Uzbek's Plov

julienne carrots

brown the meat

Plov is a specialty dish in Uzbek culture.Aromatic spiced rice, tender meat and soft carrots. Although I was living there for the first eight  years of my life, I still remember its authentic taste and smell . In Uzbekistan, Plov most of the time is cooked  in kazan on the fire from wood, and you know anything that is cooked on the fire is triple times better ( My mom is a pro on that). Even though there are many ways to cook plov but the main ingredients still stay the same like rice,meat (lamb or beef), onions,carrots and oil (or fat tail of lamb).Then if you prefer you can add any of these ingredients of your choice ;   barberries,cranberries,raisins, garbanzo beans,or chickpeas. The two most popular plovs are Samarkand Plov (light in color) or Fergahna Plov ( darker and heavier but the taste is better because of the spices and the way its prepared.)

Plov  is supposed to be cooked in a kazan (cast iron pot), since I don't have one I cook it in a dutch oven and it's perfectly fine. My plov came out dark because I was lucky to get some plov spice mix (came directly from Uzbekistan ) from my friend, but otherwise it would be slightly lighter then mine. This recipe will feed a big crowd and takes some time to make it. Also, fresh tomato vegetable salad is a good combination to this dish. (recipe included in salad section)

Ingredients:

4 ¾  short grain rice ( I use Cal-Rose)

2 onions (medium –large) thinly sliced

10 carrots julienne

Bring water to boil and add all the spices

2 lbs. Beef (such as tri-tip or chuck ) cut in to thick rectangles

4 cup + 1 cup approximately

2 tablespoon salt ( I use sea salt,adjust depending on type of salt you use)

black pepper

1 cup oil

1 heaping tbsp. Cumin powder

2 whole unpeeled garlic heads ( peel the first layer, and cut the back of the garlic keeping the garlic whole)

1 dry chili pepper (optional)

any optional ingredients as mentioned above.

form n to a mountain

In a large bowl wash rice five times in slightly warm water .

Then soak the rice in slightly warm water while you cut the vegetables and meat. 

On Med-high heat warm the dutch oven until really hot.Add oil.wait a minute for the oil to heat up then add onions and cook them until golden brown.

Then add the meat and season it with ½ tbsp.salt and pepper.

 Cook the meat until golden brown approx. 20-25 minutes.

  

Add the carrots and mix it  with meat and onions.cook carrots for about 5 minutes occasionally stirring,then add 4 cups of water and bring to boil.

Add the rest of the salt,cumin, garlic and other ingredients like mentioned above.

Bring the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes with closed lid. 

Transfer the rice, and even out the layer.

Add the water (approx.1 cup, ) make sure the water is like ½ inch above rice.

Bring to boil on high heat.

When water is not visible above rice bring back on low again (to speed up the process of soaking up water you can make holes with a spoon going all the way to the bottom)

Form rice into a mountain , and close the lid.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 20-30 minutes.

Carefully mix the plov taking from the very bottom.Serve on a platter with thinly sliced green onions on top(optional) and by Uzbek tradition with a cup of green tea. Enjoy!