Learning to Make Shivit Osh in Khiva (Masterclass Details & Review)

I rarely judge a city before I visit, but I have to admit, I had a little chip on my shoulder about Khiva. As the world’s #1 dill-hater (a self-coined title), how could I possibly rock with a city that’s most famous dish is shivit osh, a dish comprised of noodles made from dill?

So, naturally, I signed up for a shivit osh masterclass in Khiva to see what this dish was all about and if I could survive in close proximity to the evil herb. No, but seriously, I felt bad that I couldn’t enjoy shivit osh like others because it is SUCH a unique dish, so I figured the best way to enjoy the dish was to make it, not eat it.

In this guide, I will detail how to sign up for a Khiva shivit osh cooking class, what to expect, and some pros and cons of the masterclass. I will also go over a brief history of the dish because I think it is important to understand why such a unique dish exists in Khiva.

Before diving into the details, I want to state that I am friends with one of the owners of the restaurant where I did the shivit osh masterclass. Anna Pasha, a famous guide in Khiva, is one of the owners and she knew about my disdain for the herb, so she fed me before the class and allowed me to kindly step away from the dish I created, so I didn’t feel bad about not eating it.

I did taste a bite of it and I actually thought that outside of the dill, it was delicious. I think everyone will enjoy shivit osh… it just so happens to contain one of the two ingredients I dislike (truffle oil being the other).

Let me know if you have any questions about learning to make shivit osh in Khiva in the comments. Thanks!

History of Shivit Osh in Khiva

The alleged history of shivit osh is that there was a sick Khan who was in desperate need of nutrition and vitamins and was suffering after a long winter from malnutrition. The khan and his physician gathered dill that was in his garden and infused it into noodles and he was magically healed.

They also added other vegetables (carrots and potatoes) and some meat to make the dish and the rest is history. Some say this happened in the 16th century and others say it happened in the 19th century. Anyway, this is what the locals will tell you about the origins of the dish.

Today, shivit osh is a summer dish in Khiva due to the dill and yoghurt (it is topped with a foam-like yoghurt). Ingredient-wise, one portion contains 1 egg, 150g of dill, 1 tsp of salt, and 200g of flour.

I also learned that shivit is the word for dill in the local Khorezmian language. The phrase for ‘no dill’ is ‘shivit sis’ and when I would tell people this in other parts of Uzbekistan, no one understood, so it must really just be a local Khiva thing!

Why I Signed Up for a Shivit Osh Masterclass in Khiva

The reason I signed up for a shivit osh masterclass in Khiva was that I felt bad I don’t like dill and couldn’t enjoy shivit osh (or shivit oshi) from a restaurant without wasting it. I did try my friend’s dish at Arxi Terrassa and it seemed extremely well-made, but I just couldn’t move away from the dill flavor (which is rather minimal, to be honest).

Since Anna Pasha (the aforementioned guide) was part of the family of owners at Mirza Boshi Tea House, where the masterclass takes place, I didn’t feel bad because she knew I didn’t like dill but still wanted to partake in learning more about the renowned dish.

I also know that most people like dill. It is not as polarizing as coriander (which I happen to LOVE). So if I could share my experience in the masterclass, it would encourage others to sign up for it and learn more about this regional specialty.

How to Book a Khiva Shivit Osh Masterclass

⏰ Duration: around 1 hour
📍 Meeting Point: in Mirza Boshi Tea House (it says Restaurant Tapas on the voucher, but go next door to Mirza Boshi)
🌎 ​​Language: English, Russian
➡️ Check rates & availability here

I booked my Khiva shivit osh class through GetYourGuide, as it goes through a separate company to organize it. GetYourGuide is also fantastic because you can book several things at once, even if the tour providers are different. For Khiva, this means you can book a fortress day trip, bread-making masterclass, wood-carving workshop, and city tour all in one place!

Once you get to the landing page, you will need to plug in the number of people, the date you want to do the masterclass, and whether you want instruction in English or Russian. Then it will give you the times available (for English, it was available at 10am or 4pm). You can then add it to your cart and reserve or pay now. Simple as that.

You just need to arrive at Mirza Boshi Tea House a few minutes early and tell them you’re there for the masterclass and they will get you set up for your experience.

Inside My Shivit Osh Cooking Class

I arrived at Mirza Boshi and chatted with Anna Pasha for a bit before getting started. Normally, you will have a translator meet you as the chef does not have a great command of English, but since I was with her, she did the translation for me.

We started by mixing the ingredients until they formed a nice ball of dough. Then I helped flatten it out. You will do this with two different tools – one is to flatten and then the second one is to widen it. From there, you will cut the noodles into pieces. The chef takes the noodles and boils them and helps prepare the finished product while you enjoy some Uzbek tea.

After that, you’re free to indulge in your creation! Or take photos and allow the staff to consume it for you.

The entire experience lasted for around an hour, but I sat around and chatted with my friend and her bread-making group (she was doing their bread masterclass at the same time).

Pros & Cons of the Masterclass

Honestly, there are no real cons to this masterclass. Sometimes I struggle with language and communication but since this one offers a translator, that should not be an issue. Everything was organized and set up, so I have no complaints.

The only small issue I had was that the masterclasses were offered at 10am and 4pm, kind of weird times to eat a full dish. But it makes sense as it would cut into their lunch and dinner hours… but it still is an odd time for the person doing the masterclass to eat, possibly throwing off the rest of the day.

Khiva Shivit Osh Masterclass FAQ

Is the shivit osh masterclass beginner-friendly?

Yes, you do not need any cooking experience to participate. And you can participate as much or as little as you want. If you’d rather watch and take photos, that is perfectly fine (I mostly did this because I didn’t want to get flour all over my camera and phone). If you’re ready to get your hands dirty (okay, gloves dirty), this is perfect too!

Is this masterclass with other people or alone?

The Khiva shivit osh masterclass is a group class. I just so happened to have no one else doing it on the day and time I did it, so it was solo.

What do you wear for the masterclass?

I would wear comfortable shoes and tie your hair back if it is longer. You will be given an apron, so you should be fine wearing whatever clothing you would normally wear.

Do you need an Itchan Kala ticket to get to the cooking class?

You don’t technically need a ticket to walk around the Itchan Kala, but it is easier to plan this masterclass on a day when you are inside with a valid ticket to visit the sites. A two-day ticket is 250,000 UZS (about $20).

Do you need to tip?

I think tipping at least 10% (if you enjoyed the cooking class) is an appreciated courtesy, and I encourage you to do so. I tipped the Chef Shakarjon who taught me at the end.

Do you have any questions about taking a shivit osh cooking class in Khiva? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!

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