The nomads of Mongolia sustain their lives directly from the products of domesticated animals such as cattle, horses, camels, yaks, sheep, and goats, as well as game. Meat is either cooked, used as an ingredient for soups and dumplings, or dried for winter. The Mongolian diet includes a large proportion of animal fat which is necessary for the Mongols to withstand the cold winters and their hard work. Winter temperatures are as low as −40 °C and outdoor work requires sufficient energy reserves. Milk and cream are used to make a variety of beverages, as well as cheese and similar products. The nomads in the countryside are self-supporting on principle. Travelers will find gers marked as guanz in regular intervals near the roadside, which operate as simple restaurants. In the ger, which is a portable dwelling structure, Mongolians usually cook in a cast-iron or aluminum pot on a small stove, using wood or dry animal dung fuel.
Common foods
The most common rural dish is cooked mutton, usually without any other ingredients. To accompany the meats, vegetables and flour products may be used to create side dishes as well. In the city, every other local displays a sign saying "buuz". Those are steamed dumplings filled with meat. Other types of dumplings are boiled in water, or deep fried in mutton fat. Other dishes combine the meat with rice or fresh noodles made into various stews or noodle soups. The most surprising cooking method is only used on special occasions. In this case, the meat gets cooked with the help of stones, which have been preheated in a fire. This either happens with chunks of mutton in a sealed milk can, or within the abdominal cavity of a deboned goat or marmot. Milk is boiled to separate the cream. The remaining skimmed milk is processed into cheese, dried curds, yogurt, kefir, and a light milk liquor. The most prominent national beverage is airag, which is fermented mare's milk. A popular cereal is barley, which is fried and malted. The resulting flour is eaten as a porridge in milk fat and sugar or drunk mixed in milky tea. The everyday beverage is salted milk tea, which may turn into a robust soup by adding rice, meat, or bansh. As a result of the Russian influence during socialism, vodka has also gained some popularity with a surprising number of local brands. Horse meat is eaten in Mongolia and can be found in most grocery stores. Mongolian sweets include boortsog, a type of biscuit or cookie eaten on special occasions. Vodka is the most popular alcoholic beverage; Chinggis vodka is the most popular brand, making up 30% of the distilled spirits market.
