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Nauryz, the Kazakh New Year, is a time of joyous celebration, marked by the arrival of spring and the hope for prosperity in the coming year. One of the most significant traditions during this festive occasion is the preparation and sharing of Nauryz Közhe, a traditional Kazakh soup brimming with symbolism and rich cultural significance.
Each ingredient in Nauryz Közhe holds a unique meaning, representing various positive aspects of life, renewal, and prosperity. The most important symbolic aspect is that Nauryz Közhe traditionally contains seven ingredients, a number sacred in Kazakh culture, symbolizing completeness, perfection, and the full cycle of life.
The foundation of Nauryz Közhe is water or broth, which symbolizes life and purity. Water is the essence of all life, cleansing and sustaining, much like the fresh start represented by the New Year. Milk, a staple in nomadic Kazakh life, represents wealth, nourishment, and hospitality, emphasizing abundance and kindness.
Meat, usually lamb or beef, symbolizes strength, prosperity, and fertility, emphasizing the community’s ability to provide and sustain life. Oil, often animal fat or vegetable oil, signifies energy and richness, adding depth and reflecting the warmth and richness of life.
Salt, essential for taste and preservation, symbolizes purity, sincerity, and protection, warding off evil and preserving harmony. Cereals or grains, such as rice, millet, or wheat, represent fertility, growth, and continuity, indicating a good harvest and future abundance.
Fresh vegetables or herbs, like onion, carrots, or wild greens, symbolize health, renewal, and connection with nature, emphasizing rebirth and vitality during spring.
Nauryz Közhe is not just a soup but a symbolic dish that embodies the Kazakh people's hopes for health, prosperity, harmony, and renewal in the New Year. The seven ingredients reflect the full scope of human needs and natural elements, uniting them in one harmonious bowl to mark the celebration of life’s cyclical renewal.
Guests are seated according to their age, with the eldest usually sitting at the head of the table. The cooked meat is then cooled, and some housewives add flour or noodles to the dish. In North Kazakhstan, the dish includes horse meat, oil, salt, several types of grains (buckwheat, pearl barley, or wheat), ayran, and liquid kurt. In the East, Nauryz Kozhe includes water, dried horse meat, pearl barley, rice, millet or buckwheat, kurt or suzbe, salt.
According to ancient beliefs, the dish should be tasted in seven homes, and it's mandatory to treat dear guests with it. Kefir (300-500 ml) is added to the rice, carrots, and raisins, and the cooked meat is diced and added to the rice mixture. The common recipe for Nauryz Közhe includes 5-6 liters of water, wheat, rice, pearl barley, horse meat, salt, ayran or kurt.
As you savour a bowl of this traditional soup, you're not just enjoying a meal but participating in a centuries-old tradition that carries the hopes and dreams of the Kazakh people for a prosperous and harmonious New Year.
- Embarking on a cultural-travel adventure in Kazakhstan during Nauryz, the Kazakh New Year, offers an opportunity to experience the rich food-and-drink customs and lifestyles, including the preparation and sharing of the traditional Kazakh soup, Nauryz Közhe.
- Beyond being a mererecipe, Nauryz Közhe is a symbolic food that embodies the Kazakh people's aspirations for health, prosperity, harmony, and renewal in the New Year, with each of its seven carefully chosen ingredients representing various aspects of life and hope for the future.
- As you explore the food-and-drink culture of Kazakhstan, don't miss the chance to taste the traditional Nauryz Közhe, a dish that not only offers a flavorful culinary experience but also connects you with the roots, history, and lifestyle of this fascinating nation.
