Uzbek pilaf is not just a name, but a real national food brand - such as Provencal cabbage, Siberian dumplings, Lobio Gurian and so on. The aroma of spices, the unique consistency of pilaf, where rice is simultaneously crumbly and slightly sticky, delicious taste - this is all about Uzbek pilaf. Although to be precise, there are many varieties of this dish. It is cooked in its own way in Tashkent and Bukhara, Samarkand and Andijan. Nevertheless, there are several general ideas that unite all types of Uzbek pilaf. We will tell you how to cook a real Uzbek pilaf while preserving all the traditional cooking features.

What is the difference between Uzbek pilaf and other things?

Besides the fact that it is cooked differently in different places, there are also traditions of cooking pilaf from various components. In the same Uzbekistan, you can find wedding pilaf and pilaf with dolma, with dried fruits and other components. However, Russians are accustomed to the classic Uzbek pilaf, which is prepared from rice, meat with carrots and onions. It will be discussed.

In Uzbek pilaf, meat can be different, up to chicken, but the classic recipe involves lamb or beef.

But those differences that are typical for this pilaf:

  • carrots are taken not orange, but yellow;
  • meat with vegetables is cooked in a sauce called zirvak, and then combined with rice and cooked all together;
  • vegetable oil is used, but usually the dish is enriched using a mixture of different oils. It can be sunflower, sesame or nut;
  • mutton pilaf is prepared using fat tail fat, combined with vegetable oil;
  • proportions are strictly observed - carrots and meat are taken in equal quantities, about the same should be rice.

Important! The choice of rice is an important point. For a traditional pilaf, do not take the time to find the real rice that Uzbeks use to cook pilaf - this is devzira variety rice, long-grain and transparent. It will not turn into porridge and will not be dry, such rice is steamed well, increasing greatly in volume.

Real Uzbek pilaf in a cauldron with lamb

A cauldron is used for cooking - it can be both on fire and on a regular stove. Thick cast-iron walls of the cauldron keep heat for a long time, and quick and uniform heating of all the walls of the dishes ensures that the dish turns out to be the most delicious and aromatic. The ideal option is a copper street cauldron over an open fire, but if not, then a cast-iron heavy cauldron pan will do. The vessel must always have a well-fitting lid so that the pilaf stews closed as long as possible.

You will need:

  • a kilogram of rice;
  • a kilogram of carrots;
  • 4 large onions;
  • 2 liters of water;
  • vegetable oil 300 g;
  • salt, pepper, zira and other spices to taste, the head of garlic.

And here is the step-by-step preparation of pilaf:

  1. Put rice under running water for washing. It is very important to rinse the rice until the liquid is transparent so that there is no trace of rice flour, then it will be friable and at the same time moderately sticky.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the lamb into cubes, carrots - medium-sized straws about 1 cm thick. Cut the onion in half rings, taking three heads.
  3. To heat a cauldron and in it - oil. Uzbek pilaf is always quite fat, two glasses of vegetable oil are poured onto a five-liter cauldron of a cook, adding fat tail fat to them. If there is no fat, and you are not a supporter of excessively fatty foods, then you can limit yourself to less oil. In this recipe, 300 g is taken. To check if the oil is hot, throw some dry salt. Will crackle - done.
  4. In the hot oil, dip the washed and dried onion remaining onion - fry it in the husk until black. Then remove and discard. The point of such a frying is to soak the oil in a very fried onion flavor.
  5. Add chopped onion to the oil and fry until dark golden. It takes about seven minutes, then add pieces of meat to the onion and quickly fry them until smooth.
  6. Add carrots, continue to fry for another three minutes without stirring. Then mix everything and fry for another 10 minutes with constant stirring.
  7. Pour a little boiling water, pepper, salt (about two tablespoons of salt without a slide) and pour in spices. Uzbek spices are zira (1 tsp), barberry (2 tsp), a pinch of turmeric or saffron for color.
  8. As soon as the meat is almost ready (you need to bring it to softness), put the rice and flatten with a slotted spoon. Stick the unpeeled head of garlic. If small heads, then two are possible. Add the remaining boiling water, bring to a boil and leave on low heat until the rice absorbs all the water.
  9. When the rice is almost ready, collect it in a cauldron up a hill, pierce in several places with a slotted spoon handle to let out steam, and then cover and let go on the smallest fire or wrapped in a warm blanket. You can put the dishes under the pillow. But the best option is Uzbek pilaf in a cauldron standing right in the furnace when the boiler is built into the furnace. Then its hot walls will retain all the necessary heat.
  10. Before serving, the contents of the cauldron are mixed, laid out on plates and sprinkled with finely chopped cilantro.

Important! Classic pilaf serving in the East - with a salad of thinly sliced ​​tomatoes and onions. Vegetables, as a rule, are not seasoned with anything except salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Uzbek pilaf with beef

Of course, the best pilaf is lamb. It has a special oriental aroma and delicate taste. However, like true Muslims, Uzbeks avoid pork, but respect beef.Uzbek pilaf with beef can be made with lamb taste, if you add a little fat tail.

The Uzbek style with beef is prepared from the following products:

  • meat - 0.8 kg, including a small piece on the bone;
  • rice - 0.6 kg;
  • a pound of onion;
  • carrots - 0.6 kg;
  • vegetable oil and tail fat - all together 250 g;
  • spices - salt, pepper, zira;
  • garlic.

Finely chopped pieces of fat tail fat are heated in a cauldron, greaves are collected and thrown away. The meat is laid with a bone, fried until browning. Then oil is added, heated and then everything goes the same as in the previous recipe. This pilaf is slightly different in proportion, it is also called the Ferghana pilaf.

Uzbek pilaf with pork

Pilaf with pork is, rather, a Russian derivative of the famous Uzbek. Nevertheless, the dish is no worse than the classic version.

For cooking, you will need 700 g of pork, onion and rice, 300 g of carrots and 200 g of vegetable oil. Fry the chopped flesh in oil, add chopped carrots and onions, fry well and simmer then with a little water. In the finished zirvak, put long-grain rice, previously washed. Salt, pepper. Add bay leaf (optional) and spices that you like. Pour boiling water over two fingers over rice and cook under the lid.

How to cook with chicken?

You can make Uzbek pilaf with chicken - this is the fastest and most win-win meal. In equal quantities we take rice, carrots and chicken breast 3 to 500 g each. Onions are enough 300 g. Spices are taken to taste, but usually it is pepper, zira, you can also take ready-made seasoning for pilaf.

In a cauldron in hot oil (at the bottom by 1 cm), first chopped onion until roasted, then chicken is added, cut into small pieces. If there is no breast, then meat from the chakhokhbili set or any other chicken meat is suitable. Cover the fried chicken with carrots grated on a coarse grater and stew for 15 minutes, then put the washed rice, salt, pepper, add spices and a whole head of garlic. Pour boiling water over two fingers over rice and simmer until cooked. Wrap the pilaf well and leave for another forty minutes.

In a slow cooker

Pilaf in a slow cooker is prepared in exactly the same way as in a conventional pan.

First, in the frying mode, the meat is fried (2 tbsp. Of oil to heat and add 250 g of meat pieces). Fry everything without a lid for 25 minutes so that the meat is not stewed, namely fried. After about ten minutes in the same program, fry the onions, and then add the carrots. When the frying is over, add spices for pilaf to taste, mix, put rice on top and pour boiling water. Cook the dish until ready. When the cooking time is over, stick a few peeled garlic cloves into the pilaf and pierce several holes in the pilaf. Close the lid and let stand for another 20 minutes.

Unusual variation - Uzbek sweet pilaf

Vegetarian and sweet dish - pilaf with dried fruits or pumpkin. Everything is done in the same way as in the preparation of ordinary pilaf, only zirvak is not cooked, and instead dried apricots, raisins and dried fruits are fried in hot oil. Carrots and apples can also be put in pilaf, cut into strips. After overcooking, mix everything and cover with washed rice. In the rice, pierce the pits and pour boiling water over them, cook until rice is ready.

Product Composition:

  • on a glass of rice 1 carrot;
  • 100 g of raisins;
  • 100 g of fruit mixture;
  • 1 apple
  • a handful of dried apricots;
  • a couple of tablespoons of butter;
  • a pinch of salt.

Related:More from the author: