Uyghur stuffed nan, kin to Central Asian gosh nan and gushtli non across Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — "gosh" is Persian for meat, "nan" is Persian for bread. Originally a tandyr-baked road food sold from clay-oven stalls in Kashgar and Hotan; the pan-fried home version emerged later as households without tandyrs adapted the recipe.
Gosh is Persian for meat, nan Persian for bread. Sealing the dough seam tight is what people get wrong — loose seams burst mid-bake, juice leaks, and you end up with dry filling on a soggy bottom.
A flat round of nan dough sealed over a layer of seasoned ground or diced lamb with onion, then baked or pan-fried until the outside is blistered gold and crisp. Cut in wedges, eaten hot. The bottom should crackle; the top should stay soft enough to bend. Fat from the lamb seeps down and oils the pan side.
Sealing the edges matters more than people think. If the dough seam isn't pinched and rolled tight, steam from the lamb breaks the seal mid-bake and the juices leak out — leaving dry filling and a soggy-bottomed nan. A good gosh nan, cut in half, shows a thin layer of meat tightly wrapped, with a small pocket of trapped juice along the inside.
Variations
Kashgar tandyr-baked version is the original street form; Hotan home cooks shallow-fry in lamb fat for crispier base; Uzbek gushtli non runs flatter and thinner with onion-heavy filling.
On the Palate
Where Gosh Nan sits in the Uyghur flavor cloud
Ingredients
How it's made
5 steps · 40 min active + 1 hour waiting
- 110 min
Dissolve yeast in warm water and let it sit until frothy. Combine with flour to form a dough, kneading until smooth and elastic.
Watch outEnsure the water is not too hot or it will kill the yeast.
- 20 min
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- 310 min
Prepare the filling by sautéing finely chopped onion, garlic, and cumin in a pan until fragrant. Add minced lamb and cook until browned.
Watch outMake sure the lamb is fully browned to enhance flavor.
- 415 min
Roll out the proofed dough into circles, place a spoonful of the lamb mixture in the center, and fold the dough over to seal.
Watch outEnsure the edges are sealed well to prevent filling from leaking.
- 55 min
Bake the gosh nan in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) until the bread is golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.
Watch outCheck for doneness as ovens may vary; look for a golden color.
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