A fragrant Uzbek-inspired rice dish with shrimp, finished with a cooling herbed yogurt sauce (katyk-style) on the side.
While seafood isn't a defining feature of landlocked Uzbek cuisine, cultured yogurt sauces most certainly are — katyk, a tangy fermented milk, is spooned over rich or spicy dishes across Central Asia to add coolness and cut through fat. This dish pairs that same cooling instinct with lightly spiced rice and shrimp, giving a dish that leans into Uzbek seasoning logic even where the seafood itself is a modern addition. The rice is cooked simply with cumin and a touch of turmeric for color, while the shrimp are quickly sautéed separately in garlic and butter so they stay tender rather than turning rubbery inside the rice pot. A thick yogurt sauce loaded with dill, mint and garlic, thinned just enough to spoon over the top, provides the tangy contrast that ties the whole dish together. This makes a bright, herb-forward dinner where the yogurt sauce does most of the flavor work — spoon it generously, since the rice and shrimp are intentionally kept simple to let the sauce shine.
Serves 4
Combine rice, water, cumin seeds, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low 15-18 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed.
Whisk yogurt with half the garlic, dill, mint and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Thin with a tablespoon of water if needed until pourable.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add shrimp and remaining salt.
Cook shrimp just until they turn pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side — overcooking is the most common mistake and makes them tough.
Cook shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink, opaque and just cooked through.
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and divide among bowls.
Top the rice with the sautéed shrimp and spoon the herbed yogurt sauce generously over the top before serving.
Use full-fat plain yogurt, not Greek-style — it's thinner and closer to the consistency of Central Asian katyk, blending more smoothly into a sauce.
Don't skip toasting the cumin seeds briefly in a dry pan before adding them to the rice pot if you want a deeper flavor.
Keep the shrimp cooking time short and watch closely — they go from tender to rubbery within a minute or two of overcooking.
Swap shrimp for grilled chicken thighs for a heartier, more traditional Uzbek-style protein pairing.
Add a pinch of dried barberries to the rice while it cooks for a tart, traditional Central Asian touch.
Stir a spoonful of the yogurt sauce directly into the rice before plating for an even creamier dish.
Refrigerate rice, shrimp and yogurt sauce separately up to 2 days. Reheat rice and shrimp gently; add the yogurt sauce cold or at room temperature just before serving, as it should not be heated.
Cultured yogurt-based sauces like katyk are a defining feature of Uzbek and broader Central Asian cuisine, historically valued both as a cooling counterpart to rich, meat-heavy dishes and as an easily preserved dairy staple in the region's traditionally nomadic and agrarian communities.
Yes — thaw fully under cold running water and pat dry thoroughly before cooking so they sear rather than steam in the pan.
Dried herbs work in a pinch — use about a third of the amount, but fresh herbs give a noticeably brighter, more vibrant sauce and are worth seeking out.
Regular yogurt naturally separates a bit when whisked; simply stir it back together before serving. If it's consistently too thin, strain the yogurt through a cheesecloth-lined sieve for 30 minutes first to thicken it.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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