During the Mongolian Empire there were two different groups of food, “white foods” and “red foods”. “White foods” were usually dairy products and were the main food source during the summer. The main dairy product that Mongols lived on during the summer was “airag” or fermented mare’s milk which is widely drunk today. The Mongolians rarely drank milk fresh but often used it to create other foods, including cheese and yogurt. “Red foods” were usually meat and were the main food source during the winter. Anytime meat was served in the Empire it was usually boiled and served with wild garlic or onions.
Charles Bawden. Mongolian-English Dictionary
Allsen, Thomas T. Culture and Conquest in Mongol Eurasia. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2001. 128-129