Kuyrdak (Kazakh Fried Lamb with Potatoes and Onions)
Local name: қуырдақ
In short: Browned lamb with onions and golden fried potatoes, cooked down with black pepper and finished with fresh dill, a Kazakh home classic. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 610 kcal
Kuyrdak is a home-style Kazakh fry-up of lamb, onions and potatoes, traditionally made with the heart, liver and kidneys of a freshly slaughtered animal. Today most cooks use lamb shoulder with a little liver. The meat is browned hard, softened with onions and a splash of water, and combined with golden fried potatoes, then finished with plenty of black pepper and dill. It tastes best straight from the pan with fresh bread.
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the fat in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in 2 batches for about 8 minutes per batch, until deeply colored on all sides.
- Return all the lamb to the pan, add the onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
- Add the water, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the lamb is tender. If using liver, add it for the last 10 minutes so it does not toughen.
- Meanwhile, fry the potatoes in the remaining fat in a second pan over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning often, until golden and about half cooked.
- Stir the potatoes into the meat. Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and most of the liquid has gone.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper, then scatter with dill and parsley and serve hot.
Tips
- Brown the meat well, in batches. A crowded pan steams the lamb and you lose the deep, roasted flavor that defines kuyrdak.
- Beef or chicken thighs can replace the lamb. Chicken needs only 15 minutes of simmering and should reach 74°C (165°F).
Questions and answers
What is kuyrdak traditionally made with?
The offal of a freshly slaughtered sheep, such as heart, liver, kidneys and lungs, with onions. The potato version with lamb meat is the most common home version today.
Can I make kuyrdak ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge and reheats well in a pan. The potatoes soften a little but the flavor deepens.
What do you serve with kuyrdak?
Fresh bread, a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, and hot black tea are typical.
How long does it take to make Kuyrdak (Kazakh Fried Lamb with Potatoes and Onions)?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kuyrdak (Kazakh Fried Lamb with Potatoes and Onions)?
About 610 kcal per serving, with 35 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 610 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
