One of the most popular recipes in Central Asian countries, especially Uzbekistan (hence its name), plov is a staple food but also traditional food served at special events. There are a lot of recipes, I learned to make this basic recipe and for about a year I haven't done anything else, the pilaf is so good that every time it seems to me that I eat continuously from it.
Be sure to start the recipe, it's not hard at all, it will only take longer to boil and penetrate - the wait is well worth it.
The meat should be a mixture of beef and lamb - I only do it with veal, but I think what you can put pork / chicken.
Prepare all the ingredients, wash and clean the vegetables, as well as the meat.
Then cut them all:
- carrots and julienned onions;
- medium diced meat.
Heat a pot of oil well, add onions and stirring periodically until it starts to brown.
Then add the meat, mix well and let it cook for about 10 minutes with the onion.
Add the carrots, mix well periodically and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour 2 glasses of water (the same glass with which you will measure the rice) - mix and leave until it starts to boil.
When it starts to boil, add salt and pepper, add the rest of the spices.
Make a low heat and simmer under the lid for at least an hour - or until the meat is soft.
The black beans in the picture are the barbaris - it was brought to me by a good acquaintance right from the source.
But many times I do without it, it is not mandatory to use it.
While the meat is boiling, you must prepare the rice - it must be washed in at least 7-8 waters, until the water becomes clear. Then leave it in the water for about an hour.
After the meat has boiled, add the rice (drained) in the cauldron - and be very careful - do not mix anything. Let the rice be on top and the water about 1 cm above it, the vegetables and meat stay down.
After it boils, turn down the heat and notice that in 10-15 minutes the rice starts to swell, smooth it a little more with a spoon and deepen the garlic cloves in it.
After another 10 minutes, notice that the rice should absorb the water from above. If you taste it, it's a little al dente, not really boiled hard.
Then turn off the heat, put a lid on top of the cauldron and let the pilaf penetrate for a minimum of 30 minutes, a maximum of one hour.
After this time, serve it - take it with a spoon from the whole depth of the cauldron, to reach the vegetables and meat.
Goes well with fresh vegetable salad or pickles.
Good appetite!