Uzbek pilaf

Classic Uzbek plov is not just a dish, but a whole ritual. It is cooked in a kazan, over an open fire or on a stove, from meat (most often lamb), carrots, onions, rice, and spices. Here is a basic recipe: 🥘 Ingredients (for 6–8 servings): Rice - 500 g (devzira or basmati long-grain is best) Meat (lamb or beef) - 600-700 g Carrots - 500-600 g (preferably yellow and orange, julienned) Onions - 2-3 pcs. Garlic - 1 head (whole) Vegetable oil (cottonseed or sunflower) - 150-200 ml Cumin (caraway) - 1 tbsp. Dried barberry - 1 tbsp. Salt to taste Water - approximately 1 l 🔪 Preparation: Rice preparation. Rinse the rice well several times until the water runs clear, then soak it in warm, salted water for 30-40 minutes. Meat and butter. Heat oil in a kazan. Add pieces of meat (even tastier with bone), fry until golden brown. Onion. Add the onion, sliced into half-rings, and fry until golden brown. Carrot. Dice the carrots, mix, and fry until tender. Zirvak (base of pilaf). Salt, add cumin and barberries. Pour in hot water to cover the meat and vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes. Rice. Drain the water from the rice, carefully spread it in an even layer over the zirvak. Add enough water to cover the rice by 1.5–2 cm. Evaporation. Boil over high heat until the water evaporates (grooves will appear on the surface). Finish. Reduce the heat to minimum, make a few holes in the rice with a chopstick, insert a whole head of garlic. Cover with a lid and leave for 20-25 minutes to ✅ Serve. Before serving, stir the pilaf from bottom to top, placing the meat and carrots on top of the rice.