Makonnen

Uzbek Plov

Plov is ridiculously hearty and delicious. The first time I had Uzbek plov, I swear a tear almost fell lol.

Pilaf has a long history across Central Asia, Persia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, South Asia, East Africa, including Kenya, and plenty of places in between. You will see versions called plov, pilaf, pulao, polow, and other names depending on where you are.

So far I have only tried pilaf from three countries, but the Uzbek version is easily my favorite.

What makes Uzbek plov special is not really some crazy ingredient list. It is mostly how everything is cooked.

The meat, onions, carrots, fat, cumin, and spices are first cooked down into a really rich base called zirvak. Then the rice is layered on top and cooks in all of that flavor instead of everything just being mixed together from the beginning.

There are also a LOT of carrots. They cook down until they are soft and sweet, but the dish itself does not taste sugary. Whole garlic and cumin give it that really recognizable smell and flavor.

Fat matters too. Traditionally you may see sheep-tail fat used, but plenty of versions use oil. Either way, this is not supposed to be a light rice dish.

Traditionally it is cooked in a kazan, a big heavy cauldron that is great for browning the meat and evenly cooking the rice.

When everything comes together you get savory lamb, sweet carrots, cumin, soft roasted garlic, and rice that has soaked up all that flavor while still staying separate and fluffy.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 500 g lamb or mutton, cut into chunks
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 medium carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1 whole head of garlic
  • 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 2 to 3 tbsp raisins
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Hot water

Preparation

  • Wash the rice a few times until the water is mostly clear.
  • Soak it for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain.
  • Cut the lamb into chunks.
  • Thinly slice the onions.
  • Cut the carrots into thin matchsticks.
  • Keep the garlic head whole. Just remove any really loose outer skin.

Steps

  1. Heat the oil

    Add the oil to a large heavy pot and heat it over medium-high heat.

  2. Brown the lamb

    Add the lamb and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring and turning the pieces until the outside has browned.

  3. Add the onions

    Add the sliced onions.

    Cook until they soften and become golden brown.

  4. Add the carrots

    Add the carrots and cook them with the meat and onions for a few minutes.

  5. Season

    Add:

    • salt
    • black pepper
    • red pepper flakes
    • turmeric
    • cumin seeds
    • bay leaf

    Mix everything together.

  6. Add water and garlic

    Pour in enough hot water to cover the meat and carrots.

    Put the whole garlic head into the pot.

    Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the carrots have softened and the lamb is getting tender.

    At this point you have the zirvak, basically the flavorful base of the plov.

  7. Add chickpeas and raisins

    Add the cooked chickpeas and raisins.

    Mix them into the zirvak.

  8. Add the rice

    Spread the drained rice evenly over the top.

    Do not mix it into the meat and carrots. Keep the layers separate for now.

  9. Add more hot water

    Pour in about 3 cups of hot water, or enough for the water to sit a little above the rice.

    Taste the liquid and add more salt if needed.

    Put the garlic head back into the center if you moved it.

  10. Cook the rice

    Bring everything to a boil.

    Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low.

    Cover and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed.

  11. Rest

    Turn off the heat and leave it covered for another 10 minutes.

  12. Finish

    Now gently turn the rice and bring the lamb, carrots, chickpeas, and raisins up from underneath.

    Do not mash everything together. You still want the rice grains to stay nice and separate.

    Serve it hot on a big plate or platter, with the meat and garlic on top.

Illustrated Uzbek plov ingredient and cooking guide
Picture version of all of this, courtesy of ChatGPT.