| Description |
In the traditional food system of the Kyrgyz, among the products available to the general population were milk and dairy products. Dairy food among the Kyrgyz was very diverse, similar to that of the peoples of wider Central Asia, Altai, and South Siberia. The Kyrgyz used sheep, cow, and mare’s milk, and to a lesser extent that of goats and camels. The people of the inner Tien Shan, Alai, and Pamir mountainous areas also used yak milk, notable for its high fat content. The Kyrgyz made limited use of whole milk—it was given to children, and indeed is still given to children, mixed with various types of cottage cheese, sometimes for medicinal and nutritional purposes. |
