Shelpek

Shelpek is a type of flatbread native to Kazakhstan. It is produced with flour, sugar, milk, salt, yeast or baking powder, and frying oil. When the dough is ready, it is divided into balls and rolled into a thin circle.

The disks are placed in hot oil and cooked until browned on both sides. Shelpek is especially important on Friday, the holiest day of the week in the Muslim faith, and the flatbread is prepared to remember those who have died. On Fridays, the holiest day of the week in Islam, seven or more shelpeks are traditionally distributed in Kazakhstan. They are presented to friends and neighbors, left in mosques, or made holy by reading The Koran. This practice of remembering the dead is shared by many Turkic peoples. When finished, these flatbreads are folded and served with cheese, jam, or sour cream, typically in the afternoon, with a cup of tea on the side.

This light and delicate flatbread goes well with a variety of stews and curries.