Uzbek style pilaf with zirvak
6 servings
80 minutes
Uzbek plov with zirvak is a true art of Uzbek cuisine that conveys the traditions of generations. Zirvak, rich in the aromas of cumin, barberry, saffron, and garlic, is the heart of the dish, giving it a rich and spicy flavor. The carefully prepared lamb roasted to a golden crust adds juiciness and depth to the plov. The rice absorbs all the flavors of the zirvak and becomes soft and fluffy while pairing wonderfully with tender vegetables. Plov is served with fragrant red onions, fresh tomatoes, and flatbread creating a harmony of flavors. This plov is not just food but a symbol of hospitality and warmth in an Uzbek home, perfect for family gatherings and festive feasts.
1
We prepare the lamb. We remove all the veins from the meat as much as possible. This will determine whether your pilaf will have a specific lamb smell or not.
- Mutton: 1.5 kg
2
Rinse the rice 3-4 times until the water is almost clear. Then, pour in cold water and let it sit.
- Basmati rice: 1.5 glass
- Wild rice: 1.5 glass
3
Place the pot on the stove and pour about 2 centimeters of oil (if the pot's base is large, reduce the oil to 1 centimeter).
- Saffron: 1 tablespoon
4
In hot oil, we add 1 peeled onion and fry until the onion blackens. Then, we remove the onion with a slotted spoon and discard it.
- Onion: 3 pieces
5
Chop 2 onions into cubes (about 0.5 by 0.5 centimeters) and add them to the pot. Fry until the onions start to turn golden.
- Onion: 3 pieces
6
Add the meat and fry until golden brown (the water should be mostly gone). I highly recommend frying the meat longer, as in real pilaf, the meat should be more roasted.
- Mutton: 1.5 kg
7
Cut the carrot into sticks (1 cm wide, 1 cm high, 3-4 cm long) and put them in the cauldron. Do not stir for 2-3 minutes, then stir and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Carrot: 3 pieces
8
We pour 5 cups of boiling water into the cauldron. We add our spices (barberry, cumin, red ground pepper, saffron, turmeric), drop in 2 whole chili peppers (undamaged, otherwise the pilaf will be inedible), and 2 peeled heads of garlic. This is all called Zirvak, and it is the most important part of the pilaf.
- Barberry: 3 tablespoons
- Cumin seeds: 3 tablespoons
- Ground red pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Saffron: 1 tablespoon
- Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
- Chili pepper: 2 pieces
- Garlic: 2 heads
9
We cook our zirvak over medium-high heat, occasionally tasting the meat. We cook until the meat is about 90% done.
10
After our meat is 90% cooked, we take out the chili pepper, garlic, drain the water from the rice, and carefully place the rice in the pot. Once the rice is in, do not stir anything. Ensure the water covers the rice by about 1 cm. If there is little water (and there should be), carefully add boiling water until we have our golden centimeter. Set to medium heat and cover with a lid.
11
After about 20 minutes, we open the lid and make holes to the bottom with a wooden stick. We close the lid. After about 10 minutes, we check the rice, and if it's 80-90% cooked, we mix our pilaf and leave it on low heat until it absorbs the remaining water. Occasionally stirring and making holes with a wooden stick.
12
Once the rice is ready, turn off the stove, place two heads of garlic (which we boiled in the zervak) on the rice, and cover with a lid for 5-10 minutes.
13
We cut the red onion into strips and the tomato into slices. We place our pilaf on a large dish and arrange tomatoes, onions, steamed garlic, greens, and lavash next to it.
- Red onion: 1 piece
- Tomatoes: 2 pieces
- Parsley: 1 stem
- Armenian lavash: 1 piece