00:17In Uzbekistan, bread is a symbol of life, respect and hospitality.
00:21No table is complete without it.
00:24It's treated with care, never wasted and always shared.
00:27Across the country, each region has developed its own varieties, from thick, rich loose to lighter, crisp bread, each with
00:34distinct patterns and preparation methods.
00:37Our journey begins in Hiva, an ancient city in the northwest of the country, known for its preserved architecture and
00:43deep-rooted culinary traditions.
00:48Horazen bread is thick, dense and baked in a tender until the crust turns crisp.
00:53Locals say it should never be cut with a knife, only broken by hand and shared at the table.
00:59Making traditional Uzbek bread is a precise, multi-stage process.
01:03First, the dough is prepared.
01:05It is then divided and shaped.
01:08Next comes stamping the pattern before the bread is placed inside the tender to bake.
01:13Finally, the bread is removed once fully cooked.
01:16Following the baker's guidance, we also try to make our own bread, shaping the dough, stamping the pattern and carefully
01:23placing it inside the tender.
01:34As Isajan explains, baking methods in Hiva have evolved.
01:38In the past, tanders were heated with firewood.
01:41Today, many bakeries use gas to maintain a stable temperature.
01:45Still, the essence of the process remains unchanged.
01:57And what about the bread we prepared?
02:04In Hiva, bakeries can be found on Olmos Air Street.
02:08Many have been operating for decades.
02:10Preserving techniques passed down through generations.
02:34From the historic streets of Hiva, we continue our journey east to Samarkand, where bread has its own distinctive identity.
02:41Samarkand bread is known for its unique shape and rich face.
02:45Fourth-generation baker Hamza Haydar explains what makes it different.
03:07Another key element Hamza says is the use of natural water during the preparation process.
03:30In local bazaars, one of the first things you notice is a wide variety of bread on display.
03:36As bread seller Shaira Sharibova explains, high quality has turned bread into a popular gift.
03:56Our journey continues to the Fergana Valley, to Andujan, where patir bread holds a special place in daily life.
04:03In the Fergana Valley, bread is part of everyday culture.
04:07Patir baked in traditional clay owens is known for its rich taste and distinctive shape.
04:12Each piece typically weighs around 2.5 kilograms, reflecting baza scale and tradition of local baking.
04:18Masuda Khonegan Berziva, who has been selling patir at the local bazaar for years, says bread plays a central role
04:25in these traditions.
04:39Bread in Uzbekistan is closely tied to daily life and family traditions.
04:44In Hyva, Samarkand and Fergana Valley, each region has its own character in tests, texture and the way it's made.
04:51Bread in Uzbekistan.
04:52Bread in Uzbekistan.
04:55Bread in Uzbekistan.
04:58Bread in Uzbekistan.
05:00Bread in Uzbekistan.
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