At the Uyghur Table

Polo is the dish of celebrations: rice cooked slowly in a large pot with lamb, yellow and orange carrots and onions, often served on a shared platter.

Lagman is made from dough that is stretched by hand into long noodles, served with a stir-fry of meat and vegetables. Making the noodles well is a skill passed down in families.

Samsa and nan are baked in a tonur, a clay oven. Nan comes in many sizes and patterns, and a table is rarely set without it. Tea is served with almost every meal.