A daughter of the Talas valley, cooking in Chicago
Jibek's Dastorkon
özbek paloo

Wedding plov

Time 2 h + soaking Serves 8 For Weddings, memorials, teahouses Posted UzbekistanIrad
Illustration of Wedding plov

This is the plov of our Uzbek neighbours and of every teahouse in the Fergana valley, and at an Iradi wedding it is the only kind you will see. Traditionally the men cook it, usually a hired ashpoz with a cauldron the size of a bathtub, while the women run everything else. In Talas a plate costs 25 or 30 som. Here in Chicago, I make it myself in my biggest pot, and so can you.

The rule is the opposite of Iradi plov: once the rice goes in, you do not stir it. I know it’s hard. Put the spoon down and go have a cup of tea.

Ingredients 8 servings

  • 1 kglamb shoulder, in 4 cm pieces (some on the bone)
  • 150 mlcottonseed or sunflower oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 kgcarrots, yellow if you can find them, in thick matchsticks
  • 150 gdried chickpeas, soaked overnight
  • 1 tbspcumin seed
  • 1 tspcoriander seed, crushed
  • 2 tspdried barberries
  • 1 whole head of garlic, outer skin removed
  • 2 small dried chillies
  • 60 graisins
  • 800 glong-grain rice (devzira, or basmati), washed until clear and soaked 1 h
  • 1 tbspsalt, plus more to taste

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or kazan until it just smokes. Fry the lamb, bones first, until deeply browned, 10–12 minutes.
  2. Add the onions and fry until dark golden. Add the carrots in a layer and leave 2–3 minutes, then stir and cook 10 minutes until soft.
  3. Add the drained chickpeas, cumin, coriander, barberries and salt. Pour in boiling water to cover by 2 cm. Push in the garlic head and chillies. Simmer 40 minutes. This is the zirvak.
  4. Taste the liquid: it should be a little too salty. Scatter the raisins, then the drained rice in an even layer. Do not stir.
  5. Pour boiling water gently over a slotted spoon so it covers the rice by 1.5 cm. Cook on high until the water disappears below the surface.
  6. Pile the rice into a dome, poke 5–6 holes to the bottom with a chopstick, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
  7. Lift out the garlic and meat. Turn the rice and carrots onto a platter, lay the meat and garlic on top, and serve with tomato and onion salad.
From my kitchenUse a heavy, wide pot. A thin pot burns the bottom before the rice steams.

With love from my kitchen to yours,Jibek

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