Late lunch at ‘Kashkar’ on Brighton Beach Avenue. Ordered ‘Salad Langsai’ which was vinegar-soaked bell peppers, carrots, cucs, onions, noodles and suntaisa which is a green vegetable from China, all seasoned with among other seasonings, coriander seeds. Also ordered eggplant salad which was oiled with a red oil and other unnamed herbs. Clear lamb broth with little dumplings filled with ground meat, and a kebab and a samsa. [A flaky crusted half ball of dough stuffed with ground lamb, onions and spices.] Clearly more than could be eaten in one seating, but could not resist.
Uygur is situated the most western part of China, directly above Pakistan. The landmass is approximately 1/6 of all of China. The Uygurs are Islamic, their name means Unity or Alliance and they trace their history to the third century. They have their own language apart from the Chinese and surrounding countries as they are a mixture of Turk, Han, and peoples of southern Xingiang and Tibet and Mongol tribes. Russia looks over their right shoulder. Why this is applicable: being in the restaurant was as if in a foreign land. The head waiter spoke enough English to accommodate pointing and questioning. The second waiter spoke none at all. The television was broadcasting a program in the language of Uygur and when asked the waiter explained it was an amalgamation of Turkish, Russian, and some Chinese. The menu was solely in Russian and English.