Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.

Rabbit Pilaf

Uzbek Lamb Plov is a traditional Uzbek (from Uzbekistan) recipe for a classic one pot dish of lamb cooked with rice, vegetables and spices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Uzbek version of: Uzbek Lamb Plov.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

50 minutes

Total Time:

70 minutes

Serves:

6

National:
Rating: 4.5 star rating

Tags : National Dish Spice RecipesVegetable RecipesUzbekistan Recipes

(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')


Ingredients:

800g long grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
4 large carrots, julienned
4 large onions, cut in half and sliced thinly
1kg lamb meat, preferably shoulder with some fat, cut into cubes.
4 tbsp melted lamb fat or vegetable oil
1.5l boiling water with 1 tbs of salt to it
2 tbsp (heaped) coarse salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric or a pinch of saffron for colour
1/2 tbsp tarragon
4 tbsp dried barberries (optional)
1 large head of garlic, un-peeled, with the top cut off.

Method:

If you have fatty lamb pieces use those for melting out the fat, if not, use vegetable oil instead.

In a large, heavy-based saucepan or cast iron casserole (dutch oven) heat the oil, or brown the fatty lamb pieces to get the fat out over high heat, until fat is smoky (but not burning)

Remove the meat at this point with a slotted spoon and toss in onions, frying in the fat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Add in the carrots and continue stir-frying. Add some of the remaining salt and half of the black pepper and paprika at this point.

Now return the meat back to the pan and sprinkle over some of the coriander and cumin. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Spread the washed rice over the meat, onions and carrots, don't stir at this point.

Poke a hole in the rice with a handle of a wooden spoon, and slowly pour the boiling water through that hole, taking care not to disturb the bottom ingredients. The water should cover the rice by not more than 1cm. However, it's better to under-water it than over-water as you don't want the plov to be soupy.

Keeping the heat at medium, cover the pot tightly and let rice steam cook for about 15 minutes without opening the pot.

After 15 minutes scatter over in the remaining spices and salt. Cover again and keep steaming. Stick the garlic head (exposed side down) into the middle of the steaming plov, about 3/4 of the way and cover the pan again.

Steam for another 10 minutes or so. Check the plov once in a while for doneness - the top grains should be slightly firm, and the bottom ones - well done, but not mushy. All the water should have evaporated away, but the ingredients should not be so dry that thy burn.

When done, the rice should be slightly sticky, but all grains should easily separate and not be easily mashed with a spoon. Meat should be tender and juicy, and vegetables should be all very tender. Enjoy the plov with a pomegranate salad.