Cooking & Markets

1. پولۇ قانداق پىشۇرىلىدۇ؟

   Po-lu qan-daq pi-shur-li-du?

   How is plov (pilaf) cooked?

   Usage

   Asking how to cook the traditional Uyghur dish plov

   Grammar Note

   "Pishur" (cook) → passive "pishüril-" + present "-idu." Using passive to ask about cooking methods is natural in Uyghur.

2. مەن تۇز سالمايمەن

   Men tuz sal-may-men

   I don't add salt

   Usage

   Indicating that you don't use salt while cooking

   Grammar Note

   "Sal" (put in / add) is the verb for adding ingredients or seasoning while cooking. "-may" + "-men" = negative 1st person.

3. لەڭمەننى مۇشۇ رېتسىپت بويىچە قىلىمەن

   Leng-men-ni mu-shu ret-sipt boy-i-che qi-li-men

   I make lagman (noodle dish) according to this recipe

   Usage

   Saying you follow this recipe to make the traditional Uyghur pulled noodle dish lagman

   Grammar Note

   "Boyiche" (according to / following) is a postposition showing method or standard. "Retsipt" is from Russian "retsept."

4. گۆشنى ئاستا ئوتتا پىشۇرۇڭ

   Gö-sh-ni as-ta ot-ta pi-shu-rung

   Cook the meat slowly on low heat

   Usage

   Instructing to cook meat slowly over low heat

   Grammar Note

   "-üng" is the polite imperative suffix. "Asta otta" (on low heat) uses the locative case.

5. سامسا پىشۇرۇشنى سۆيىمەن

   Sam-sa pi-shur-ush-ni söy-ü-men

   I love baking samsa (filled pastry)

   Usage

   Saying you enjoy baking the traditional Uyghur pastry samsa

   Grammar Note

   "Söy" (love/cherish) expresses stronger affection than "yakhshi kor" (like). "-imen" is 1st person present.

6. بۇ ئاشقا قانچە ئۇن سالىدۇ؟

   Bu ash-qa qan-che un sa-li-du?

   How much flour goes into this dish?

   Usage

   Asking about the quantity of flour for a recipe

   Grammar Note

   "-qa" is the dative postposition. "Sal" (to add/put in) + present "-idu."

7. تامىقىڭىز ئەجەب مەزە

   Ta-miq-ingniz e-jeb me-ze

   Your cooking is wonderfully delicious

   Usage

   Complimenting someone's cooking

   Grammar Note

   "Meze" (taste/flavour) is a Persian loanword. "Ejeb" (wonderful/amazing) from Arabic "ajab," used for emphasis.

8. قوزا گۆشى بىلەن ياسالغان ئاش

   Qo-za gö-shi bi-len ya-sal-ghan ash

   A dish made with lamb

   Usage

   Describing a lamb-based dish, a staple in Uyghur cuisine

   Grammar Note

   "Yasal" is the passive of "yasa" (to make/build). "-ghan/-gen" is the past participle suffix (made/built).

9. قازان قايسى توختاشتا تۇرىدۇ؟

   Qa-zan qay-si tokh-tash-ta tu-ri-du?

   Which shelf is the pot on?

   Usage

   Asking where a pot or kitchen item is kept

   Grammar Note

   "Tur" (to stand/exist) is widely used to express location or existence. "Qaysi" (which) modifies nouns as an interrogative.

10. ئۇيغۇر تائاملىرىنى ئۆگىنىشكە قىزىقىمەن

    Uy-ghur ta-am-li-ri-ni ö-ge-nish-ke qi-ziq-i-men

    I am interested in learning Uyghur cooking

    Usage

    Expressing interest in Uyghur culinary traditions

    Grammar Note

    "Ögenishke" = verbal noun "ögenish" (learning) + dative "-ke" (for/towards). "Qiziq" (interesting) forms the verb "to be interested."

11. يېمەكلىك ماي

    Yé-mek-lik may

    Cooking oil

    Usage

    ماي alone also means fat or butter, so "yémeklik" pins it to cooking oil

12. سىركە

    Sir-ke

    Vinegar

    Usage

    The condiment served with noodle dishes; point at the bottle on the table

13. سېرىق ماي

    Sé-riq may

    Butter

    Usage

    Literally "yellow fat"; plain ماي would mean oil or fat in general

14. پىشلاق

    Pish-laq

    Cheese

    Usage

    Also useful for checking a dish when you are avoiding dairy

15. ھەسەل

    He-sel

    Honey

    Usage

    Honey from the Ili valley is a Xinjiang speciality, sold by weight in the bazaar

16. دوفۇ

    Do-fu

    Tofu

    Usage

    A Chinese loanword; a workable substitute when you are avoiding meat

17. سامساق

    Sam-saq

    Garlic

    Usage

    One letter apart from "samsa" (سامسا), the meat pastry — point at the real thing to be safe

18. پىياز

    Pi-yaz

    Onion

    Usage

    It goes into almost every Uyghur dish; use it when asking for it to be left out

19. زەنجىۋىل

    Zen-ji-wil

    Ginger

    Usage

    Used in cooking and in tea; also handy for asking for ginger tea when unwell

20. ئاچچىق مۇچ

    Ach-chiq much

    Chili pepper

    Usage

    The source of the heat; point at it to have it left out. Distinct from مۇرۇچ (pepper spice)

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