Azerbaijani Plov

About This Recipe

Azerbaijani plov is considered one of the most refined and elaborate expressions of the rice pilaf tradition in the world. Unlike Uzbek plov (cooked together with meat in one pot), Azerbaijani plov keeps the rice and the meat-and-fruit topping (gara) completely separate until serving. The rice is par-boiled and then steamed in a pot lined with a flatbread (kazmag) or potato crust, creating the legendary tahdig (crispy bottom) that is the most prized part of the dish. Meanwhile, the gara — a complex mix of lamb, onion, sour plums (alycha), dried apricots, dried cherries, and chestnuts — is cooked separately. At the table, snowy mounds of saffron-tinted rice are mounded on a platter, topped with the aromatic gara, and the golden crispy crust is broken and distributed as the greatest prize. Azerbaijan has over 200 recorded plov variations.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 gbasmati or long-grain rice
• 500 glamb shoulder(diced)
• 2 largeonions(thinly sliced)
• 100 gdried sour cherries or barberries
• 80 gdried apricots(halved)
• 80 gcooked chestnuts(vacuum-packed)
• 1 tspsaffron threads(steeped in 3 tbsp hot water)
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• ½ tspground cardamom
• 4 tbspbutter(plus extra for the rice)
• 1flatbread (lavash)(or 2 peeled potatoes, thinly sliced, for the crust)
• Salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Parboil the rice

   Rinse rice until water runs clear. Soak in cold salted water for 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook rice for 6–7 minutes until almost done but still firm in the centre (al dente). Drain.

2. 2

   Create the crispy crust

   Melt 2 tbsp butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Line the bottom with lavash (or overlapping potato slices). This forms the kazmag — the base for the crispy crust.

   The kazmag/potato lining is what becomes the prized crispy tahdig (bottom crust) — the most coveted part of Azerbaijani plov.

3. 3

   Steam the rice

   Pile parboiled rice on top of the crust in a mound. Drizzle with saffron water and dot with butter. Wrap the pot lid in a clean cloth and seal tightly. Cook on medium-low heat for 35–40 minutes. The cloth absorbs steam and keeps the crust crispy.

4. 4

   Cook the gara

   Fry onions in remaining butter until golden. Add lamb, cinnamon, and cardamom; brown well. Add dried fruits and chestnuts. Simmer with a splash of water for 20–25 minutes until lamb is tender and sauce is rich. Season with salt.

5. 5

   Serve

   Mound rice onto a large platter, drizzle with extra saffron butter. Top with gara. Carefully detach and break the crispy crust and place golden pieces around the platter as an honoured garnish.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken instead of lamb for a lighter version (plov with chicken is also traditional).

• •

  Add a pomegranate reduction drizzled over the finished dish.

• •

  Make a sweet plov with no meat — just saffron rice, dried fruits, and butter.

• •

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

Storage

Rice and gara store separately for 3 days. Reheat rice with a little water and butter, covered, over low heat. The crispy crust doesn't reheat well — eat it fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions