Ana Diyar Uyghur

152 Thomas St, Dandenong Vic 3175 , (03) 9791 8816
Score: 28/40
Lamb is certainly the star of the show at Ana Diyar, which offers a slice of Uyghur cuisine tucked away in the middle of Dandenong.

The carpeted steps promised mystery. We followed the path of faded reds and frayed greens into a spacious room, empty for the most part, the air heavy with the smell of meat, lamb to be exact.

Uyghur food is a curious mix, combining elements of Chinese and Turkic cooking techniques, with charcoal-grilled kebabs going hand in hand with dumplings and noodles. For a brief moment in time the Uyghurs held the keys to the famed silk-road and their food certainly reflects the diverse ingredients – cumin, chillis, and tomatoes — that came from around the world and found a home in Uyghur kitchens.

We started our meal with a lamb soup, Xurpa, and it is just the sort of fortification one craves on a cold winter night and exemplifies the simplicity of Uyghur food. Neck, ribs and joints simmered in a pot with onions and tomatoes, until the bones release their essence, with the marrow giving the liquid a rich unctuous finish. Not a lot of technique but big on flavour.

The soup was followed up by a serve of Manti, boiled dumplings filled with minced lamb. With hints of chilli, cumin and coriander, these little bags proved to be a rather assertive partner to the soup.

Then came the Kebabs and Naans, and not the kind one would pick up in their regular curry haunt, but rather more rustic and uncomplicated. Plump, fatty pieces of lamb on skewer dusted in fiery red chilli powder failed to win over everyone on the table, but perhaps we needed to consume 10 or 20 more skewers to fully realise their goodness. A plan our neighbouring table was certainly sticking to.

The naan was solid, weighty and most importantly represented a tradition of bread making that stretches across Central Asia, Turkey, Persia and India. Now consumed in its many incarnations across the globe, the bread is perfect for soaking up sauces or wrapping around a kebab.

A small pause and we were back on the saddle, this time with a plate of stir fried lamb kidneys and some deep fried lamb with rice. I have always had a weakness for offal and when it takes pride of place in a menu, well let’s just say, I was dangerously close to ignoring my dining companions altogether.

The kidneys had a fantastic finish, their distinct flavour accentuated by the liberal use of cumin, chilli and capsicum. The trouble with cooking organs is retaining their delicate texture and the dish was successful for the most part.

The deep fried lamb came with capsicum, onions and black mushrooms and proved to be a crowd pleaser. Bold and well balanced the tomatoes and peppers just kept the lamb from running away with the show and the mushrooms rounded off a splendid dish.

Ana Diyar is a treat for the carnivore and its refreshingly uncomplicated food, nuanced with a number of influences, provides a lovely glimpse of Uyghur cuisine and culture.  One small regret though, the restaurant closes by 9:00pm on weekdays (10:00pm on weekends) and the unfortunate closing time meant us missing out on Langman, handmade noodles, a cherished Uyghur dish.

But then again Dandenong is a lot closer than Urumqi or Kashghar.

Website:  www.uyghurrestaurant.com.au