Watch How a Nomadic Mongolian Family Gathers Ice To Make a Hot Breakfast

March 30, 2024

What does your breakfast routine look like? Maybe you brew yourself a hot cup of coffee as you prepare buttered toast or fry some eggs in a skillet. Maybe breakfast involves stopping at your favorite cafe on the way to work. Whatever your habits are, you probably have never seen a morning routine like this.

In an eye-opening video, a nomadic couple, clad in traditional Mongolian garments and carrying wooden baskets called arags on their backs, gather chunks of ice from a frozen river to use in their breakfast. The pair, who go by MongolianNomadFamily on YouTube and Instagram, have two sons and a daughter, and routinely provide viewers with an intimate glimpse into their traditional nomadic lifestyle. Yuk, the father, is a life coach and martial arts trainer, and Buyanaa, the mother, is a nutritionist as well as a skilled dancer.

In the video, they start their day by walking to a nearby river and using their hatchet to carve blocks of ice out of the frozen water. Once they’ve gathered enough chunks to fill both of their baskets, they return home and begin to melt the ice in a large pan. Once it is melted, they add clotted cream and ghee to make a traditional milk tea called suutei tsai, which is a nice, warm drink that they enjoy with their breakfast of flatbread and leftover meat.

Those intrigued by the foods of other cultures are in luck. Much of the family’s content concerns their diet, including what they eat to stay warm in sub-zero temperatures. Additionally, Buyanaa often posts educational videos of traditional Mongolian dances. They also make videos that provide glimpses into Mongolian culture, such as the touching hair cutting ceremony of their youngest boy or the exciting yak festival.

Those interested in keeping up with the family can follow them on YouTube and Instagram.