The Kebab Ambassador of the Uighur People | Close To Home

In Close to Home, Michelle Zauner, an author and the singer of Japanese Breakfast, explores the results of migration on cuisine, and the personal experiences and community that are tied into the merging of food cultures.
As cooks try to replicate familiar dishes in foreign homes, they rely on what’s around them. But by tying in techniques, ingredients, and sensory memories from their places of origin, they create new, hybrid cuisines.
In this episode, Michelle meets with Kudret Yakup, founder and operator of Yana Kebab Express, to talk about Uyghur cuisine, the food of a Turkic ethnic group who live in East and Central Asia.
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[@rawdog1999]

The Ughyur community is getting a broader footprint here in Western Sydney. It's an awesome development as a resident of the region.

[@RockstarEater]

Their food is awesome. I vlogged a Uyghur restaurant recently in Los Angeles, and it is amazing. So much freshness and quality.

[@Kotokbash1000]

Salam from Kyrgyzstan! Happy to see turk brothers in here.

[@Bombogor]

Hi tuvganım.

[@pleasesircanihavesomemore2402]

This guy is a legend. Highly recommend his food

[@Bombogor]

Turkish kebabs also use onion juice and rock salt for marinade but we don't use cumin or spices in marinades , Spice is usually optional and comes to table or you pick the spicy one when you order . I loved to see these shrimp skerwers .They give me lots of ideas -why not I really love Uygur food .They have the best Turkic cuisine and ancestor of all , hands down ! Uygur litetature also is mother of all Turkic written litarature because they were the first ones in history who wrote books in Turkish language.

[@321123580]

You are so informed about uygur culture ❤

[@FoodandFootprints]

Have been to this spot before - their lamb shank is really tasty. Also like that they have a shaker of cumin to add at will

[@theneurochemist5267]

much love to the Uyghurs from the Czech Republic

[@Yaruk]

Rain Thanks from Uyghur in Europa

[@aaoa666]

Michelle is a great host, this is easily one of the best series you got on your channel. Great work!

[@zavarosminus2200]

I lived in China for 6 years and have traveled through Xinjiang and I've never heard it pronounced like this. I always heard WEE-GUR. I assume the dude from Kashgar knows that right way though, so that's weird. The best food in China. It's terrible the way the Uyghur people are treated. You walk through the cities in Xinjiang and all the people look more middle eastern than Chinese, but if you look in a bank or any kind of proper place of business you will only see employees from the majority Chinese ethnicities. Most job listings read Uyghurs don't apply. In Beijing, gas stations won't sell them gas because there is an assumption they will use it for a terrorist attack. Love this show, and I love Japanese Breakfast and Little Big League!

[@falconofbalasagun4163]

The uyghur people don't call themselves WEE-GUR, this is how English speakers pronounce the name of their ethnicity. The real pronunciation is the one the owner of the restaurant used.

[@barsdogukankarakoyun8798]

as a Turkish wee-gur is totally wrong, owner pronounces it perfectly

[@japanfoor]

Unless Beijing loosens it’s reigns against the Uyghur -Chinese citizens there will be a bloody revolution . The Uyghur people seem very tame and respectful but you can only be hostile to a group of people and force your culture on them while trying to erase ones identity for so long . I am of Chinese Han ethnicity and I feel the way the government justifies its re education of the Uyghur people as immoral. I feel that a peaceful solution can happen but only if Beijing stops treating them as second class citizens and stops attempting to erase their identity by saying they are terrorist while forcing them to embrace traditional Chinese heritage and culture while trying to erase theirs . Radicalism stems from others ignorance and it will be used to justify a revolution if things don’t change . May God have mercy on us all.

[@tarim4974]

zavaros minus Uyghur is pronounced as /u:igoor/ (ooy-goor)

[@tarim4974]

Never ever pronounce Uyghur as wee-gur, it is wrong in so many ways!

[@alpaktuna]

This is a great video. For those of you who don't know, the Chinese government is placing Uighurs (who live in Xinjiang province) into what are essentially concentration/labor/re-education camps. It is one of the largest cultural cleansings the world as ever seen, and the West turns a blind eye. The majority Han-Chinese government has done this before; they categorize all Chinese into one group, when really it is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. Many Chinese will deny this is happening, but there is sufficient evidence from global news agencies and freelance journalists as well. This is truth.

[@h.a7191]

Correct sir. It is very sad and unfortunate especially as hypocrisy of the west is evident turning a blind eye.

[@south514]

can you provide said sources? i'm just wondering specifically where you found your information so i can do more research myself.

[@nevertv357]

INDEED and Very CORRECT, Uighur Muslims are from East Turkistan ORIGINALLY (they have their Own CULTURE, TRADITIONS, RELIGION & NATION) on WORLD HISTORY they were just Annexed & Invaded (just like Ukraine's Crimea was Annex & Control by Fascist and Communist Govt. of Russia) by the Terrorist, Separatist, Fascist and Extremist of GREEDY, COMMUNIST Government of china for its Land Territory, Human & Nature Resources for the chinese Politicians to Gain and they called it Xinjiang Province under the COMMUNIST RULE the #1 PROPAGANDIST GOVERNMENT in the World and on Earth.🤮🇨🇳👎🇷🇺💩

[@fishlamp]

I really love this series. Michelle Zauner is a great host for this!

[@michellehall2715]

What a delight to come across this episode. Learned some things about the Ughyur community. Thanks.

[@Panster7]

This is such a great series Munchies!

[@ernestofelix6906]

this series needs to comeback, i miss it so much

[@chufue5322]

I love how focused she is on the conversation!! I like her she’s dope.

[@aayushdahal4096]

I used to work on this joint. They have a stall on the flushing food court. The best part about working on this restaurant was free food which was the best I have ever had. They had a special rice dish with raisins I used to eat a full container of it every hour. Damn, those were the days

[@RadicalTurbine]

So happy that munchies is back to creating decent and interesting content!

[@Finggy]

Love for all Uyghur brothers and sisters. 💙

[@avasvara7545]

Much respect Michelle aka JBrekkie couldn't have come out at a better time!

[@bermei5187]

I see you dodging those raisins.

[@irvingsalas5252]

ber mei lmao I peeped that too

[@moldypizza]

lol don't blame her. Not a fan of raisins.

[@illhano12345]

🤢🤢🤢 raisins

[@iTrum89x]

@@moldypizza you should blame her because not being a fan of raisins and eating uyghur cuisine is like not being a fan noodles and trying to eat Asian cuisine.

[@KalelaChannel]

I hate raisins in my food too.

[@iTrum89x]

You take the interviewing tip of "maintain eye contact" to a whole new level. You don't need to stare into his soul dude

[@user-kh9ki3kq8m]

Zion McFarland fucking weirdo

[@yolakin8210]

The food looks absolutely scrumptious!!!

[@gldflcn]

Maaaaan you had me at onion water lol seriously that food looks incredible!

[@ogeid5637]

we need this series continued

[@daveroberts9288]

Nice that Michelle corrected her pronunciation of "Uighur" throughout the video.

[@FoodandFootprints]

*We love uyghur food! Cuisine that features lamb and cumin is always a good one*

[@yama51092]

Go try Afghan food. You'll love it.

[@FoodandFootprints]

Yama Bahram We’ve had it and really like it!

[@ulgenkoc2893]

Both brilliant.Great inteview

[@greenwoodreid3796]

Now this is what I expect from Munchies! Informative videos with great content & a great presenter. No more silly videos with silly presenters please!

[@himsayhimdo]

Cringed so hard when the host was trying hard to bring China into this. You know China keep Uyghurs in concentration camps?

[@MrFarnanonical]

You seem like you probably already know this but i think it's best to mention for others that they're not just in concentration camps. People are being murdered for their vital organs, they're organ harvesting. The female Uygurs are encouraged by the CCP to marry Han so they can be assimilated (likely only because the large gender imbalance).

[@Real-fussball]

It's just a question. There are apolitical people in the world.

[@harrisgu205]

The concentration camps are definitely fucked up, but what does it have to do to the origin of this food lol

[@user-kh9ki3kq8m]

himsayhimdo lol what does that have to do with anything... it’s still a terrorist of china

[@bethanya99]

I fell in love with Cumin from the Uyghur kabobs I had in Dining China. At first I thought it was too strong, but as you keep eating it, you get more and more addicted.

[@jeffreyz4611]

Growing up in China you know the best places that sell lamb are always Uyghur. Truly Amazing.

[@jonsmith5626]

A shame they are all being disappeared.

[@TheXanian]

Ethnic Hui and ethnic Mongols have quite good lamb too, not just the uyghurs.

[@Precious.Marketing]

是啊！小时候在北京，最喜欢街头的羊肉串儿摊儿了！：）

[@mike325ci]

The best way to learn about someone's culture is through their food. This was very educational, and I just did more research on the Uyghur people. I also looked up the restaurant and it looks like COVID affected business and it's closed :(

[@_nlcholas]

sound was very stable, congrats.

[@Mhadyourfriend]

This channel have great hosts

[@VoiceOfReason5487]

If I could eat his food while listening to Japanese Breakfast that would be a dream day.

[@ArousedPineapple]

There's an audio mixing issue. When Michelle speaks at the start of the video, she sounds very soft compared to the rest of the video where sound is brighter and louder.

[@wipaz9993]

Is. That. Michelle. omg instant watch HAHAHAH

[@tenzout886]

from a tibetan gal to an uyghur entrepreneur kudos and i cant wait till i try some of these next time im in the city!

[@valf156115]

Tenzin Dasel love to Tibet and east Turkmenistan!

[@ztrktncy]

awesome! thumbs up

[@louisepetrilli6130]

The food looks delicious and amazing 👨‍🍳😁👏👏

[@OmniCausticInfidel]

solid idea for using a food channel for a bit of activism!

[@thegourmetgrandadandfamily]

Well this video is so interesting...…..

[@TheNeilBreen]

I feel like the music is a bit too loud sometimes.

[@jilliansallaway3524]

Hi from Eugene! Nice to hear someone else call it a small town... I always have since I moved here, some residents try to argue with me about it 🙄

[@pinktruffles5156]

I WANT TO GO HERE OMG

[@Clergy4Life]

"Uyghur food is a mix of Chinese food and Turkish food because of the merging of cultures" - Presenter "Uyghur is Turkish and we are Turkish people" - Kebab Ambassador

[@MESIRlX]

The point isn't that the Uyghur are Turkic, but that they are to a certain degree affected by Chinese culture due to their geographical location

[@TonyStark-ne5jk]

Uygur is turk merchant that come during silk road time .

[@norm1124]

@@MESIRlX Are you sure? The privileges go to the han chinese, not the uygurs. Check this NYT Post: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/04/world/asia/xinjiang-china-surveillance-prison.html

[@MrSnuffian]

Ah I knew it, I love Japanese breakfast

[@MrTurtleThief]

Their food must be a very interesting experience, being in the middle of so many different food cultures

[@MrTurtleThief]

@Mario Lipton Dammit, Ill change it lol

[@NorthAfricanEagle]

Freedom to Uighurs 🙋‍♂️💫

[@NafaratMiyaMiya]

This reminds me a lot of Turkish food, it looks delicious. Thanks for making this video!

[@emrears2286]

Rescept from turkey , brothers

[@falconofbalasagun4163]

Yaşasın türk milleti 🐺🌙

[@Yaruk]

Respect from Europe too

[@stillpunky]

Just to correct one thing, the folks in the north-eastern part of China (Dong Bei) also has an unique culture of grill/BBQ. They use different marinade and seasoning.

[@Precious.Marketing]

Shoutout to Eugene, OR!! It was the first town I lived when I moved to the States way back when! And now I am in New York! Sadly it looks like YANA is permanently closed now. Did they move to somewhere else???

[@jc-tu6pg]

2:17 - 2:27 most over-reaction to onion water in history

[@boho1926]

That stew looks awesome right now

[@Fede45454]

anyone else getting a vibe between them?

[@MemoryLaneCinema]

MUNCHIES!!! Why is some of your content blocked in my country? For example "the pizza show" is blocked in my country. It was not blocked before. From Norway.

[@jjohnwords2873]

randomly there is a Uyghur restaurant in East London (walthamstow) walked past it so many times.

[@zasddsaf]

Dilara in Holloway and also Silk Road in Camberwell!

[@biyenzema]

I love this host

[@Dave....]

This is my first time hearing of Uyghur

[@MESIRlX]

@@RNG-999 ?

[@emrears2286]

Are you american?

[@emrears2286]

Americans are so ignorant.They do not know anything about world except canada

[@alpertugrulcelik211]

良否 RNG Lmao, bro you have no right to shit on other cultures when you are a fucking weeb.

[@timurzadeh6067]

@@emrears2286 You are destroing your argument with ur own ignorance lol

[@Fedshmoka]

Same as uzbeki/khazaki/kyrgyzstani food so yes he could get bread he was talking about if he wanted too

[@barsdogukankarakoyun8798]

also it's same as Turkish food too, it's because we all from the same "Turkic" family

[@freak8385]

I am enjoying a lot of culture here, not only one, but various. Love it love it :D

[@damodoes]

Tried to go to this restaurant but its closed unfortunately

[@pierlucaangrisano6510]

her stare scares the shit out of me

[@jajamicham8126]

Love her

[@DavidSaintloth]

Funny her question about food influence...though there has been large amounts of culture and gene flow in the last few thousand years....the original peoples of ancestry that the Uyghur are descended from...at first he described the food as "Turkish" but then corrected himself, "Turkish food is the westernized version of Uyghur food." Let that soak in, there are several recent papers in population genetics that have illuminated the gene flow in the region going back over 30,000 years and it is very clear that the Central Asian region was essentially a cultural and genetic refugia for tens of thousands of years...it is the ancestors of these Central Asian people in general that moved North East and became the Mongels, moved east and became Chinese , moved west and became Turks, moved north west and became Ukranians, Huns...etc. They are that close to ancestral as human lineages go.

[@John77Doe]

Aren't the Uyghur's being oppressed by somebody?? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@won1853]

@@sovietspaghetti7472 Chinese bot found

[@user-ew7cu3bh1w]

By Chinese government

[@sovietspaghetti7472]

@@won1853 I fucking wish I was paid by China, but instead I have to deal with you racist pos liberal for free

[@Dubngrub]

@@sovietspaghetti7472 Its funny that you're calling anyone racist chief. You're literally the shitstain of humanity.

[@kaltam891]

@@sovietspaghetti7472 Lmao, I didn't know Xi Jinping has a youtube account

[@JohnDoe-nq9hl]

She was really excited about the onion water

[@Dpiddy92]

Yum

[@bereadyg]

Based on the thumbnail, I seriously thought this was the truth or dare movie food edition

[@andikahetris5219]

So why is she in the thumbnail instead of him?

[@TonyStark-ne5jk]

Uygur is basically half turk.... 1%chinese lol

[@Andifachri]

Her stare is intense. What is her secret to be that intense?

[@Rocketpower713]

Masturbates 5 times a day.

[@misterwipes9568]

Crack

[@Andifachri]

@Agatha jay is it bothering you or you find a way to make it your way to intimidate ppl?

[@harry.sekhon]

0:27 Did your map lose a border between India & Pakistan?

[@BubblewrapHighway]

I guess Pakistan finally took Punjab.

[@shnad9880]

I always thought it was pronounced WEE-gur

[@duketogo13]

You're correct. It's sort of awkward that for this article they're pronouncing it wrong the entire time.

[@BaiLong45]

Yeah should be Wee-gur. Seriously the mispronunciation is really distracting.

[@vloblo]

Just because it is pronounced wee-gur in English doesn't make it right. It's pronounced similar to wy-hur in the Uyghur language. Similarly, it is pronounced wy (wei) in Mandarin Chinese.

[@yomuthabyotch]

the guy himself sounds as though hes pronouncing it "ooger."

[@ericcarson4513]

You're thinking of that Armenian genocide denier

[@patrickadams7120]

Kudret is the Master....YANA

[@mayena]

Midtown, Manhattan.

[@bikingintokyo]

I love you JBrekkie

[@LoveOneSV]

LMAO @ Americans teaching Uyghur/Uzbek/Kazakh people how to pronounce Uyghur correctly 😂🤣

[@pietrojenkins6901]

Hahaha ,i once witnessed an American teaching an African how to pronounce "safari" .No kidding .

[@supermexicanwonder13]

She's so fucking adorable

[@vm5500]

You guys should try Japanese breakfast next.

[@florascent9ts]

2:23 surprised michelle is so cute tf

[@mksupercooking]

she’s pronounced uyghur three different ways in this video

[@breathebeloved]

So cringey 😖😣😬

[@hurguler]

Better than saying only Wee-ghour.

[@dwarren1010]

Well done Michelle.

[@POCLEE]

Social Credit points -100, Delicious points +9000

[@garyhahaha5380]

李伯均 lol it’s not not funny

[@jodawgsup]

@@garyhahaha5380 It's pretty funny.

[@JQKABC]

Yo Boss actually it is hahahahah

[@NightTerrorGameplays]

maaan if he gets that tandoor, he can make those dumpling looking things, i forget what they're called, bao or something, the flaky bread stuffed with the lamb meat, mmmm

[@MrMoose233]

they'd make a great couple

[@Char12403]

Such a great series. jbrekkie gang

[@jajamicham8126]

She is so cute

[@katherinezp]

Yummy

[@JK-we4wh]

the voice is mixed really low compared to the music

[@NorthAfricanEagle]

🌹 Ramadan kareem🙋‍♂️

[@jasondavis6861]

Wasnt she the vocalist of Japanese breakfast?

[@nicoletalise4131]

yes lol still is

[@qurtubikamruldzaman614]

A very intense conversation between them talking abt kebab. Damn it must be so important I guess

[@abdulkerimdogan6036]

İt looks very similar to turkish food ❤

[@juancarlosbrillantes8598]

*Bronn has entered the chat*

[@user-qw8lg4xh1s]

Power and prayers to the Uyghurs from a free citizen of United Nations. Uyghur concentrations camps without religious and political freedom in millions are in China.

[@wajihaali7910]

Love to ughyurs from Pakistan

[@christopherbreaux8568]

Came for Michelle, jbrekkie gang wya

[@NurseNeoHealth]

she looks like mantis from guardians of the galaxy

[@Dave....]

Why is she just so damn adorable? Can't get enough of her. But besides that I love the chefs stories and the amazing food.

[@altaybayr]

Same here

[@333revolver]

jbrekkie vocalist of japanese breakfast who is korean

[@iTrum89x]

@@drvincedog Yeah she's tied with the Johnny Depp looking asian guy they had a couple years back