The dish is sometimes enriched with the addition of potatoes, carrots, and squash. It's prepared when the guests are in a hurry or just after the sheep slaughter, when no one is in a hurry and kuurdak is followed by the main dish, the famous beshbarmak.
There are a few versions of kuurdak – one is called kara kuurdak or black kuurdak, made exclusively with meat and no onions, and tondurma kuurdak or frozen kuurdak, in which meat pieces are fried in sheep fat without any contact with air, ensuring that the meat stays fresh for a prolonged period of time.
The latter was invented by ancient nomads who used sheep fat to preserve meat.
Kyrgyz Cuisine: Laghman
