Tajik Bread

Tajik bread occupies a special place in Tajikistan cuisine; it is served at every meal and treated with the utmost respect. For example, bread should not be thrown away or placed on unclean surfaces such as the floor. 

Traditional bread in Tajikistan is called naan. It is served at most meals and is round, leavened and baked fresh daily. Loaf-shaped bread produced in factories is also sold in stores but is not the bread of choice for most families. There are hundreds of special bakeries in the country where traditional Tajik naan is prepared each day. Nearly all of the bakers are men, for it takes strength to knead a hundred plus loaves a day.

In addition to ordinary naan, many delicious variations of Tajik bread can also be found:
- obi-non – round loaves made from a basic dough mixed with water;
-  kalama – flaky flatbreads which resemble a puff pastry;
- fatir – another flaky bread in which oil or fat is added to the dough;
-  kulcha-non - miniatures loaves of naan bread;
-  gidracha - a large flatbread prepared only in an earthen tandoor oven;
-  noni-kok - a dry flatbread; 
- chapoti - very thin bread which resembles a large tortilla.

You can also find a sweet, spiced honey bread and a special bread in Dushanbe which is made from a mixture of wheat and rye flour.