Original Samsa is in Osh!

Together with pilau, samsa is one of the five culinary staples of Osh. It is difficult to imagine Osh cuisine without it. Unlike the samsa common in South and Southeast Asia, Osh samsa is much bigger, fuller and tastier!

The main filling in Osh samsa is finely chopped lamb, beef, and sheep’s tail fat, seasoned with onion and zira, or whole cumin. For those who like it spicy, hot red pepper is added inside, and black cumin seeds are sprinkled on top to avoid mix-ups!

Samsas are shaped in such a way as to prevent any air from getting inside, so that the small pieces of fat melt and become broth. This is why true samsa aficionados pay attention to whether there are any holes to prevent broth from leaking out.

The average size of an Osh samsa is 300-600 grams. It is baked in a tandoor oven heated to 400 degrees by burning dry cotton plants. A standard tandoor can fit up to 120 samsas at once! By the way, the tandoors themselves are also made in Osh, so if you are interested, you can walk along Navoi Street near Suleiman Mountain to see the work of the masters.

Samsa is served with thinly sliced onions and broth in a bowl. They are commonly enjoyed with a pot of hot green tea. Huge samsas can be tasted at special samsakhanas, or samsa houses, where they are the main dish. Other types of samsas known as parmuda, tamcha, and puffed samsas can be found in other local cafés.

In addition to these large types, there are also smaller seasonal samsas, which are made with fresh herbs in the spring and seasoned pumpkin in the autumn. For this kind of samsa, the dough is rolled out in a thin layer, so that it can bake faster.

Samsa is an essential part of Osh’s gastronomic culture. Many Osh residents enjoy making samsa at home with different fillings. For this purpose, almost every family has a tandoor in the shade of the trees of their garden.