If you spend any time in Central Asia, you will meet plov.

Plov is a rice dish usually made with meat, carrots, onions, oil and spices, cooked in a large kazan. The origins of plov are debated across the region, and every country, city, family and restaurant seems to have its own version.

In Kazakhstan, you may see versions described as Tashkent-style, Samarkand-style, wedding plov or Bukharan plov. These names usually refer to styles associated with parts of Uzbekistan, rather than meaning you will necessarily find “Tashkent plov” labelled that way in Tashkent.

In Kyrgyzstan, many people call the dish paloo or osh. Saying “plov” will not usually offend anyone, but you may hear locals gently correct you or use the Kyrgyz term instead.

For students on a Russian year abroad in Central Asia, plov is one of those dishes you will probably eat many, many times. It is filling, affordable and often served at gatherings.

Beshbarmak is often described as the national dish of both Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The name means “five fingers”, because it was traditionally eaten with the hands. The dish is simple in concept but can take hours to prepare. It usually consists of boiled meat — often horse, lamb or beef — served over wide, flat noodles. Think of lasagne sheets, but boiled and served under meat and broth.

In Kazakhstan, you may see it served with kazy, a horsemeat sausage. In Kyrgyzstan, mutton or beef versions are also common. It may come with onion, potato, carrot or broth on the side.

There are differences between Kazakh and Kyrgyz versions, but I will be honest: unless you are eating it with someone who really wants to explain the distinction, the main experience is similar. It is meat, noodles, broth, hospitality and a very full stomach.

Kuyrdak, also spelled kuurdak in Kyrgyz contexts, is fried meat with onions and often potatoes.

Traditionally, it could be made immediately after slaughtering an animal and might include liver, lungs, kidneys or other offal. In restaurants, you are more likely to find versions made with lamb, beef or horse meat, sometimes with potato and onion.

It is simple, fatty, filling and usually good value. If you are very squeamish about offal, ask what is in it before ordering.

Kazan-kebab is similar in spirit to kuyrdak but often uses larger or better cuts of meat, sometimes still on the bone. It is cooked in a kazan and usually served with potatoes.

It is rich, heavy and very satisfying after a cold day.

This is not usually the dish you order when you want a light lunch before a language class. This is the dish you order when you want to sit down properly and not move for a while.

Manty are steamed dumplings, and they are one of the most student-friendly foods in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

They usually contain minced or chopped meat, onion and fat, but you can sometimes find pumpkin manty too. Pumpkin manty are particularly useful if you are vegetarian, although you should still check whether they have been cooked with animal fat.

Manty are usually served with sour cream, tomato sauce, chilli sauce or vinegar. They are cheap, filling and widely available.

Bürme qaryn is sometimes described as a Kazakh or Kyrgyz relative of haggis.

It involves meat and other ingredients cooked inside an animal stomach. Depending on the version, it may include horse meat, lamb ribs, beef, potatoes, carrots or other ingredients.

You are unlikely to find this in every student canteen or casual café, but it is one of those dishes that shows how much traditional cuisine values using the whole animal.

Irimshik is a type of cheese or curd, usually made from cow or sheep milk. It can be pale or brownish and is often eaten as a snack or sweet dairy food.

Texture-wise, it can feel a little like firm tofu or crumbly cheese. Taste-wise, I personally find it quite mild. But sweet cheese as dessert? Honestly, there are worse things.

Chak-chak is a desert of Tartar origin, but you will see it across the region.

It is made from small pieces of fried dough coated in honey or syrup, then left to set. It lasts for ages, which makes it ideal for guests, tea tables and “oh no, someone has arrived unexpectedly” moments.

I quite like chak-chak, so I never complain when it appears.

Baursak in Kazakh, boorsok in Kyrgyz, are small pieces of deep-fried dough.

They are not hollow inside, and they are usually served with tea, soup, beshbarmak or as part of a larger spread. Traditionally, they are savoury or plain, but a few places sometimes turn them into desserts.

The last time I went to Kazakhstan, I saw baursak served with Nutella and condensed milk. I was not expecting it to be good, but I actually kind of liked it...

Do not tell my traditionalist friends.