Ishtaha

Passport & Plate - Plov

Uzbekistan | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos

Ingredients
0,5 kg of meat. I use beef. However, originally lamb is used
- onion, 4-5 pieces
- carrots (preferably yellow carrots, they make the color) - 700gr
- rice 700-800 gr
- black pepper
- cumin
- chickpeas (better tinned as they are softened already, but if you have only fresh, then make sure you put them n water a night before)
- raisins (preferably light brown ones, never the black ones)
- garlic
- chili pepper
- oil - 400 ml
- salt
- water

 

How to prepare this recipe
You must have a pot.

Before you get to cooking, make sure you have your raisins in water to soften and a kettle on for water to boil. We will need these both later in the process.

Put the pot on fire and let it warm for a few minutes. Then add the oil, the fire should be high.

Meanwhile, cut the meat into pieces. Medium is ok.

Onions to cut in half and then sliced.

Oil in pot is ready and you put the meat in the pot. Yes, you are right in thinking that it will sprinkle and sparkle. It should. Be careful with hands and eyes.You fry the meat until it's red always stirring. It will take around 5-10min.

Add the sliced onions to the meat. Keep frying and stirring from time to time till onion gets golden color.

While it's all giving its taste to oil, we deal with carrots.

Add the carrots to the mix and keep frying. For around 5 min.
Carrot pieces will look lazy and soft.

Now we add the water (yes, boiled one) to the mix to cover it all and about 2-3 cm above it. We let it boil.
Then we add chickpeas, raisins, garlic head, cumin, black pepper, chili and let the mix boil on a low fire for about 20-30 min. This is important as the meat needs to be soft when ready in the end.

The last procdure is to wash rice several times till the water is clear after washing. You add it to the soupy mixture, even it and then add some more water on top of rice so that there's agan 2-3 cm of liquid above rice.
You let the water evaporate, so you can't see any on top.

Close the lid. It shouldn't have any holes. Let it steam on a low fire for about 30 min.
It's ready!

Mix the plov inside the pot. Then fill your bowls with it. The result should look as in the last photo.

Best goes with fresh spring onions, some yoghurt as a side dish and a beautfiul tomato-onion light salad.

Bon appetit, or we say in Uzbek "Yoqimli ishtaha'' :)

 

The story behind this recipe
Plov is indeed a legendary dish, coming from the times of Avicenna when he mentioned in his works that one should have 'plov' once a week to strengthen his health. The name of this dish is recited in folklore as well. The main ingredent being rice, plov is famous for being nutrtional and mouth-watering. In my country, plov is not only popular but also honorable dish. By this I mean that plov is mostly prepared when you are expecting guests in your place, that this shows you were waiting, preparing for the visit and of course respecting your visitor.

Across Asia (in the East) there exist many types of plov (also called pilaf in some regions). Here I am telling about Uzbek plov.

The specifity of Uzbek plov is that MOSTLY it was cooked by men only. It was sort of 'the business card' of the host. His 'face'. This tradition still has its continuation and every Uzbek man must be able to cook one. However, traditions change and women are also allowed to cook this dish and I should say this is one of my favourite ones in my cuisine. I try to follow what Avicenna adviced and cook it at least once a week.

There is also a family story goes here as my father, mother and grandma - all cook it in different way. Surely, the ingredients are still the same, but the techniques differ and they always want to hear that their only daughter follows particularly his or her recipe.

Plov is not only a dish for me, but it's always an excuse to gather with friends and/or family members.

I usually arrange various cooking evening with my international friends here in Prague and this is more an exchange of recipes and stories.

Hope this beautiful Uzbek dish will have an opportunity to appear on your table filling the room with scent of oriental spices creating that warm home atmosphere around and engage people with stories around the world.

Yoqimli ishtaha once again )