By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026
Baursaki are small pieces of fried dough at the heart of Kazakh hospitality, and no festive meal there is complete without them. They come out of the oil golden and puffed, with a soft, airy centre, and they suit a cup of milk tea as well as a savoury meal. In this home version, warm milk kefir supplies the acid that makes the baking soda foam, adding air to a yeasted dough.
A bread of kinship, made for the steppe
No one knows exactly when baursaki first appeared, but historians link them to steppe nomads who needed food that was quick, filling and easy to carry. Nomads could not carry a large oven, so they cooked in a kazan, a single large pot. The name is tied to Kazakh words for kinship, brotherhood and unity.
Among Kazakh herders in Xinjiang, the host spreads a cloth in the middle of the home and pours the breads onto it as milk tea is served. Milk tea and baursaki are so often served together that they are spoken of as a pair.
Soft dough and steady oil
The dough should be soft, but it should not stick to your hands. A stiff dough will not rise and fries up hard. Warm the kefir only to about 35–38°C, like fresh milk, because yeast dies above 55°C. Let the dough rise just once, since dough that rises again gives pale, oil-soaked pieces.
Oil at 170–180°C lets the centre cook through while the crust colours. Hotter oil browns the outside and leaves the inside raw, cooler oil makes the breads greasy, and too many pieces at once pull the temperature down.
Round for guests, sweet or savoury
Shapes vary by family and region: round, triangular, square, oval or diamond. In many homes, square pieces are for the family and round ones are made for guests. Serve them with main dishes and salads to soak up the juices, or with tea, plain, dusted with powdered sugar or dipped in honey or jam. Because tea comes after the meal, they often double as a simple dessert. Some cooks bake them at 190°C for 15–20 minutes for a paler, softer crust.
Kefir baursaki
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 ml plain milk kefir Use unsweetened kefir.
- 750 g all-purpose flour Add only as much as the dough needs; save a little for dusting.
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp dry yeast
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp refined sunflower oil For mixing into the dough.
For frying
- 500 ml refined sunflower oil Choose a narrow, deep pan so the dough can float.
You will need
- Large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- Sieve
- Mixing spoon
- Knife or dough scraper
- Deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Frying thermometer
- Slotted spoon
- Clean kitchen towel
- Paper towels
Instructions
Make and fry the baursaki
- Warm the kefir gently in a small saucepan until lukewarm, not hot.
- Mix the warm kefir, sugar and yeast in the large bowl and leave for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the egg, salt, baking soda and 2 tbsp oil until evenly mixed.
- Work in the sifted flour gradually, starting with 500 g, and knead for about 10 minutes. Add more flour only as needed to make a soft, elastic dough that holds its shape but still feels slightly tacky.
- Cover the bowl and leave in a warm place for about 60 minutes, until the dough has visibly risen. Give it longer if the room is cool.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently press the dough down and roll into ropes. Cut into pieces 2–3 cm wide, keeping them evenly sized and roughly the size of a walnut.
- Cover the dough pieces with a clean towel and rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat the frying oil in the deep pan over medium heat to 180°C (350°F). A small piece of dough should bubble promptly when added.
- Fry in small batches for about 3–4 minutes, leaving space between the pieces and turning them until evenly golden. Break open a piece from the first batch to check for wet dough in the centre. If the centre is still raw, lower the heat and finish cooking that batch before adding more dough.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
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