Uzbek Plov

Uzbek Plov (Osh or Плов) is an aromatic, hearty, one pot dish that's enjoyed across Central Asia, Russia and the former Soviet Union. Served with Achichuk Salad, it's the defining food of Uzbekistan that's easy to make, with centuries of tradition. So many variations make dinners and gatherings unforgettable.

Traditionally cooked by men, just like Shashlik and is especially popular for weddings as the National Dish of Uzbekistan. However, with so many variations, people constantly argue on the "right way to make Plov". Don't get me started on Tashkent Plov vs Samarkand Plov! 🤣 I grew up eating and making Plov, it's part of my Central Asian roots and it was amazing to see how they made it at the Central Asian Plov Center (see video).

Ingredients

• Vegetable Oil - Plov needs lots of oil, provides extra taste
• Lamb - or Beef, tastes better if using meat with bones attached for flavor
• Vegetables - Yellow Carrots (but can use orange carrots), Onions, Garlic, Chickpeas, Chili Peppers (optional)
• Rice - washed until water runs clear
• Raisins - black Raisins, Turkish Raising or Muscatels are ideal
• Barberries (барбарис) - optional (tasty tangy like cranberries and are traditionally added to Plov)
• Boiling Water - pull out the kettle to help speed up cooking
• Spices - whole Cumin Seeds, Salt and Pepper
• Quail Eggs - to serve as a garnish

Equipment

• Kazan - a large cast iron wok that is heated with wood or charcoal
• 6 Quart Wok with Lid - much easier to find, a cooks in similar style to Kazan
• Stockpot - a large, heavy bottom stockpot with lid makes homemade Plov easy

How to Make Uzbek Plov

Preparations

• Onions - peel and cut the onions in half. Thinly slice into half circles.
• Carrots - cut carrots into long strips like thick matchsticks (or julienne).
• Lamb - cut the meat into 3" chunks, adding whole lamb chops on the bone adds flavor
• Wash Rice - before adding rice, wash until water runs clear.
• Kettle - boil water to use as needed.
• Quail Eggs - optional: place Quail Eggs in boiling water for 4 minutes. Peel egg shells, set aside.

Making Plov

1. Heat Pan - add oil into heavy Wok or Kazan and heat over high heat.
2. Brown Lamb and Onions - add the lamb chunks and fry until browned. Add onions and cook until they are caramelized. Season with 1 tablespoon of Cumin Seeds and 1 tablespoon of Salt.
3. Fry Carrots - Mix in carrots and fry until softened (about 10 minutes). Pour boiling water into your pot until the carrots are just covered with water (about 4 cups). Add remaining spices (1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds, 1 tablespoon Salt and ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper).
4. Submerge Garlic - submerge the whole head of garlic and optional chilli pepper in the liquids. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.
5. Remove Garlic - remove garlic heads and chill pepper from the pot. Evenly spread chickpeas and raisins over the carrots.
6. Layer Rice - evenly layer the washed rice over the carrot mix, sprinkle with barberries and add garlic heads back into the rice.
7. Pour Water - add more boiling water to the rice, covering the rice about ½ inch of water. Do not mix the rice and and vegetables, but keep it layered.
8. Cook Rice - bring rice to a boil, cover with lid and reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked.

Serving Plov

1. Prepare - after Plov is cooked, remove the garlic heads and any meat from the pan. Shred the meat and set aside.
2. Plate - remove Plov from pan and top with shredded meat, cooked garlic and hard boiled eggs sliced in half.
3. Serve - enjoy with Achichuk Tomato Salad, fresh cucumbers or dill pickles.

How to Cut Carrots for Plov

1. Peel - trim the ends and peel the carrots
2. Cut Diagonally - carefully cut carrot stick into long, thin slices about ¼" thick
3. Stack and Cut - in stacks of 3, carefully julienne the diagonal pieces into matchsticks
4. Adjust Thickness - Uzbek Plov can use thin matchstick carrots or thicker matchsticks, its your choice

Plov Variations

• Chaihansky Plov (Чайханский плов) - fry kuurdyuk (lamb tail fat) for extra flavor. Fry crispy like pork crackling, and serve on top of your Plov
• Samarkand Plov (самаркандский плов) - under no circumstances is this Plov to be mixed. The layers aren't mixed and they are served layered as well (rice, carrot, onions and meat)
• Armenian Plov (армянский плов) - sauté sweet Red Bell Peppers and add coriander and turmeric
• Azerbaijani Plov (азербайджанский плов) - sauté the rice with the vegetables (before adding water) to absorb flavors. Add dried apricots or prunes, toasted nuts for flavor and texture
• Georgian Plov (грузинский плов) - sauté vegetables (carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes) with spices (Cumin, Blue Fenugreek or Saffron). Mix through with meat and rice before adding water, to absorb flavors.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Caramelize - don't be afraid to really caramelize the onions and carrots for a deeper flavor and color in the rice
• Don't Open the Lid - while steaming rice, don't be tempted to peek to check rice. Wait the 20 minutes before opening.
• Heavy Bottom Pan - don't use a thin wok, or a light stock pot. A thick, heavy bottom pan is what is needed
• Faster Plov - slice the meat into bite size chunks. After caramelizing meat, onions and carrots really well, skip the simmering with water for 1 hour. Skip ahead to the rice part and cook as per instructions.
• Lower Fat - while the flavor is in the oil, you can reduce the oil by half and substitute beef stock instead of plain water for more flavor
• Buy Julienned Carrots - to save time, buy julienned carrots at your supermarket, such a timesaver

Can I Make Plov With Chicken?

Yes. Lamb is traditional, and beef is very common. However chicken is a great option. Use chicken breast, chicken thighs and drumsticks for best chicken flavor.

Spices for Plov Variations

• Cumin Seeds (2 tablespoons)
• Ground Coriander (1 teaspoons)
• Turmeric (2 tablespoons)
• Paprika (1 teaspoon)
• Black Pepper (¼ teaspoon)

Uzbek Plov Serving Suggestions

• Achichuk Salad - served with every Uzbek Plov and easy to make
• Quail Eggs - hard boiled
• Dolma - vine stuffed leaves
• Qazi (казы) - traditional Central Asian Horse Sausage
• Pickled Tomatoes - Kavkaz style
• Lepyoshka - Uzbek bread bun
• Dill Pickles
• Kompot - homemade juice

Best Rice for Plov?

So many different rices varieties for making Plov. Use what you have available, but different rice can impact flavor and texture. The part of Central Asia my mom is from, they always used a shorter grain rice.

• Uzbek Rice - Sultan Rice (Zeravshan), Ozbek, Laser Rice or Alanga
• Short Grain Rice - often used for homemade Plov
• Long Grain Rice - used for fancier occasions like weddings or gatherings
• Basmati Rice - long grain rice that provides strong flavor and isn't mushy
• Jasmine Rice - far less commonly used, adds sweetness
• Brown Rice - rarely used, requires significantly more rice cooking time (about 45 minutes)

Storage and Reheating

• Fridge - place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 3 days.
• Freezer - allow to cool and place in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge over night before heating.
• Reheating - for best result, heat in frying pan with a splash of water until heated. Place in microwave with a splash of water to and heat for 1 minute, and in 30 second increments until heated.

Central Asian Recipes You'll Love

• Funchoza Salad
• Ashlyamfu
• Lagman - Hand Pulled Noodles
• Chinese Lettuce Stir Fry for Lagman
• Asian Noodle Salad (Funchoza with Shrimp)
• Lazadzhan Hot Sauce - Laza Sauce
• Kavardak
• Korean Carrot Salad - Morkovcha
• Manti with Pumpkin - Steamed Dumplings
• Hanum (Orama) - Lazy Manti

You'll love this recipe because it's traditional Plov Uzbekistan dish, versatile and customizable, and a comfort food that's a crowd pleaser (either your family dinner or a large celebration gathering). Uzbek Rice (Osh) is part of the Pilaf family and has many names; pilav, pilau, pulaav, palava, palov, polo, polu, kurysh. Some people call this Russian Plov, but it's really an Uzbek classic. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!

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