The medieval Khwarezmian meal is organized around a cloth (sufra) spread on the ground, on which flatbread (non), a grain or rice dish (ash or palaw), fermented dairy, and dried fruits are placed simultaneously. There is no sequential service: everything is presented together, and guests help themselves according to their appetite. Travelers and scholars often eat frugally — bread, dates, qurut — while feasts call for an elaborate pilaf. Drinks (water, milk, sharbat) accompany or conclude the meal.

Cumin (zira) is the cornerstone spice of medieval Central Asian cuisine, ubiquitous in pilafs, meat porridges, and breads. Khwarezm, a caravan crossroads, also benefits from saffron, coriander, and caraway, but it is cumin that marks every dish as Khwarezmian.