Rice simmered with meat, carrots and onions in a large pot. Tashkent Supermarket in Brighton Beach ladles plov from enormous kazans at its hot bar, beside manti and samsa.

Plov, also called palov or osh, is the national dish of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan: rice simmered in a rich stew of meat and vegetables called zirvak until the liquid is absorbed. It is made on special occasions such as weddings, sometimes serving up to 1,000 people from a single cauldron. In Brighton Beach, shoppers come to Tashkent Supermarket for plov ladled from enormous kazans, and its hot-bar meals run $10 to $15.

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 4 to 61 hr 40 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2 inch cubes
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 2 whole heads garlic
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 large carrots, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 cup barberries (zereshk)
  • 2 cups boiling water or broth
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Method

  1. Soak the rice in hot water. Trim 1/4 inch off the top of each garlic head.
  2. Toast the cumin, coriander and peppercorns for a few minutes and grind them.
  3. Brown the lamb in the hot oil for about 10 minutes and set it aside.
  4. Cook the onions in the same pan until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, then the carrots until tender, about 10 minutes.
  5. Return the lamb, add the spice mix, barberries and whole garlic, cover on medium heat and cook 30 minutes.
  6. Drain the rice and spread it over the meat in an even layer. Pour in the boiling water so it stands about 1/2 inch above the rice, and do not stir.
  7. Season with salt, cover, and cook on medium-low about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
  8. Mix gently as you serve and garnish with the garlic heads.

Editor tip. Do not stir after adding the rice; the layers are what keep the grains separate and fluffy.