• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Panning The Globe
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
×

Home » Recipes » Asia

Plov: Lamb Pilaf from Uzbekistan

September 18, 2012 Updated October 9, 2020 by Lisa Goldfinger 15 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Plov is a popular dish in Uzbekistan. I now know why. It's a rich and delectable dish with chunks of tender lamb, rice, carrots, onions and spices. It's like combining delicious risotto with scrumptious lamb stew.

Plov: Lamb and rice and whole roasted bulbs of garlic in a bowl, garnished with parsley.

Plov hails from ancient times and some of the steps in the cooking process - such as poking holes in the rice and submerging whole heads of garlic down into it, and the gentle pouring of the water over a wooden spoon - are unusual enough that at times I felt like I was performing an ancient cooking ritual.

I cooked this Plov the traditional way, with lamb, carrots, onions, and spices. But I broke with a couple of Uzbek traditions in adapting this recipe for Panning the Globe. Firstly, I didn’t use the rendered fat of a sheep’s tail to sauté my meat and vegetables. As delicious as I’m sure that is, I opted for Canola oil, which is more readily available. Secondly, I (a woman) cooked the meal, whereas in Uzbekistan the cooking of Plov is generally the man’s task.

plov-cut-garlic-bulbs

You never know what you will learn while cooking Plov. I was curious about why the rice in this dish is rinsed several times and drained before cooking. Turns out rinsing rice  washes away a lot of extra starch and leaves you with grains that cook up tender but don't stick together. That is the perfect consistency for Plov.

I also learned why many packages of rice don't suggest rinsing before cooking: there is a law in the USA which mandates that any rice that might be sold to a school and served to children must be fortified with vitamins and iron. The law also says that the rice must be packaged really well so no foreign matter gets in and thus nobody needs to rinse it, which would wash away all the added vitamins.

plov-garlic-in-rice

You can cut the carrots any way you want for this dish, but julienne is traditional and I think it’s kind of fun. Here’s how, if you don’t know: first cut the carrots into 2-inch lengths; in each piece, cut four flat thin slices lengthwise. Then you end up with flat rectangular pieces of carrot that you can easily cut into strips.

how to julienne carrots | Panning The Globe

I can see why the Uzbeks consider Plov their king of dishes. My family was in awe when that mountain of Plov, topped with the whole garlic bulbs, was set before them.

This is Panning The Globe's first recipe post. I'm excited to find delicious recipes and culinary inspiration from every single country and to start I decided to spin the wheel and see where it landed. It landed on Uzbekistan. I knew nothing about the country or its food. I was thrilled to find this wonderful blog-worthy Uzbeki dish!

Plov, a popular dish in Uzbekistan, is like risotto meets lamb stew - a delicious festive dish of tender lamb, rice, carrots, onions and wonderful spices.

Plov is delicious, festive, and it taught me some things about cooking and about the world. I hope you enjoy it too!

Here's the lamb plov recipe. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Plov, a popular dish in Uzbekistan, is like risotto meets lamb stew - a delicious festive dish of tender lamb, rice, carrots, onions and wonderful spices.

Plov


★★★★★

4.5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 6 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Deliciously spiced lamb and rice pilaf. A hearty one pot dinner.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 3 small heads garlic
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder, trimmed of fat, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon hungarian hot paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric (for color)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • several grinds of fresh pepper
  • ½ cup fresh or dried barberries (middle eastern grocers)
  • 3 cups boiling water

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain the rice in several washes of warm water, set aside
  2. Wash the whole garlic heads and slice off about ¾ of an inch from the top of each head, exposing a cross section of the cloves. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a Dutch Oven or heavy casserole over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add lamb pieces (in batches, if necessary, to avoid over-crowding) and brown on all sides, about 7 minutes total (or per batch)
  4. If you have cooked meat in batches, return all meat to the pot and add carrots and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
  5. Add the next 7 ingredients: cumin seeds, paprika, hot paprika, turmeric, salt, pepper, and barberries. Stir to combine. Add ½ cup water, cover pot and turn heat down to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
  6. Uncover the pot and using the back of a wooden spoon, flatten the meat and vegetables into the bottom of the casserole. Add the rice, creating a flat even layer with the help of the wooden spoon.
  7. Push the garlic bulbs, exposed side first, down through the rice till only their bottoms are exposed.
  8. Pour the 3 cups of boiling water slowly over the wooden spoon, letting it fall gently into the pot so as not to disturb the rice layer on top. Poke a few holes in the rice layer with the handle of the spoon, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove from heat. Pull out garlic bulbs and stir rice and meat together. Mound the Plov on a serving platter with the garlic heads on top.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Category: Festive Main Course
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: Uzbekistani

Keywords: Uzbeki Plov, lamb and rice casserole

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

 
 
3.1.05

More Our Best Asian Recipes

  • Mumbai Sandwich
  • two slow cooked chicken thighs with vivid orange gochujang sauce on a black plate with some white rice and a few slices of sauteed zucchini.
    Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Korean Style
  • white bowl filled with cucumber raita and garnished with a sprig of fresh mint
    Cucumber Raita
  • close up of a Korean bbq burger in a bun with green leaf lettuce peeking out and a strip of pickled red onion draping down
    Korean BBQ Burgers

Filed Under: All Recipes, Asia, Entertaining, main course, Stew Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, lamb, rice

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Sandra Brown

    October 19, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    Isn't Plov made with a thin bread crust at bottom then rice placed over??

    Reply
    • Lisa

      October 19, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      Hi Sandra, Persian Tahdig has bread at the bottom and rice on top but I haven't seen a Plov recipe like that. Sound delicious though!

      Reply
  2. Jeff

    December 20, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    Very comforting and tasty!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. youtube com activate

    January 23, 2019 at 6:39 am

    It?s hard to come by knowledgeable people for this topic, however,
    you sound like you know what you?re talking
    about! Thanks

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Vincent

    November 09, 2018 at 9:32 am

    I had the privilege of visiting the US embassies in Tashkent and Dushanbe in 2013 for their 4th of July receptions. In Tashkent, the email served chili to local officials and explained that it was like plov in America. In Dushanbe, my host family went out and got takeout plov, serving it in the customary Tajik style with naan and leaves of lettuce.

    I have been using this very recipe ever since I got back from that trip. I only use regular paprika and I can't find barberry anywhere (maybe the author could provide a link to an exact description) but it always comes out just as I remember it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Nancy

    December 21, 2017 at 11:02 am

    You mean barberries, not bayberries.

    Reply
  6. Albert H Fine

    October 11, 2016 at 11:38 am

    Made plov as outlinedexcept for bayberries, which were not available in the 2 middle eastern stores in my neighborhood.. Culminated with greatly overcooked lamb that was dry and undercooked rice, presumably due to too short cooking time after rice added to dish. Since finished dish is comprised of blended content, why not just mix it all together and cook for initial cooking time? Found overall flavor to be mild and relatively indistinct.

    ★★★

    Reply
  7. Sue

    February 22, 2015 at 4:48 am

    I was recently in Uzbek and had some amazing plov. I was told the secret was cottonseed oil... if you can get it.

    Reply
    • Lisa Goldfinger

      February 22, 2015 at 7:59 am

      That's interesting! I'll have to look into that next time I make Plov. Thanks Sue!

      Reply
  8. kara

    November 30, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    I am excited to try this dish. I went to Uzbekistan during college it was a wonderful experience and this was by far my favorite dish. Thanks for the post!

    Reply
  9. Krista Low

    April 28, 2013 at 10:07 am

    This looks fabulous. My husband had this dish when he was in Russia and loves it! I will be making this soon 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing a fabulous recipe, and I enjoyed reading the history too. This is my first time to your blog. Love it! Krista @ A Handful of Everything

    Reply
  10. Vicky

    November 03, 2012 at 1:13 am

    This looks and sounds delicious! Plov is seriously my favorite dish of all time and I've made it a few times before by my grandmother's recipe. Will have to try it your way next time! I always grate the carrots to save time but will have to try julienning them to make the plov the real authentic way next time!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      November 03, 2012 at 10:44 am

      I'm impressed that you've made Plov before! This was my first recipe for the blog and I decided to choose an obscure recipe from an unfamiliar country to boost my confidence in this project. Is your grandmother from Uzbekistan?

      Reply
  11. Lori

    September 25, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    This looks delicious, and I'm going to try it. I'm not a huge lamb fan. Do you think it would work with chicken?

    Reply
    • Lisa

      September 26, 2012 at 7:12 am

      Yes, definitely. I would suggest thighs, because they won't dry out. Plov has hundreds of varieties, including chicken and vegetarian. Let me know how it turns out.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Panning the Globe

Hi, I'm Lisa! I believe we can all make the world's most delicious dishes at home.
I'm excited to share with you hundreds of fabulous, globally inspired recipes to feed your family and entertain your friends.

More about me →

TRENDING FAVORITES

  • Here's an amazing roast chicken recipe from chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Chicken thighs are spiced with za'atar and sumac, tossed with onions, lemons and garlic, and roasted. This is a great dinner party recipe because it's a beautiful dish, you can do all the prep ahead, the chicken is tender and juicy, and the flavors are fantastically delicious!
    Ottolenghi's Roast Chicken with Za'atar and Sumac
  • It's easy to cook a big pot of this award winning white chicken chili, and it's the absolute BEST white chicken chili! Tender chicken, chilies, white beans, spices and a few more goodies in this winning white chicken chili recipe.
    Award Winning White Chicken Chili
  • This Award Winning Chili recipe is hands down the BEST chili con carne I've ever tasted, with the most incredible flavor and texture - made with beef, pork, beans, awesome spices, onions, garlic, tomatoes and beer. Plus it freezes well so you might want to make a double batch.
    Eddie's Award Winning Chili
  • Indian Lamb Biryani: Sumptuous casserole of tender lamb curry with saffron spiced rice with cucumber-mint raita on the side|Panning The Globe
    Indian Lamb Biryani
  • a pot of ratatouille seen from above
    The Best Easy Ratatouille Recipe
  • Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl with Spinach and Avocado | Panning The Globe
    Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl with Spinach and Avocado
  • bowl of healthy shepherds pie
    Healthy Shepherd's Pie
  • Senegalese Chicken Yassa by Panning The Globe
    Senegalese Chicken Yassa

MORE POPULAR RECIPES

STAY ON TOP OF WHAT’S COOKING

Subscribe to our free newsletter and get the newest recipes and seasonal menu ideas sent directly to your inbox.

Footer

LET'S CONNECT!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

↑ back to top

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Browse

  • Contact
  • All Recipes
  • Quick & Easy Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes

banner with names of publications that have featured recipes from panning the globe

COPYRIGHT © 2019 · LISA GOLDFINGER AND PANNING THE GLOBE · ALL TEXT, RECIPES, CONTENT AND IMAGES ON THIS SITE ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF LISA GOLDFINGER AND PANNING THE GLOBE.

PRIVACY POLICY · CONTACT ME · SUBSCRIBE

460 shares