the end. Finally, the author concludes that the bread is sprinkled with sesame seeds and smeared with egg yolk and a small amount of oil, giving it a golden color”.

I.Abdumalikzoda, UzA