Bahlian cuisine

Bahlo-Vugonesia.

Bahlian cuisine encompasses the culinary traditions native to the southwestern corner of Nashkarul, known as Bahl. It comprises the traditions of the Bahlians, Syams, Kharkhs and has influenced (and has, in turn, been influenced by) vugonesian cuisine.

Common elements

Grains

Wheat is the main cereal consumed in Bahl, from which things like flours, beers and wheat wines can be made. The specific subspecies of wheat native to the area are Triticum durum, used for noodles and couscous, and Triticum ballicum, a hexaploid wheat grown for flour and alcohol. Amaranth is also an important grain, used mainly in making flatbreads.

Plants

Vegetables common in bahlian cuisine include wapato, bell peppers, turnips, celery, fennels, leeks, chickpeas, among others native to the area. Although not native to Bahl, carrots, tomatoes and potatoes are common. Spices and herbs are also extensively used in bahlian cuisine, including rosemary, saffron and sage. Yerba mate, introduced from Gogg and completely non-native to the area, sees great use in Bahl and is one of the most imported goods in countries like Nanghung.

Meats

Meats common in Bahl include poultry, beef, mutton (sheep and goat) and pork. A common way of preparing pork meat is to spitroast it.

Dairy

Cow and goat dairy are the most consumed in the area, including milk, (cultured) buttermilk, cheeses, butter and ghee. The most important dairy product in the area, and a source of ethnic pride for many bahlians, is jùm mãng, a ricotta-like whey cheese.

Sạt kìm

A common condiment or sauce used extensively in bahlian cuisine is sạt kìm, a fermented salted fish extract used to give food a salty umami flavour. Soy sauce is also widespread and a common vegetarian substitute to sạt kìm.

Dishes

Kęm fù

Kęm fù (Bahlian for "meat bowl") is a sort of soup or stew made with celery, leek and potatoes in a dense, milk-based broth and, central to the dish, it includes meat, usually pork or beef.

Trap

Trap are bahlian dumplings which may be boiled, fried or steamed, and may be filled with meat or vegetables. They take various shapes, but the quintessential trap shape is comparable to that of a large cappelletto, achieved by first laying a disc of dough flat, placing the filling in the middle, closing it by folding it in half, and finally joining each end of the resulting semicircle together. They may also be left semicircle shaped to make kia trap "moon dumplings," or the filling may be sandwiched between two discs to make rạm trap "wheel dumplings," among other methods. Sạt kìm may be added after serving.

Tiụ

Tiụ is the general term for breads, either baked, fried (tręm tiụ) or steamed (sum tiụ), although all these forms take different shapes. Baked breads are made flat (pũ tiụ) and usually filled with jùm mãng cheese and meat, while steamed breads are served as a side dish.

Alcohol

The most common alcoholic beverages in Bahl are beer (kụ), điăng (a distilled beverage made from wheat and amaranth), along with imported whiskey and apple cider from Phyrea.