Plov in a fine but traditional way

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 lamb forequarter, boneless
• 6 carrots
• 1 m.-sized onion(s) (butcher’s)
• 3 tbsp cumin, whole
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 pinch(s) saffron threads
• 1 bulb(s) garlic
• 2 tbsp Barberries, blue, fresh, alternatively red, dried
• Salt
• black pepper
• 500 g rice (long grain)
• 2 tbsp apricot(s), dried
• some oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp peas, dried
• Water, warm

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 day 2 hours 15 minutes

This dish has many different names: Plov, Pilaf, Pilaw, Pilau, etc. The most likely name is from the Indian rice pilau.

You’ll need a large cast iron pot large enough to hold all of the ingredients and still have room for the rice once it’s done and puffed out. Soak the dried peas in water the day before. Chop the onions and fry until translucent. Cut the meat into roughly 3x3cm pieces and add them to the onions, frying until a light crust forms. Briefly fry half of the cumin, half of the barberries, and 1 teaspoon of coriander, seasoning with salt and pepper. Important: Don’t stir the pot again from this point on! Grate the carrots or cut them into julienne strips, fry them separately, and place them on top of the meat and onions. Pour in warm water until everything is covered, bring to a boil, and simmer over low heat for about 50 minutes. Then add the peas, the rest of the barberries, and the cumin. Place the rice on top, season with more salt, and add enough water to come up to about two fingers’ width above the rice. You can also add less water and add more later, once everything is boiling. This prevents the rice from “swirling around” in the pot while cooking. Distribute the garlic cloves and apricots evenly and lightly press them into the rice, ideally using the handle of a wooden spoon. Add the saffron and bay leaves and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Add liquid occasionally if it’s evaporating too quickly. The dish is ready when you insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the rice and no more water is visible. The rice should fall apart nicely and not stick together.