In the vast steppes of Kazakhstan, the horse has historically been not only a noble companion in battle and a means of transport, but also a prized delicacy on the dinner table, a status that has continued for centuries.
Horse meat is popular in the Central Asian country not only in stews, but also in the various types of sausages and cold cuts.
The nation’s star dish, though, is beshbarmak, which in Kazakh means ‘five fingers,’ honouring the ancient tradition of eating by hand, since the use of knives and forks, food lovers say, deprives it of all its charm.
INCLUDES VIDEO COURTESY OF AZILHAN UAHITOV, TEMIRLAN SULTANGAZIEV AND TEZ BESH RESTAURANTS