Mongolian food customs

 

Mongolian food customs

 

It's getting dark. Burmese musician Dorje walked into the yurt together with Agudengba, Azhuo and Chu Sanxing.

Duoji smiled and said:

What did people in the Yuan Dynasty like to eat every day? Are they similar to the current Mongolian eating habits?

"Meat, milk, and grain" are the basis of the Mongolian diet. This form of diet not only means "relying on the sky", but it is also related to the rough and bold character of the Mongolian people.

Mobei is the habitat of nomadic people, because the Mongols have lived in Mobei for generations and make a living by herding horses, cattle, sheep and camels. In the face of this unique natural advantage, the meat and milk of these livestock are the daily diet of the Mongolian people. And this eating habit has a lot to do with their living environment.

The meat that Mongolians often eat is mutton. They rarely kill cows or eat beef because milk is their important drink. The Mongolians use milk to make a variety of dairy products with unique flavors, which are not only rich in nutrients, but also have the effect of building strength and improving cold resistance.

The main dairy product in Mongolia is horse milk, which is the main food of Mongolians in summer. Mare milk is also one of the essential foods of the Mongolian people, and it can also be made into a variety of delicious foods.

In addition, there are cheese, cream, and dried milk made from processed fresh milk. Some of these processed products are stored like grain for year-round consumption. Mongolians respect white, and the white color of milk food symbolizes purity. Therefore, they regard milk as a noble and auspicious thing and call milk food white food. Drinks made from milk are mainly milk tea, yogurt and milk wine. Milk wine is the main drink of Mongolians, and mare's milk wine is the best and has the highest nutritional value.

This is Yadan serving fresh milk tea, cream, cheese, milk tofu, horse milk, dried milk, etc.

Pointing to the bowls and chopsticks on the table, Duoji said that due to the nomadic nature of the Mongolian people at that time, the farming technology they mastered was very limited. In addition, the environment they lived in was particularly harsh, and they were not suitable for large-scale cultivation of food. Therefore, only the Mongolian herdsmen of Wuliangha Sanwei rely on grain as their staple food.

In the past, Mongolian herdsmen did not use chopsticks, but used their hands and wooden basins to eat and serve food. Later, Sanwei began to use crude wooden bowls and wooden spoons. It can also be seen that the living customs of Mongolian herdsmen and the living customs of the Han people have become increasingly integrated.

At this time, the smell of "roasted whole sheep" filled the yurt.

Dorje said:

The Mongolians live in the Mobei grassland. Horses, cattle, sheep, and camels are their daily necessities. Meat is a common meal, so their dietary life is naturally related to this. Meat is mainly mutton, and cows are rarely slaughtered because cows produce milk and provide milk making equipment to people. In addition to providing horses for people to ride on, they also provide the most nutritious milk. They no longer kill horses unless there is a big sacrifice. They also don't have the habit of raising pigs, so they don't eat pork. A strong horse owned by a Mongolian can feed three people. Anyone who has one horse must have six or seven sheep; whoever has a hundred horses must have six or seven hundred sheep. When going out to the Central Plains, after eating all the sheep, they shot rabbits, deer, and wild hogs for food, so even if they sent out a hundred thousand troops, they did not need to carry food.

After the Mongolian army went on an expedition during the Genghis Khan period, it carried very limited military rations. In order to ensure the army's supplies, horses, cattle, sheep and other livestock were allowed to accompany the army. Mongolian soldiers would roast a whole sheep on an iron rack, which may be the prototype of the current "roasted whole sheep".

Mongolians don’t pay much attention to their meat. In most cases, they eat half-cooked meat directly. Of course, this approach has nothing to do with modern nutrition. In fact, the main purpose of this practice is to satisfy hunger. At the same time, it has a lot to do with the national character of the Mongolians.

During the Yuan Dynasty, diverse ethnic groups gathered together, and the traditional diets of their respective ethnic groups were integrated and integrated. The diets of the Central Plains and Han Dynasties were no different from the traditions. Other ethnic groups, such as Hui people, Islamic groups, people from the Western Regions, Central Asia and other places, Persians, etc., all have their own eating habits, but under a unified society, people influence and learn from each other.

The Yuan Dynasty was the first multi-ethnic unified country established by ethnic minorities in the history of our country. They had lived in the cold Mobei grassland for a long time, and their social customs were completely different from those of the Han people. After entering the Central Plains, the grassland culture and the farming culture absorbed and integrated with each other. , although the social customs of the Mongolian people have undergone some changes, they still generally retain the grassland characteristics of the nation, with dairy products and mutton as the main characteristics. It can be said that the basic core has not changed.

Dorje said:

Mongolians are generous and hospitable. As long as a guest comes to visit, they must sing a toast song when toasting to show the host's respect and blessing. Among the Mongolian people, no matter men, women, old or young, everyone can sing toasting songs. The wine glass should traditionally be a yellow sheep wood bowl inlaid with silver, paired with a hada. There are certain rules for singing, toasting, receiving, and drinking during the toasting process. Those who are asked to give a toast: dress neatly, fill the cup with wine, first hold the cup and sing, and then bow their heads in worship. Required recipients: different ages and different actions. But regardless of whether you accept the cup or not, you have to wait until the song is finished before you can drink. Almost all ethnic groups and regions have toasting songs, and there are countless toasting songs across the country. But what impressed me most, and what persuaded me to drink two full glasses of wine, was the Mongolian toast song "Gold Cup and Silver Cup". While singing, bring a full cup, and then weave your name into the lyrics, sing repeatedly, sing again and again, until you sing with passion, your head is swollen, your courage suddenly rises, your courage grows, and your drinking capacity increases. Drinking it all in one drink not only fully reflects the hospitality, generosity and openness of people in Mongolian ethnic areas, but also enlivens the atmosphere and harmonizes feelings. It also helps non-drinkers to greatly increase their courage and alcohol capacity.

In a pleasant atmosphere, several members of the dance team danced the Mongolian dance, and Duoji excitedly sang the "Grassland Toast Song":

 

Gold cups and silver cups are filled with wine,

I have raised my hands above my head,

This wine is pure, this wine is thick,

The wise Agudumba,

my good friend,

Drink enough today,

We work together with sincerity and sincerity to spend the spring and autumn together.

 

Gold cups and silver cups are filled with wine,

You won’t get drunk if you drink thousands of cups.

The milk wine is thick and soothingly sweet,

The wise Agudumba,

my good friend,

Drink enough today,

We share the same heart and have a long-lasting friendship.

 

Gold cups and silver cups are filled with wine,

Let’s celebrate the reunion with fine wine,

Drink good wine, love is in the cup,

The wise Agudumba,

my good friend,

Drink enough today,

Let's drink, drink, and drink.