| Shelpek | |
| Alternate Name: | Chalpak, Chalpyak |
| Region: | Central Asia |
| Creator: | Oghuz Turks |
| Main Ingredient: | Flour, Milk & Kaymak |
Shelpek (Turkmen: çelpek; Kazakh: шелпек|translit=shelpek; Kirghiz; Kyrgyz: май токоч, челпек; Uzbek: чалпак|script=cyrl|translit=chalpek; Uighur; Uyghur: чалпак|script=cyrl|translit=chalpyak) is a traditional Central Asian flatbread commonly consumed all over the region. The main ingredients of shelpek are flour, milk, sugar, butter, sour cream such as Kaymak, baking soda, salt and vegetable oil.[1]
The dough is shaped into balls and fried in hot vegetable oil until reaching a golden color. Shelpek can also be prepared with yeast, thus the dough stays soft for a longer period of time. The recipe to prepare the dough in the given case is similar to the one used for baursak.[2]
Shelpek is especially important on Friday. Friday is the holy day of the week in the Muslim world. The Shelpek is prepared in order to honor the memory of those who died. After cooking, these Shelpek are served with cheese, jam or sour cream, usually in the afternoon, with a cup of tea. This Shelpek can also be used with various stews and curries.[3]