Tourists Never Come Here in Uzbekistan 🇺🇿

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]Screw the supermarket. Forget Walmart, Target, forget about it. Here in Uzbekistan in this region, people wait over a week to come to the bazaar, which is a large outdoor market, basically a farmers market on steroids.

[00:00:22]I'm being grabbed.

[00:00:24]Assalam Alaykum. And here we are at the Wednesday bazaar. We're in the region of Kashkadarya.

[00:00:30]And we're here with Behrooz. Hello.

[00:00:32]Homie. Yeah, Assalam Alaykum, y'all.

[00:00:35]Assalam Alaykum, and we're about to shake it up. Yeah, we're in Kukdale.

[00:00:40]So, in local market called it Chor Bakr.

[00:00:43]Everybody knows. Yeah.

[00:00:45]Uh, so yeah. Let's get started. Let's dive in.

[00:01:01]We used to sell stuff like that.

[00:01:03]>> You know them? Yeah, I know them. I know most of a lot of them.

[00:01:07]You don't see this anywhere there.

[00:01:11]If you were to live here in this region of Uzbekistan, this is where you would get everything for your home.

[00:01:17]And I mean everything.

[00:01:19]Behrooz, is there one thing you can't find here? Nah. It's literally everything.

[00:01:25]Shoes, clothing, fruit, vegetables, soap, whatever this is. Now, we are heading to the >> [laughter] >> animal market. There are animals that you can find. Right. So, not only is this, you know, have all the goods you need, but they also have the livestock.

[00:01:40]>> Yeah. If you need a goat to go home and make some good eats, they got it here for you. If you need a cow, you want to milk a cow for some milk, they got it.

[00:01:52]Let's Let's go.

[00:01:55]What's that?

[00:01:56]Look at this.

[00:01:57]This is a little calf here, baby cow.

[00:02:00]>> [laughter] >> Bekruz knows everyone here, I swear to god. He's like a He's like a mob boss.

[00:02:04]He's well connected. And look at this.

[00:02:08]We're crossing over the river here.

[00:02:10]There are animals that came from different villages of the Kashkadarya.

[00:02:15]Yeah.

[00:02:15]>> So, they are going to kill it, buy it from here.

[00:02:19]You can see the people are carrying like cows So, the farmers from the villages, they all come here. Yeah. Salaam alaikum.

[00:02:31]It's okay, you want to say hi?

[00:02:33]You want to say hi?

[00:02:38]America? Yeah.

[00:02:40]Nice to meet you. Okay, take care.

[00:02:42]Wow.

[00:02:45]What's up, dude? This is a bull? Oh, [ __ ] The bulls are high testosterone, they're high test. So, they start running at you.

[00:02:57]These guys are freaking cute, man.

[00:03:00]We're probably going to have that for lunch later for plov.

[00:03:03]This is the lamb with the ginormous ass.

[00:03:07]>> [laughter] >> They actually eat the fat here.

[00:03:12]Yeah.

[00:03:13]Salaam alaikum.

[00:03:14]The ass of the lamb is the most tasty.

[00:03:18]It's just straight fat, and they put it on the skewer.

[00:03:22]And you just grill it up, and you eat it. Look at this. This is a donkey? No, it's [ __ ] horse like that. It's like a pony.

[00:03:29]Skip the tourist sites, right? Bekruz, you know? You come to the market here.

[00:03:33]>> [laughter] >> Oh my god. And this is the real Uzbek experience, in my opinion. I mean, this is something you'll never find in America.

[00:03:42]Look at the size of that.

[00:03:45]Cow, cow. Cow.

[00:03:47]Big, big cow. Be careful with the bulls.

[00:03:50]They might attack you.

[00:03:52]There is the horse horse side.

[00:03:57]>> Salam alaykum.

[00:04:00]It's like a giant hill, right? At the top of the hill is where the selling is happening, the transactions for the animals.

[00:04:07]YouTube? YouTube.

[00:04:10]So, this is the horse market.

[00:04:12]>> Yes, there is the cow market.

[00:04:15]Wow, this is [ __ ] huge. Do you come here every week, bro? No English, no.

[00:04:19]No.

[00:04:21]Every Wednesday.

[00:04:23]Okay. So, Behrouz tells me, "Oh, there's a market on Wednesday. You got to go.

[00:04:27]It's quite big." I'm thinking, "Okay, market.

[00:04:31]Been there, done that."

[00:04:33]Look at the size of this market. This is like nothing you've ever seen.

[00:04:43]Let's go to see the negotiation. They're going to negotiate, dude. I'm assuming it's like an auction. It's like storage wars for cattle and livestock. Yeah, it is. So, somehow they are they are just going to negotiate, you know, like the buyer tell his price and in the middle they are going to negotiate. I'm just looking for somebody who's negotiating.

[00:05:03]They are going to do this the best way they are.

[00:05:06]If you don't negotiate, they know you're a foreigner right off the bat.

[00:05:12]So, these guys are about to negotiate.

[00:05:16]For this one?

[00:05:21]So, they are going to shake the hands.

[00:05:22]The hands, yeah.

[00:05:24]Why? Why do they do that?

[00:05:26]For the agreement of price. It it is the like local way. Oh, okay.

[00:05:33]So, this shaking of the hands is actually lowering the price.

[00:05:36]>> Yes.

[00:05:37]The longer he holds the hand, the more the price decreases.

[00:05:44]Wow.

[00:05:48]This is crazy.

[00:05:51]Oh my gosh, your hands are huge.

[00:05:54]Nice to meet you.

[00:06:00]Yeah. The use is a transportation.

[00:06:04]They are going to like load the loads here. Yeah, because the market is so big.

[00:06:13]Look at this. Absolutely. This, you know.

[00:06:16]>> It's like a concert, but it's so large that they have to use the donkey to get the goods to their car, right? Because the car is all the way over there.

[00:06:25]Yeah, it's going He just slapped his head.

[00:06:29]This is the best way actually to negotiate. So this is how they negotiate here. This is amazing. Look at this.

[00:06:42]Every slap is a decrease in price? Yes, the deal is broken.

[00:06:50]Usually it's rare action to see women in here. Like like men who sell and deal negotiate. And there are like special people who is good at negotiation. They are get some part part of the deal like 1% or something like that.

[00:07:06]>> So there is people that are the negotiators that are really good at getting a good deal in the family? No, in in in here. They work They work in the negotiation.

[00:07:17]>> So it's their job to negotiate?

[00:07:18]>> Yes.

[00:07:22]I probably stepped in so much cow [ __ ] This is the biggest freaking market I've ever ever been to, man. This is I love it. I love this. They are both bloggers. Bloggers? People from Kashkadarya especially they are going to watch it. They are going to love it.

[00:07:41]They are going to see the prices. I see.

[00:07:44]>> They're going to check out. So, this is a blogger that kind of shows people the prices, the current price the current cattle market.

[00:07:52]>> Yes. One guy missed the market, right?

[00:07:55]Yeah. So, they're they're going to come and like check check out.

[00:07:59]>> Oh, that's so sick.

[00:08:03]Two bloggers.

[00:08:06]Uh my name is Ilhomjon. Il- Ilhomjon?

[00:08:11]He's a cow blogger. Yeah. Respect you.

[00:08:15]Let's go get some food or drink. It's hot as hell.

[00:08:18]>> [music] >> He wants to take a picture with you.

[00:08:21]>> Oh, okay.

[00:08:29]Yes, sir. This is the bull market. It's where they barter for the big boys, the big bulls, man.

[00:08:39]Oh!

[00:08:41]Oh, you're strong, bro.

[00:08:43]He's freaking controlling the cow with one hand.

[00:08:49]My god. These are real men here in Uzbekistan.

[00:08:54]Hey Beruz, you think they drink soy milk in the morning, these guys?

[00:08:57]Nah, these are real men.

[00:08:59]This is actually the traditional clothing. Assalamualaikum.

[00:09:03]Ah, yes, missus. This one? Yes, this is the chopan. Yes, chopan. This is a This is the Uzbek.

[00:09:10]Yes, yes.

[00:09:12]Oh, I'm being grabbed.

[00:09:16]>> [laughter] >> Beruz, they're taking me.

[00:09:20]I don't know.

[00:09:23]Oh, he's taking me.

[00:09:25]Oh, no filming?

[00:09:26]No camera?

[00:09:27]I don't know. No, no, no filming. Oh, see, this is the chopan.

[00:09:31]This is the This is the chopan. This is tradition. It keeps you warm in winter.

[00:09:36]And then, like in summer it keeps you like, you know, cool. Oh, okay. For real. The material?

[00:09:42]>> Yeah, the material. Assalam alaykum, sir. Yaxshimisiz? See, he's very traditional right now.

[00:09:48]Boom boom.

[00:09:50]I don't know what that means.

[00:09:51]Okay, let's go get some food.

[00:09:56]I'm so thirsty right now and I can get some food as well.

[00:10:00]Luckily, we are in the Uzbek Walmart.

[00:10:03]Uzbek.

[00:10:05]This is This is better than the supermarket, brother.

[00:10:08]English.

[00:10:09]Right here actually is the unique thing about Uzbekistan. They have yellow carrots.

[00:10:14]I'll take a picture of these carrots here.

[00:10:17]It's all natural, bro. It's like, you know.

[00:10:19]>> Look at that [ __ ] I mean, it's still dirty.

[00:10:21]>> fresh. It's still got the dirt on it.

[00:10:25]Wow, this is the meat section if I've ever seen one.

[00:10:35]The heart of the cow.

[00:10:37]>> Yes. From a huge cow. The tongue.

[00:10:39]You have the heart. There is tongue. The lungs. Assalam alaykum. Walaykumsalam.

[00:10:44]How are you?

[00:10:46]So, you got all the fats. How do you say the fat? Fat is the fat. Dumba dumba dumba. Nice hat.

[00:10:52]Uzbekistan, good. Uzbekistan.

[00:10:58]What did he say?

[00:10:59]America America.

[00:11:03]Assalam alaykum.

[00:11:05]The one that we eat. Okay, look at this.

[00:11:08]This meal sheep food.

[00:11:13]It looks to be tender sheep. It's soaking. There's so much fat.

[00:11:19]In locals, we have shalyaqna.

[00:11:23]And also here they are going to come.

[00:11:25]They are going to cook at home and come here to sell it. Ah, okay. So, this is something you only find in the market, right? This is the most natural way of cooking.

[00:11:36]Okay. So, we're getting a taste test before the big plate.

[00:11:39]The young lamb, the yak meat. Look at that, sir. Look at all that fat. So juicy.

[00:11:50]You know what? Food shouldn't be that good. It melts in your mouth like butter.

[00:11:57]Local chill yak meat.

[00:11:59]All right, have a good one.

[00:12:01]We got the fat soaked pills.

[00:12:04]Why is she taking it?

[00:12:06]The old road is this side. This some woman just walked up to us and grabbed our plate. 10 thousand. And she brought us to her stand.

[00:12:15]What is this?

[00:12:18]It's my mante. Mante?

[00:12:20]It goes really smooth with mante, bro.

[00:12:24]This is crazy.

[00:12:26]Hey.

[00:12:27]As-salamu alaykum.

[00:12:30]How are you missus? YouTuber.

[00:12:33]YouTuber? Uh YouTube video.

[00:12:36]They don't understand what I'm doing.

[00:12:40]How do I explain this to an American?

[00:12:42]How do I explain this to someone in the West?

[00:12:49]This is absolute chaos.

[00:12:52]Oh, there she is. There she is.

[00:12:57]So, this is what we got to to munch on.

[00:12:59]We got the ginormous piece of bread.

[00:13:02]They knew that you love choice.

[00:13:05]They gave us try, too. Look at the size of that, people. They know me.

[00:13:09]We have the mante, which is like a dumpling.

[00:13:12]Yes, it looks like a dumpling. It's Uzbek version of dumpling. Dipping into the fat? Yes, and try that.

[00:13:19]It's like this.

[00:13:26]Inside there is a little amount of onion. That is incredible.

[00:13:31]The sheep is the meat is literally bone and everything.

[00:13:36]It's so so tender.

[00:13:38]And then the manti soaks up all of the juice.

[00:13:43]And then you have the raw onions.

[00:13:45]It's a compliment everything.

[00:13:47]Oh, that rich fatty meat and we have the cold crisp onions.

[00:13:56]As I mentioned before, it's a food court. Local food court. But you can find like, you know, every natural like, you know, food that exists. You would say food court. I think I would say heaven. I would call this heaven.

[00:14:09]Look at this.

[00:14:12]As-salamu alaykum, guys.

[00:14:13]>> This is how they make make.

[00:14:15]There is the raw material of samsa. Yep.

[00:14:19]This is the dough and then he takes it, puts it on the wall here.

[00:14:22]>> Yes.

[00:14:22]They are going to stick to the wall.

[00:14:26]This is like a tag team duo. One of them just hands him the dough.

[00:14:30]And the other one just puts it in the oven.

[00:14:34]You you can He lines the entire wall.

[00:14:36]There's no empty space here. Uh how many years have you been doing this?

[00:14:42]It's second year.

[00:14:44]Who's a second year? Only your second year?

[00:14:47]Okay. He was student.

[00:14:50]He's been student for almost 15 years.

[00:14:54]15?

[00:14:55]Like, you know, second year is the master.

[00:15:00]Uh so he put some water on here so that they stick to the wall.

[00:15:03]>> Yes. Stick to the wall. Yes.

[00:15:07]So if I was to become a samsa master, how long would it take me to at least be able I if you are really interested in you you can be in 1 month. 1 month? Yeah, 1 month. Okay, perfect. Can I work here for you though?

[00:15:37]Yes.

[00:15:41]He say Qora Buruq Dehqon Bozori. Qora Buruq Dehqon Bozori. Yes. This is the local bazaar here.

[00:15:48]In Uzbekistan, baby.

[00:15:50]Let's do it.

[00:15:52]All right, let's get out of this guy's way.

[00:15:57]He's like He's like what is this guy doing? This stupid American. No, no, he's not saying it.

[00:16:02]So, he he's talking about the history of the bazaar. Okay. The the market was open 1996.

[00:16:11]1996, okay. It's freaking like 30 years.

[00:16:14]Wow. So, 5 years after they gained independence.

[00:16:17]>> Yes. Uzbekistan hasn't been independent.

[00:16:19]It was only until 1991.

[00:16:24]And this is a This is a an OG. This guy's been coming here for for 30 years. He's been coming here and getting his fruit.

[00:16:34]So, nice to meet you, sir. Rahmat. Have a good one. How much is a one samsa?

[00:16:42]Three samsas 14,000.

[00:16:45]Three for 10,000?

[00:16:46]>> Yeah, $1. That is unreal. This place is Uzbekistan is so freaking cheap and so much good food.

[00:16:55]And now he's going to take out the samsas with this tool here.

[00:16:58]He uses this metal stake to scrape them off the wall. Look at this.

[00:17:11]Put them straight on the plate. Rahmat, chef.

[00:17:14]Fresh from that tandoor. We got chef behind me, so He's going to be watching me, so I'm scared.

[00:17:23]We're going to try this Let's give it a go here.

[00:17:30]All fresh samsa from the tandoor. It's so flaky. The actual pastry is so thin, and there's so much meat in there. It's like filled with meat and onions, and it's so hot.

[00:17:42]It's the freshest you can get. That is delicious. Wow. I guess what I'm thinking of is sort of like an empanada, sort of similar to this flaky pastry, you know, here in Uzbekistan. They just fill it with meat and onion.

[00:17:55]Mhm.

[00:17:58]He's the student of Shakhruh aka Mhm.

[00:18:00]Dovlet Dovlet The entire bottom of the pastry is filled with onions. It's so much flavorful onion power.

[00:18:11]And then with that meat The difference between Tashkent samsa and Kashkadarya samsa is the the flavor inside.

[00:18:18]So, it's going to be more meat.

[00:18:21]So, let's give it a go.

[00:18:26]Hot and good.

[00:18:27]It's very hot.

[00:18:29]But, how flaky, right? It's like the flakes are just falling apart.

[00:18:33]You can see how crispy it is.

[00:18:35]It's delicious, man. So, what would you rate it like out of your experience? 10 out of 10. 10 out of 10? And this guy is from Kashkadarya. This guy is an Uzbek.

[00:18:43]I love just dousing it in the sauce.

[00:18:47]We're going to probably get out of here.

[00:18:49]It's really freaking hot, and I'm tired of walking around here. It was awesome experience, though.

[00:18:54]The local You don't see tourists here, usually.

[00:18:58]Yeah. The people don't doesn't really see because only locals know such stuff.

[00:19:04]Do you live in Kashkadarya? That's why I love this place, man, cuz no one knows about this. Uzbekistan has so many touristic monuments and buildings that are beautiful, but this has been my favorite experience by far. I will never forget this.

[00:19:19]All right, let's go let's go teach some English.

[00:19:29]So, just to lay this out for you guys, we're kind of in a village right now in Uzbekistan. These kids right here all of them they come from humble backgrounds. Most of them, you know, their family works maybe on the farm.

[00:19:42]And all of these kids are choosing to be here to learn English. They're choosing to be here today to listen to me for some reason. I don't know why. I'm wearing shorts.

[00:19:53]I look like I just stepped in This is the man I think good. The director of this school, principal of this school is here.

[00:20:02]>> the guy behind it all. Mashallah. I am Mashallah. What do you do? I am the principal of the school. Yes.

[00:20:09]I am teaching It's not my main subject teaching.

[00:20:13]Yeah, he's This is the guy that's really making it happen here. He's teaching the kids English. I was just explaining all of these kids kind of They don't They're not taught English.

[00:20:22]Right. They choose to come here because they want to learn English. Yes. And you invited me today to just kind of speak [clears throat] with them, maybe inspire them a little bit, and help them to understand the language. Language is English language I mean.

[00:20:36]Yeah, let's go. I'm under-qualified right now, but yeah, let's get it. Come in. Yeah. And now if you have any questions maybe you have you can ask. And I'm 22 years old from Chicago, Illinois. It's on the opposite side of the world from where I live, so things are very different in a good way.

[00:20:57]Things are very interesting to me. I feel like I'm back in class with all the students. I think I want to study here. Say hello.

[00:21:06]That was a dope experience getting to talk to the kids helping them to learn English.

[00:21:13]It was the first time they ever saw someone from America. So, that just goes to show how kind of remote this place is.

[00:21:20]Anyway, now we're going to the the watermelon fields and this place is famous this region of Kashkadarya. It is a face of Uzbekistan for watermelon.

[00:21:30]Literally, we are in Khushkhale, the village called Khushkhale.

[00:21:36]On today's episode of Side Quests in Uzbekistan. Assalamualaikum.

[00:21:40]How are you, sir?

[00:21:44]I've never seen a watermelon being actually grown. It always just appears in the supermarket.

[00:21:51]Give him the money. Oh, that is freaking heavy, man. Holy [ __ ] Fresh roots.

[00:21:59]You got the fresh watermelon right from the ground. In this little place, this little region in Uzbekistan, they have these massive farms and they ship them all over to Russia, all the neighboring countries, the 'stans.

[00:22:12]Mashallah.

[00:22:14]Thank you, brother. Thank you. Let's try this. Try it right now? Yes. Okay, how do we It's all fresh. There's just a knife sticking out of it. Let me do this. You you try it first and then I'll try it. All right.

[00:22:30]Tell you what, it's the warmest watermelon I've ever had. You're still going to the supermarket.

[00:22:34]>> [laughter] >> That's funny because over here, we don't do that [ __ ] We go to the farm. We pick our watermelons out of the ground.

[00:22:42]Uh motherland of watermelon. We're literally in the home of watermelons, baby. We just picked up these two bad boys for around five bucks. They're literally five pounds each. I think that's where I'll leave you guys and I'll see you all in the next one. Peace.