Fergana pilaf - Uzbek classic

Шаг 1

The rice is rinsed, the meat and carrots are chopped, and the spices fill the kitchen with aroma, ready for cooking.

Шаг 2

So, place the cauldron over high heat, cut the fat into cubes and put it into the pot. For a few minutes, render the fat, stirring the cracklings occasionally to prevent burning. Then remove the cracklings and add about the same amount of vegetable oil to the fat.

Шаг 3

After waiting a bit for the fat mixture to get hot, add the coarsely chopped onions to the cauldron.

Шаг 4

Since the heat is high and the oil is very hot, the onion should literally boil in it and fry within a minute. This is the effect of the cauldron’s special shape. There should be enough fat so that the onion actually floats in it.

Шаг 5

Don’t forget to stir the onion, monitoring the degree of frying and golden color.

Шаг 6

Frying the onion to the desired state takes just about a minute and a half. Then bones are added to the cauldron and lightly fried for a few minutes. After that, they are removed, and pieces of meat are added. Since everything happens very quickly, I recommend preparing all the ingredients BEFORE cooking so nothing burns or forces you to remove the cauldron from the heat.

Шаг 7

Fry the meat until a golden crust forms. This takes just a few minutes.

Шаг 8

After the meat is browned, add the julienned carrots. Mix them with the meat and fry for a few minutes. During this time, the carrots release a lot of juice, and the frying process smoothly turns into stewing over high heat.

Шаг 9

Now it’s time for spices. Cumin. The incredible aroma and flavor of pilaf come largely from it. Sprinkle cumin over the carrots, meat, and onions.

Шаг 10

At this point, I add a bit of turmeric and pieces of dried paprika.

Шаг 11

Mix everything in the cauldron, return the bones, and add whole garlic heads and chili peppers.

Шаг 12

Now add water to the cauldron — enough to cover everything inside. This mixture is called zirvak. By the way, this is also when we add salt.

Шаг 13

Cover the cauldron with a lid and let the zirvak stew for an hour. Even at this stage, you can taste and adjust the flavor of the future pilaf. If everything has been done right, the taste of the zirvak will amaze you.

Шаг 14

Time has passed. Remove the lid from the cauldron — it’s time for the rice... As I mentioned earlier, it should be rinsed well in advance and soaked for a couple of hours. Before adding the rice, remove the garlic and chili pepper from the cauldron and set them aside. We’ll use them later.

Шаг 15

Add the rice to the zirvak.

Шаг 16

Continue cooking. Our goal is to wait until there’s not a drop of water left in the pilaf. During stewing, you can make holes down to the bottom to help the water evaporate. To check if there’s still water, tap the surface with a spatula — squishy sound means there is, dull sound means it’s gone. Until the water evaporates, don’t cover the pilaf with a lid.

Шаг 17

Once the water has evaporated, add a bit more cumin to the pilaf. The first addition was for taste — this one is for aroma.

Шаг 18

Return the garlic and chili pepper to the cauldron, cover the pilaf with a lid, and let it sit on the lowest heat for 30–40 minutes.

Шаг 19

Finally, before serving, there’s one last step — fluff the pilaf. Lift small portions with a spatula and shake them over the cauldron. This makes the dish fluffy and airy.

Шаг 20

Enjoy your meal!