Home › Recipes › Uzbek Plov

Uzbek Plov

Name: Uzbek Plov
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Uzbek
Ingredients: 66 g / 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 907 g / 2 lb boneless lamb shoulder or beef chuck, 1-inch chunks; 2 large onions, sliced; 907 g / 2 lb carrots, cut into thick matchsticks; 2 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp ground coriander; 27 g / 1 1/2 tbsp table salt, divided, to taste; 1 whole head of garlic, outer papery skin removed; 1/4 cup raisins or barberries, optional; 2 1/2 cups medium-grain or basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes; 908 g / 4 cups water, boiling, as needed

Central Asia's beloved one-pot pilaf of lamb, sweet yellow carrots, cumin and a whole head of garlic.

Makes: 6 servings · Pan: Heavy Dutch oven or kazan · Oven: Stovetop · Cuisine: Uzbek

⚖ Scale this recipe Print

Ingredients

Volume	Grams
1/3 cup vegetable oil	66 g
2 lb boneless lamb shoulder or beef chuck, 1-inch chunks	907 g
2 large onions, sliced	—
2 lb carrots, cut into thick matchsticks	907 g
2 tsp cumin seeds	—
1 tsp ground coriander	—
1 1/2 tbsp table salt, divided, to taste	27 g
1 whole head of garlic, outer papery skin removed	—
1/4 cup raisins or barberries, optional	—
2 1/2 cups medium-grain or basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes	—
4 cups water, boiling, as needed	908 g

Gram weights use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart; amounts given in lb or oz are converted by weight (1 lb = 453.6 g, 1 oz = 28.35 g); “—” means the ingredient isn’t on the chart, so measure it by volume or count. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or better, weigh it.

Method

Heat the oil in the pot over high heat until very hot. Brown the meat in batches, then add the onions and cook until deep golden.
Spread the carrots on top, leave them 2–3 minutes, then stir and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander and 2 teaspoons of the salt.
Add enough boiling water to just cover, nestle in the garlic head and raisins, and simmer gently 40 minutes. This is the zirvak, the flavor base.
Taste the liquid; it should be quite salty. Drain the rice and spread it evenly over the top without stirring. Add boiling water to cover the rice by 1/2 inch.
Cook over medium-high until the water sinks below the rice. Poke a few holes down to the bottom with a chopstick, cover tightly, and cook on low 25 minutes.
Lift out the garlic, gently fold the rice and carrots together, and mound on a platter with the meat and garlic on top.

Tips

Never stir the rice once it's in; it steams on top of the meat.
Yellow carrots are traditional, but orange ones taste great too.

Baking at elevation? See high-altitude adjustments. Different pan? Try the pan size converter.

Handy while you cook: oven temperature converter · yeast converter · safe meat temperatures · Pantry Survivor Mode