What a typical meal looks like
Most traditional Mongolian meals are built from meat, flour and fat, with dairy on the side. Dishes are generally simple and filling, and the portions are often generous. This article names the dishes you are most likely to meet, with plain descriptions rather than recipes. Spellings of Mongolian names differ in English, so a menu may show variants of the ones below.
Boiled meat
The simplest and perhaps most traditional dish is boiled meat, usually mutton, goat or beef, cooked in water with salt. It is served in large pieces, often on the bone, sometimes with fat attached, and eaten with a small knife and fingers. The broth is commonly kept as a soup or drunk. Because seasoning is minimal, the flavor is that of the meat itself.
For a guest, a platter of boiled meat is a sign of hospitality. If it is passed to you, take a portion and cut off pieces as you eat. Visitors who dislike fat can set it aside, and hosts are generally understanding.
Noodle dishes
Flour is turned into noodles in many ways, and noodle dishes are among the most common everyday meals.
- Tsuivan: hand-cut noodles that are steamed, then stir-fried with meat and vegetables such as carrot, onion and cabbage. It is filling and a standard in homes and cafes.
- Guriltai shul: a noodle soup, usually with meat, potato and onion, often a simple broth with hand-cut noodles. The name suggests “soup with flour.”
- Bantan: a thin porridge or soup, sometimes made with flour and meat, that is often served to people who need something light.
Not all noodles are made by hand any more, and shop-bought pasta appears in many kitchens. Names and recipes vary by family.
Dumplings and fried pastries
Dumplings and pastries are the celebration foods of the cuisine, and they are covered in detail elsewhere. In brief, buuz are steamed, khuushuur are fried and bansh are smaller and often boiled. They are filled with minced meat and eaten by hand. For more on them, see the article on Mongolian dumplings.
Stews, soups and stir-fries
- Khuurga: a general word for a stir-fried or pan-fried dish of meat and vegetables, often with rice or noodles.
- Shul: the word for soup or broth. Many variations exist, with meat, potatoes, onion, carrots and dried or fresh herbs.
- Rice dishes: rice with meat or with carrots and raisins is served in some homes, and also in some restaurants. It is not unique to Mongolia, but it is common.
Pork and chicken dishes are more common in cities. Salads, including heavily dressed vegetable salads, are common in restaurants in towns, reflecting influences from neighboring countries.
Celebration and cooking-pot dishes
Some dishes are linked to special meals and use specific methods. Khorkhog and boodog, cooked with hot stones, are examples, and they are treated in the article on khorkhog cooking. At festival times such as Tsagaan Sar, large cuts of boiled meat, dumplings and sweets are arranged on the table, often with a stack of fried biscuits at the center. The details vary by family, so treat the description as general.
Dairy and snacks
A meal often includes dairy foods, such as cream, yogurt and dried curds, with milk tea, which were described in the page on dairy products. Bread, fried dough and biscuits are common with tea. Fruit and fresh vegetables are less central to traditional meals, though in cities there are more choices.
Ordering and eating in practice
In Ulaanbaatar, many menus have English or pictures. Pointing at a photo works well when you do not know a name. In small countryside cafes, the choice may be limited to a few staples, such as noodles, dumplings and soup, and it may depend on what the cook has on hand that day. Prices and availability vary, so confirm locally.
Some practical tips:
- Meat is the center of most meals. Vegetarians should plan ahead and ask about meat-free options, which can be limited.
- Dishes are often fatty and salty, so travelers with dietary restrictions should say so early.
- Cooked and hot food is generally a safer choice than raw or lukewarm food. Basic food safety habits apply, as they do anywhere.
- Tea or soup often comes first, then the main plate. Pace yourself, because a host may keep offering more.
What to take away
If you remember a short list, make it boiled meat, tsuivan, soup with noodles, and buuz or khuushuur. These cover most of what you will be given in homes and simple cafes. The overview of Mongolian cuisine explains why the food is the way it is, and tasting these dishes in person, preferably with someone who can tell you how they are made, is the best way to understand them.