Kazakh-Style Plov

About This Recipe

Plov (also called osh or ash) is the great dish of the entire Central Asian steppe, and Kazakhstan's version is as celebrated as Uzbekistan's. Cooked in a large qazan (cast iron cauldron) over wood fire, Kazakh plov uses yellow carrots (the historical original, before orange carrots spread from the West), generous lamb fat, and sometimes chickpeas and raisins. Making plov is considered a masculine art in Central Asia — traditionally made by men for large gatherings.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 600 glamb, cubed
• 200 glamb fat or vegetable oil
• 3 cupslong-grain rice (devzira or basmati)
• 400 gcarrots (yellow if possible), julienned
• 3 largeonions, sliced
• 1 wholehead of garlic, unpeeled
• 1 tspcumin
• 1/2 tspcoriander
• 1 tspsalt
• 3 cupshot water
• 1/2 cupchickpeas, cooked (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the fat

   Heat fat in a large heavy pot or qazan until very hot. Remove any solid pieces.

2. 2

   Brown lamb and onions

   Fry lamb in the hot fat until browned. Add onions and fry until golden. Season with cumin, coriander, and salt.

3. 3

   Add carrots

   Add julienned carrots. Fry for 5 minutes without stirring, then mix and fry 10 more minutes.

4. 4

   Make the zirvak

   Add enough hot water to just cover the meat (about 2 cups). Add whole garlic head. Simmer 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Add rice

   Spread washed rice evenly over the zirvak. Do not stir. Add remaining hot water to level with the rice. Cover tightly. Cook on very low heat for 25 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before opening.

Variations

• •

  Add raisins with the rice for sweetness

• •

  Include quince in autumn

• •

  Make with horse meat for the most Kazakh version

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheats well with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions