Real Uzbek pilaf
12 servings
180 minutes
Real Uzbek plov is the heart of Eastern cuisine, a dish that symbolizes hospitality and the warmth of the family hearth. Its history dates back to ancient times when caravan drivers prepared nutritious and aromatic plov in field conditions. The characteristic taste comes from lamb, carrots, and cumin, giving the dish a rich Eastern aroma. The thick oily texture and tender lamb make plov hearty and warming. Its preparation feature is the gradual addition of ingredients and slow cooking, allowing each component to reveal its flavor. Uzbek plov is not just food but an art passed down through generations. It is served at holidays, family celebrations, and simply for heartfelt communication. The best way to enjoy plov is with fresh flatbreads and a salad of tomatoes and onions.
1
Wash the rice until the last water remains clear. Peel the garlic heads but do not separate into cloves. Peel 3 onions and a carrot, slice the onion into half rings, and cut the carrot into thin strips.
- Long grain rice: 500 g
- Garlic: 2 heads
- Onion: 4 heads
- Carrot: 1 kg
2
Heat the pot and add oil. Fry an unpeeled onion until it blackens, then remove it. Chop the remaining onion and fry it, stirring, until dark golden, which takes just under 10 minutes. Add diced lamb and fry until a crust forms.
- Vegetable oil: 300 ml
- Onion: 4 heads
- Mutton: 1 kg
3
Add carrots, fry without stirring for 3 minutes, then mix everything well and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour boiling water so that it is 1 cm above the contents of the pot. Add dried hot pepper, reduce the heat again, and simmer for an hour.
- Carrot: 1 kg
- Dried red pepper: 2 pieces
4
Mix cumin and coriander, crush by hand or in a mortar, but better by hand. Add barberry and send everything together to the meat. Add salt. Reduce heat and cook until the carrots are soft for about 10-15 minutes.
- Ground cumin (zira): 1 tablespoon
- Coriander seeds: 1 teaspoon
- Dried barberry: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
5
Rinse the rice again, let the water drain. Spread it over the meat and level it out. Increase the heat to maximum and pour boiling water into the pot until it covers the rice with a 3 cm layer.
- Long grain rice: 500 g
6
Once the rice absorbs the water, press garlic heads into the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the rice is cooked. Check readiness with a slotted spoon: if a light tap on the rice surface sounds dull, make a few holes with a thin wooden skewer. Then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and leave for 30 minutes.
- Garlic: 2 heads