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Zhal-zhaya
Zhal-zhaya: Kazakh pressed and boiled brisket with its fat, made here with beef
Zhal and zhaya are two prized cuts from the Kazakh feast: zhal is the band of fat from the crest of a horse's neck and zhaya the meaty rump, salted, sometimes smoked, then boiled, pressed and sliced thin to serve cold beside kazy at weddings and Nauryz. They are traditionally horse meat; this recipe uses beef brisket with its fat cap, which gives the same layered slices of meat and fat, as the site does not use horse. A common mistake is slicing it warm, which crumbles the meat and smears the fat. Chef's tip: press it overnight under a weight in the fridge; it sets into a firm block that slices into neat, thin layers.
- Total time
- 210 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the brisket
- 3 ⅓ lb beef brisket with its fat capin one piece
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black peppercoarsely ground
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
For cooking
- 16 ¾ cups water
- 1 onionhalved
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
To serve
- 1 red onionsliced into rings
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅓ lb beef brisket with its fat cap with 3 tsp salt, 2 tsp black pepper and 4 cloves garlic. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 days, turning once.
Step 2: Put the brisket in 16 ¾ cups water with 1 onion, 3 bay leaves and 1 tsp black peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, skim and cook very gently for 2½–3 hours, until a skewer slides in with almost no resistance.
180 minStep 3: Lift out and put in a dish. Cover with baking paper, put a board on top and weigh down with 2–3 kg. Cool, then refrigerate overnight. Common mistake: slicing it warm; it falls apart.
Step 4: Slice very thinly across the grain and serve cold with 1 red onion.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zhal-zhaya take?
- About 210 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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