Uzbek pilaf with lamb and chickpeas
12 servings
120 minutes
Uzbek pilaf with lamb and chickpeas is a true culinary art that embodies the traditions of Central Asia. It dates back to ancient times when caravan drivers cooked it over an open fire, combining meat, rice, and spices into a fragrant dish. Juicy lamb fat permeates each grain of rice, creating a rich and deep flavor. Chickpeas add a delicate nutty note while barberries and raisins contribute a light sweetness. The main feature is the adherence to stages: first frying the meat and vegetables, then cooking the zervak before carefully adding the rice. Slow simmering reveals the full palette of flavors, and serving it on a large lagan with golden pieces of meat and soft garlic heads makes it a true celebration. This pilaf is not just food but a symbol of hospitality and Uzbek cuisine.
1
Heat 200 grams of sunflower oil (preferably cottonseed, but any refined oil will do) in a cauldron. Melt the diced tail fat in it until golden brown. If the meat has a bone, you can fry it on high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove it. Add 1 kg of sliced onions (rings or half-rings) — the oil will start bubbling. Stir the onions and fry them until golden on medium heat, avoiding overcooking. Add pieces of lamb, which should be about the size of a woman's fist. This is important for proper cooking, as you'll cut the cooked pieces into smaller ones before serving. Increase the heat again. Fry the lamb with the onions until browned, about 10-15 minutes depending on the heat. Lower the heat. Then add 1 kg of julienned carrots and 1 tablespoon of salt. The carrots will simmer for about 15 minutes until they stick to the meat. You can stir the carrots. The volume of carrots should reduce by almost 50% and become completely soft. Do not cover the cauldron until this point!
- Cottonseed oil: 200 ml
- Fat tail fat: 100 g
- Mutton: 1 kg
- Onion: 3 heads
- Yellow carrot: 1 kg
- Salt: 2 tablespoons
2
The second stage is cooking the zervak. The contents of the cauldron are onions, meat, and carrots, fried in oil and salted, poured with 1 liter of boiled (hot) water, so that the pieces of meat are barely visible above the surface. Bring to a boil. Add pre-soaked for 4-5 hours and cleaned chickpeas, spices (must include cumin, pilaf mix if available), barberry, raisins, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, and place 3 heads of garlic on top. This fragrant mixture is covered with a lid and simmered on low heat for 20-30 minutes.
- Chickpeas: 200 g
- Cumin (zira): 2 teaspoons
- Spices for pilaf: 2 teaspoons
- Barberry: 2 teaspoons
- Raisin: 2 tablespoons
- Sugar: 0.5 teaspoon
- Garlic: 3 heads
3
Open the lid after 30 minutes. Remove the garlic and set it aside on a plate. The zervak can be stirred. The next important step is to add the rice. Round-grain rice is used. It needs to be prepared for making pilaf. It is very important to sort it out. Rinse and soak for 4-5 hours in warm water. The rice should be rinsed under running water or in a bowl until the water is clear. During soaking, you can drain the water, rinse the rice, and then layer it over the zervak, leveling it gently (do not press), add the 2nd and last tablespoon of salt, and if necessary, pour a small amount of water 1.5-2 cm above its level. Cook over medium heat. Do not cover the pot with a lid!
- Round rice: 1 kg
- Salt: 2 tablespoons
4
Rice swells by absorbing liquid for about 20-30 minutes. It's easy to check — carefully push it along the pot's walls with a spatula and see the water level. It should be slightly below the middle of the pot's contents when it's time to gently mound the rice, add another portion of cumin, make holes in it, place the reserved garlic on top (slightly submerged), and cover with a plate or bowl. Cover the pot with a towel and then with a lid. Reduce the heat to minimum and let it simmer for another 15 minutes. Then remove from heat and let it rest for another 30 minutes or more. Note — during the entire cooking process, the rice should not be mixed with the zyrvak.
- Cumin (zira): 2 teaspoons
- Garlic: 3 heads
5
After the rice has absorbed all the liquid and aromas, serve it at the table. For this, remove all the meat from the pot and mix the rice with the remaining contents. Cut the pieces of lamb into smaller pieces. Place the rice on a large plate or lyağan, and arrange the meat and garlic heads on top.