Buuz

Buuz are Mongolian steamed dumplings filled with meat, one of the most characteristic dishes of Mongolian cooking. The name is linked to the Chinese baozi, which points to the dish's relationship with the steamed dumplings found across the region.

History

The buuz belongs to the family of steamed dough parcels common throughout the region. Its name, related to the Mandarin word baozi, suggests that the idea reached Mongolia from China, although the Mongolian version developed its own fillings and techniques.

Over time, the buuz has gained new variants. Modern recipes often add carrots, cabbage, other vegetables and even rice to the meat, and some cooks season the filling with soy sauce or chinsu.

Culture

Buuz are eaten in large quantities especially during Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year, which usually falls in February. Families prepare them weeks in advance and leave them outside to freeze. They are served with salads, fried bread, Mongolian milk tea and, often, vodka. Niislel salad, a version of Olivier potato salad, is almost always present at banquets and formal meals.

The dish is eaten by hand, with the dough catching the meat juices. Today it is also served in restaurants and small cafés across Ulaanbaatar, and it is considered an emblem of authentic Mongolian cuisine, shared in part with Buryatia.

Trivia