Perhaps nothing shows that mix of unique identity and shared culture as much as Kyrgyzstan’s food, particularly its fried dough. One of the country’s most traditional breads is borsook. These small, puffy pillows – which are surprisingly light and airy, despite being fried in oil – taste like a fluffier version of what you might find at a county fair or a circus.

The difference is that they aren’t sweet. Though you can add jam or honey, many Kyrgyz eat them savoury and plain: a toothsome accompaniment to plates of chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, horse-milk butter and endless cups of tea. Variations of borsook are found throughout Central Asia, including in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (where it is often shaped into balls) and Tajikistan (where it is given a decorative criss-cross pattern with a strainer).

In Kyrgyzstan, borsook is a staple at celebrations, holidays and memorials, often scattered over the table in what is, particularly in one of Asia’s poorest countries, a lavish display of abundance and generosity. One explanation for borsook’s popularity across the region is that it is relatively fast to make as well as easy to transport – both appealing qualities to Central Asia’s nomadic cultures.

But making borsook is about much more than mere convenience. (Credit: Amanda Ruggeri)