{ "id": 28830, "date": "2026-11-02T15:32:53", "date_gmt": "2026-11-02T07:32:53", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/kefir.link\/zh-tw\/shelpek\/" }, "modified": "2026-11-02T15:32:53", "modified_gmt": "2026-11-02T07:32:53", "slug": "shelpek", "status": "publish", "type": "post", "link": "https:\/\/kefir.link\/en\/shelpek\/", "title": { "rendered": "Kazakh kefir fried flatbreads" }, "content": { "rendered": "
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\"\"By Nik<\/strong><\/a>, founder of \u6771\u6b50\u56b4\u9078\uff5ckefir.link and former chef \u00b7 Updated 2 November 2026<\/p>\n

Shelpek is a round Kazakh flatbread fried in plenty of oil until it is golden on both sides and puffed in places, then set warm on the tea table. This kefir version is soft and fluffy rather than thin and crisp. Kefir and sour cream supply the acid that sets off the baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide that lifts the dough without any yeast.<\/p>\n

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Prep time<\/span>20 min<\/strong><\/div>\n
Total time<\/span>1 h 20 min<\/strong><\/div>\n
Makes<\/span>6 flatbreads<\/strong><\/div>\nJump to the recipe \u2193<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\"Kazakh<\/figure>\n

Seven breads on a Friday<\/h2>\n

In Kazakhstan, shelpek is everyday food, eaten on weekdays in place of bread, but it also carries meaning. A widely known custom is to fry seven shelpek on a Friday and give them to people in need, and some families do this every week. Shelpek is always made on memorial days, when the dead are remembered, and a shelpek packed for a journey is believed to protect the traveller. Where the seven-bread custom began has never been documented.<\/p>\n

One bread with many names across Central Asia<\/h2>\n

Similar fried breads are called chelpek in Turkmen and Kyrgyz cooking and chalpak in Uzbek and Uyghur kitchens, and Kyrgyz cooks also make one called mai tokoch. Styles range from thin, crisp rounds and flaky onion breads to small yeast breads and soft kefir breads like these. Older descriptions point to a thin bread with no leavening, while kefir doughs come out tender and fluffy. A very thin yeast dough can fry in seconds, but a kefir round about 0.5 cm thick needs a few minutes on each side.<\/p>\n

Deep, hot oil and a soft dough<\/h2>\n

The lift depends on soda meeting kefir's acid, so use kefir at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge. Aim for a soft dough that rolls easily, since the amount of flour it needs can vary. The oil should be deep enough for the bread to float freely without touching the bottom, and a scrap of dough dropped in should stay on the surface when the oil is ready. You can prick each round with a knife, or cut a few small slits, so the gas can escape. Serve shelpek warm with tea, or eat it cold as a snack or in place of bread.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/trp-tag><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Kazakh kefir fried flatbreads<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Prep Time <\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time <\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Dough resting <\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span> 20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t
Servings <\/span>6<\/span> flatbreads<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\t<\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/span> Print the recipe<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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Ingredients<\/h3>

Dough<\/h4>