In the project “Kudablin” We send completely different people on traveling at our expense! Marseille Sharipov visited Dagestan: he learned to prepare the traditional dish of Chokhsky, met the dawn in the mountains and went up to the ancient village of Hamsutl, left by the last resident in 2015. Read more – in his report!
My subscribers, as if, conspired and voted together at number 3, sending me for 3 days to Makhachkala. I decided to break the conditions of the trip and went to complete all 4 tasks of this trip, instead of 1.
Task number 1. Visit the ancient village of Gamsutl
The route from Makhachkala to Gamsutl is a little more than 160 km and 3 hours of exciting mountain landscapes from the car window. There is no direct road to the village and therefore you can only get to it on foot along the slope of Mount Hamsutlmeer. Some a few kilometers to a height of 1,500 km, and you have the central gate. Only rocks and stone walls of houses keep the memory of the khan that gave rise to this place, laying an impregnable fortress here. And now Gamsutl is the village of Razrak.
The last resident left this place in 2015, exchanging his life in the open -air museum at the benefits of civilization. So, time here stopped forever! But it is worth closing your eyes for a minute and presenting pictures from the rich history of the local places: as for centuries they grew up from the rocks of a house with massive wooden doors, windows, verandas and galleries, how the fearless residents of annoying invaders beat off, and how in the mid -19th century Imam Shamil met in all -armed Russian troops, who wanted to conquer freedom -loving highlanders. You open your eyes and in front of you abandoned Hamsutl, crystal silence, from which it rings in your ears, and only the eagles silently dissect the sky in search of prey and all the same abandoned Hamsutl.
Task number 2. Solemnly close the bathing season in the Caspian Sea
I decided to make light adjustments to the task at number 2 and close the bathing season not in the Caspian Sea, but in the Irganay reservoir. This is a young reservoir, created in 2008 at the end of the construction of the Irganay hydroelectric power station on the Avar Koisu River. In incredible purity, water forms a mirror surface, in which in clear weather the majestic mountain ranges and forests are reflected, and at a depth the houses and gardens of local residents remained forever, who did not manage to demolish or cut down in a construction rush.
Swimming in a mountain pond in late September, of course, a risky venture, but very invigorating!
Task number 3. Find out the recipe and learn how to cook your favorite dish of local residents
By the survey, it was found that the favorite dish of local residents are pies from thin dough. For the recipe, I went to the aunt is raised to the mountain village of Chokh. I was waiting for an impromptu kitchen on an ethnodoma terrace with the best view of the mountains, clay dishes, an open fire furnace and good tips on how to prepare a real Chokhsky boot.
Chokhsky booted:
- Home non -acidic dry cottage cheese – 500 g;
- Soda – ½ pinch;
- Wheat flour – 500 g;
- Water for the test – 200-250 ml;
- Salt – 1 pinch;
- Soda – ½ pinch;
- Water for the test – 200-250 ml;
- Butter;
- Oatmeal.
- Mash thoroughly to a homogeneous mass, adding 1/2 of a pinch of soda thoroughly. Divide into 5 parts and roll out the bun from each part.
- Put the dough using water, flour and salt.
- Give the dough to rest for 15 minutes, covering with a towel.
- Divide the dough into 5 parts from each to roll out small cakes the size of a little larger than Kolobs made of cottage cheese.
- Gently wrap the bun from cottage cheese with a cramm with a cramp.
- Roll out a wrapped bun into a cake.
- To fry the cake on each side until golden crust in a hot frying pan without oil.
- Sprinkle the finished cellet with cerebral and generously grease with butter. There is certainly hot.
In my travels, I am ready to refuse to visit restaurants in favor of the opportunity to visit the home kitchen of local residents. And all because home cuisine, of course, is closer and dear to me in the format. Secondly, these are always good traditions, new discoveries and secret recipes. Thirdly, it is always tasty, understandable and sincerely sincerely. That is how the aunts were dazzling in the kitchen, and for this it was my great gratitude to her. You will be in Chokh – be sure to look at her. The delight of hospitality is guaranteed to you!
Task number 4. Spend the night in a tent and meet the dawn on the Avar Koisa River
I can safely admit that I decided to complete this task only in order to meet dawn in the mountains. And did not regret it at all!
For the night, the village of Verkhny Batluh was chosen, but not in the tent because it was successful in the hotel, but in the house in which shepherds from one pasture to another are now stopped.
A small house with a low ceiling, the lack of electricity and domestic conditions, crystal silence, in which the noise of the mountain river is so clearly heard, and such a clear starry sky, after a few hours, changing its color to purple-ahole in the first rays of the sun rising above the mountain ranges, add a fresh wind with an easily guessed aroma Morning dew, and you will roughly feel how it is to meet the dawn in the mountains.
Now no one can say how many times the sun has risen over these mountains, but in one you can be sure for sure – the dawn here is a special admiration that causes Murashkek to run on the back and sincere tears for no reason.
And then there was a breakfast of corn cakes with homemade cheese, spinning water and mountain thyme, a handful of which I collected nearby, and an amazing look. This breakfast is forever in my memory and in the personal collection of the best breakfast in travel.
Afterword. I think I’m not the only one who is skeptical of traveling around Russia, but the trip to Dagestan changed everything. 3 days, 600 km by car, 60 km on foot, new places, new discoveries, new impressions, cool photos, hospitable people and all this in the country in which I live.
The author of the text and photo: Marcel Sharipov (@marselsharipov)
Photo for Preverty: Unsplash.com
