Holiday Ayo - The popularity of Tatar culinary specialties is not only known in Russia, but has also spread to other countries. This time, RBTH will discuss some of the Tatar specialties which are everyone's favorites.

Cheburek is the most popular type of Tatar Food in Russia. It was once the 'king of Russian fast food', beating out foreign competitors such as hamburgers and kebabs. These pastries are filled with finely chopped goat or calf meat mixed with broth, then fried in butter.

source: Russia Beyond

In the 1950s, cheburek entered Finland and was sold under the name lerstya . It is still very much loved there and is considered a staple of the original Finnish diet.

The humble cheburek is one of the most recognizable Tatar culinary delights in Russia. Meanwhile, the most popular Tatar food abroad is tartare, a large portion of raw minced beef, mixed with egg yolks and a delicious marinade sauce. Tatare recipe entered into European cookbooks as "steak tartare" .

Even though it's called a steak, this food doesn't lose its traditional elements. The specificity of tatare lies in its quality. This confectionary is made without involving heat. In addition, all raw materials must be fresh and of the highest quality.

The secret to simple yet delicious Russian cuisine, including food from Tatarstan, lies in using few spices and simple preparations. In addition, the cattle of the Tatar people raised in the Volga region produce meat with a special taste that they are proud of.

source: Adobe Stock

Although it may lose to Turkish or Azerbaijani cuisine in terms of complexity and variety, Tatarstan food, especially bread, remains the most popular choice in Russia. Typical Tatar cuisine is mostly made from flour. 

Besides cheburek , there are hundreds of types of pastei (pies), pastries, and other types of baked goods. Pastries have accompanied the Tatar people from birth to death, and many of their dishes are associated with special rituals.

Stuffed roast goose, a favorite dish of the Russian people, appeared in Tatarstan in a different form: baked in pastries. Meanwhile, cheburek has a competitor called chak-chak , a dessert in the form of cookies made of buckwheat that is fried and soaked in honey. Chak-chak is even more popular abroad.