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Uzbek plov (lamb rice)

Name: Uzbek plov (lamb rice)
Total time: 90 min
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 800 g Lamb; 100 ml Olive oil; 2 Onion; 4 Carrot; 1 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Pepper; 500 g Rice; 2 whole heads Garlic; 50 g Raisins

Preparation time: 1 h 30
Servings: serves 6

Ingredients

serves 6

Lamb — to buy800 g
Olive oil — to buy100 ml
Onion — to buy2
Carrot — to buy4
Cumin — to buy1 tsp
Salt — to buy1 tsp
Pepper — to buy1/2 tsp
Rice — to buy500 g
Garlic — to buy2 whole heads
Raisins — to buy50 g

Preparation

Cut the lamb into large cubes and brown for 8 minutes in hot oil, in a wide, shallow pot (the traditional plov pot), until well coloured on all sides.
Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes, then add the carrots cut into thick sticks (not grated) and sweat for another 5 minutes.
Pour in hot water to cover, add the cumin, salt, pepper and simmer covered for 40 minutes over low heat: this fragrant broth (the zirvak) is the base that gives all its flavour to the rice.
Rinse the rice in clear water until it runs clear, then spread it in an even layer over the zirvak without mixing.
Gently pour hot water until it stands 1.5 cm above the rice, add the whole garlic heads and raisins, bring to a boil uncovered.
When the water has almost disappeared from the surface, cover, lower the heat to minimum and cook for 20 minutes without stirring: this steaming, hands-off cooking is what keeps the rice from turning mushy.
Turn off the heat, let rest covered for 10 minutes, then gently mix the rice and meat from the bottom up before serving on a large communal platter.