00:00What does a nation's history taste like?
00:02In Kazakhstan, many would say Khamuz,
00:04fermented horse milk and one of the oldest drinks in the world.
00:07In this episode of Modern Nomads,
00:09we travel across the vast depths of Kazakhstan
00:11to discover the story behind this ancient drink.
00:14This is more than just horse milk.
00:16In Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia, we call it Khamuz.
00:20For centuries, this drink fueled and traveled with nomads across the steps,
00:25and today it remains a cherished part of the nomadic culture.
00:28So if you want to understand Kazakhstan's history and traditions more,
00:31start with a bowl of Khamuz.
00:33Welcome to Modern Nomads.
00:38Beyond Central Asia, horse milk is also consumed in Mongolia
00:42and parts of China and Russia.
00:44But Kazakhstan has a special place in Khamuz's history.
00:47At the Botai settlement, archaeologists found evidence
00:49of early horse domestication and traces of mare's milk on ancient pottery.
00:54The Greek historian Herodotus also described Saka tribes
00:57drinking mare's milk in the 5th century BC.
01:00Khamuz was an important source of food for nomads during wartime,
01:04and scientists are still studying its potential benefits.
01:06We asked all the Khamuz producers, they uploaded for the laboratory research work.
01:13We discovered that 80% of the sample was very rich in vitamin A.
01:19More than 60% of the samples was rich by vitamin B1, B2, B5, and B6.
01:28The main miracle is the fatty acid composition.
01:32We have many unsaturated fatty acids,
01:34but also we can speak about the probiotic bacteria.
01:39And I believe that until now, nobody learning about that peptide.
01:45Khamuz is classified by strength and fermentation time,
01:48but the most-priced one is Saumal, freshly milked horse milk.
01:52To taste it, we went to Zhanarka district.
02:01For Ayman Kudjanova, it's part of her daily routine.
02:04She works as a deputy principal at a local school,
02:07but outside of the classroom, she milks around 10 meters a day.
02:11I ate 6 liters.
02:12I ate 5 liters.
02:14I ate 5-6 liters.
02:15What is the difference between horse milking and cow milking?
02:19We ate a lot of milk in the water,
02:21and we ate a lot of milk in the water.
02:24We ate a lot of milk in the water.
02:26I ate a lot of milk in the water.
02:39One of the oldest khamuz traditions is khamuz murunduq,
02:43marking the start of mere milking season.
02:45Traditionally, families returning from winter pastures
02:48would gather to taste the first khamuz of the year and welcome summer.
02:52We came to Ulutaw region to witness that tradition.
02:59From ancient traditions to modern gastro festivals,
03:02every year, farmers from across the country come to Astana
03:05for a Buy Khamuz festival and bring their unique recipes.
03:09Inspired by Germany's October Fest,
03:11the festival celebrates Kazakhstan's own traditional drink khamuz.
03:15It was my first day at October Fest.
03:17I bought it and bought it from the economy.
03:21We bought it and bought it.
03:23There is no place to eat.
03:24We have no food.
03:25We have no food.
03:27We have no food.
03:27We have no food.
03:28We have no food.
03:28We have no food.
03:29We have no food.
03:30We have no food.
03:31We have no food.
03:40You can also find new products made with horse milk, such as khamuz ice cream.
03:45Let's taste it.
03:53It's tasty.
03:54It's very tasty.
03:55Here, horse milk is also winning fans beyond Central Asia.
03:59We've had a few cups already.
04:00It's good.
04:01It's fun.
04:02It's definitely different than anything else I've ever had.
04:04I love it.
04:05It's really good.
04:06It's very unique.
04:06I grew up around horses a lot back in the US, but I had never even thought about drinking
04:12horse milk until I came to Kazakhstan and heard about it.
04:15I think my horse would probably kill me if I tried to milk it, but we'll see.
04:34But you don't have to wait for a gastro festival to try khamuz.
04:38You can find it in supermarkets.
04:40There are also khamuz hana, or khamuz houses in cities across Kazakhstan.
04:44Traditionally, the freshest khamuz was served to guests in a leather, nomadic bottle as
04:49a sign of respect and hospitality.
04:51Today, this tradition continues, and you can come to Kazakhstan to taste it for yourself.
