The dastarkhan is the ceremonial cloth on which the Central Asian Turkish meal of the 11th century unfolds. Dishes are served all at once or in two stages: first the dairy, dried fruits, breads, and fermented drinks (the 'light'), then the central meat dish (the 'heavy'). There is no starter-main-dessert sequence: one picks according to appetite and rank. At the Karakhanid court, the dastarkhan reflects the khan's generosity and blends nomadic heritage (boiled meat, kumiss) with sedentary refinement (pilaf, oasis fruits).

The rendered fat from the tail of the fat-tailed sheep (Ovis aries steatopyga) is the fundamental cooking fat of Central Asian Turkish cuisine. It flavors pilafs, soups, noodles, and is used to confit meat for preservation. Its rich, slightly sweet taste distinguishes this cuisine from all others. The Karakhanids made it a marker of prestige: the more a dish contained, the more festive it was.