The Mongol-Turkic meal is organized around the dastarkhan, the cloth spread on the yurt floor. It begins with dairy products and fermented drinks (koumiss, ayran, dried kurt), then comes boiled meat carved by the host with a knife, served on a large shared platter with broth and flatbreads. There is no starter or dessert in the Western sense: milk sweets and dried fruits are nibbled throughout the meal. The guest's rank determines which piece of meat they receive — the sheep's head goes to the guest of honor.

The fat from the fat-tailed sheep (karakul and related breeds) is the fundamental cooking fat of steppe cuisine. It serves as cooking medium, preservative, and condiment. Melted into broth, it adds richness and energy — essential for surviving steppe winters. It is also stored clarified in leather bags for military campaigns.