What did Ibn Battuta eat in the steppes?
Ibn Battuta described the food of these Turks which included “dugi” (a millet porridge). They poured curdled mares’ milk over this. The meat they ate most often was horse flesh and sheep’s flesh which was roasted or boiled. He said that the Turks “do not eat any meat unless the bones are mixed with it” and they dipped their meat into a salt-water sauce. They also had “rishta” (a kind of macaroni cooked and eaten with milk). Ibn Battuta mentions some bread and fruits: grapes, apples, pears, quinces. These Turks didn’t seem to like sweetmeats at all and regarded eating it a disgrace. They drank mares’ milk (“qumizz” which Ibn Battuta found “disagreeable”) and millet beer (“buza” which Ibn Battuta couldn’t drink because he was a strict Muslim). Continue across the steppes – [Press Here] To return to the previous secion [press here]. To return to the Introduction, press [here].
