🌿 A Culinary Heritage That Inspired Me

Though I wasn’t Dungan by heritage, I was fortunate to grow up immersed in a small Dungan community in Kazakhstan. Each day, I watched Dungan women prepare vibrant, aromatic dishes—recipes passed down through generations, rooted in resilience and tradition.

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The Dungan people, descendants of the Hui Muslims who migrated from China in the late 1800s, brought with them a cuisine that beautifully bridges Chinese culinary techniques with Central Asian ingredients. Their food is bold, soulful, and deeply expressive of their journey.

 

Through years of quiet observation and deep respect, I developed a heartfelt understanding of Dungan cooking. Today, I’m honored to share a few of these treasured dishes with you—each one a tribute to the women who shaped my early food memories.

                                                                                                   – Ellie Amirova

 

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Meet Dr. Ellie Amirova (DAOM, LAc, PhD)  

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Dr. Ellie R. Amirova is a distinguished scientist,

second-generation Eastern medicine

practitioner, and certified medical herbalist.

 

She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and

Food Engineering, with a career dedicated to

bridging modern science and traditional healing

practices.

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Her work has been featured in numerous peer-reviewed publications, and she has presented at international conferences and contributed to leading professional organizations in the fields of nutrition, food science, and integrative medicine.

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