Uzbek Plov Recipe

One of the most popular recipes in Central Asian countries, especially Uzbekistan (hence its name), plov is a staple food but also traditional food served at special events. There are a lot of recipes, I learned to make this basic recipe and for about a year I haven't done anything else, the pilaf is so good that every time it seems to me that I eat continuously from it.

Be sure to start the recipe, it's not hard at all, it will only take longer to boil and penetrate - the wait is well worth it.

The meat should be a mixture of beef and lamb - I only do it with veal, but I think what you can put pork / chicken.

Ingredients
Veal meat
500 g
or lamb + veal mixture, or only lamb
Carrots
2 pieces
larger carrots
Yellow onion
2 pieces
Short grain rice
1 cup
Sunflower oil
100 ml
Garlic cloves
5 pieces
Laurel leaves
2 pieces
optionally you can add paprika and a spice specific to plov - barbaris - not found here, so skip
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp
to taste
Step by step
Step 1

Prepare all the ingredients, wash and clean the vegetables, as well as the meat.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 1
Step 2

Then cut them all:

- carrots and julienned onions;

- medium diced meat.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 2
Step 3

Heat a pot of oil well, add onions and stirring periodically until it starts to brown.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 3
Step 4

Then add the meat, mix well and let it cook for about 10 minutes with the onion.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 4
Step 5

Add the carrots, mix well periodically and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 5
Step 6

Pour 2 glasses of water (the same glass with which you will measure the rice) - mix and leave until it starts to boil.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 6
Step 7

When it starts to boil, add salt and pepper, add the rest of the spices.

Make a low heat and simmer under the lid for at least an hour - or until the meat is soft.

The black beans in the picture are the barbaris - it was brought to me by a good acquaintance right from the source.

But many times I do without it, it is not mandatory to use it.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 7
Step 8

While the meat is boiling, you must prepare the rice - it must be washed in at least 7-8 waters, until the water becomes clear. Then leave it in the water for about an hour.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 8
Step 9

After the meat has boiled, add the rice (drained) in the cauldron - and be very careful - do not mix anything. Let the rice be on top and the water about 1 cm above it, the vegetables and meat stay down.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 9
Step 10

After it boils, turn down the heat and notice that in 10-15 minutes the rice starts to swell, smooth it a little more with a spoon and deepen the garlic cloves in it.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 10
Step 11

After another 10 minutes, notice that the rice should absorb the water from above. If you taste it, it's a little al dente, not really boiled hard.

Then turn off the heat, put a lid on top of the cauldron and let the pilaf penetrate for a minimum of 30 minutes, a maximum of one hour.

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 11
Step 12

After this time, serve it - take it with a spoon from the whole depth of the cauldron, to reach the vegetables and meat.

Goes well with fresh vegetable salad or pickles.

Good appetite!

Uzbek Plov Recipe - Step 12
Quantity: 2 kg (6-7 servings)
Prep time:
120 min
Difficulty: easy
Ready in: 30 min