Basturma - 5 cooking recipes

Basturma is a dish of oriental cuisine, which is dried meat in a thin coating of spices. It has a fiery aroma of a mixture of peppers, a sour-spicy aroma of blue fenugreek and a barely noticeable trail of garlic.

Basturma

The history of its origin begins several centuries ago, during the era of the Ottoman Empire. Basturma is endless steppes, the measured clatter of hooves, the scorching sun. In other words, this is the food of real men, warriors and protectors. Cooking meat is not difficult, but it takes time and patience. Main stages: salting, aging in spices, pressing, final drying. When cut, the finished slices are distinguished by their uniform dark color, lack of moisture and dense structure.

The thinnest, transparent cuts are served cold as a separate appetizer, and also in combination with vegetables, herbs, bread, sauces, and low-alcohol drinks. An exquisite gourmet dish or a means of survival for nomads? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally. In ancient times, dried horse meat became indispensable on long hikes. It kept well in the heat and saved us from hunger. Modern basturma recipes are very diverse in terms of preparation technology and composition of ingredients. Beef, pork, lamb and even chicken and fish are used as the base. Paprika, coriander, cumin, cumin, nutmeg and others were added to the spices. The meat delicacy has turned into a delicacy, the taste of which, once tasted, cannot be forgotten.