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Turkmen food is generally just like the cuisine of other Central Asian countries. The country's staple food is called plov. It is a combination of mutton chunks, carrots, and rice fried in a cauldron similar to a Dutch oven. This is a dish that is always present on a Turkmen table.
Other foods that fill a Turkmen's stomach are manty (ground meat, onions, and pumpkin-filled dumplings), shurpa (meat & vegetable soup), and shashlyk (skewered chunks of any kind of meat).
In bazaars in the different towns, there are other kinds of dumplings and pies made available for locals, expats, and tourists. There are samosas (fried or baked triangular pastry), ishlykly, (spinach filled dumpling), and salads.
Spices are not often used in Turkmen cooking, giving their food the natural taste of the ingredients.