Plov – Plov

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g meat (pork, beef, mutton, lamb, veal), originally lamb or fatty mutton
• 250 g rice
• 500 g carrot(s)
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tsp vegetable stock powder
• salt and pepper
• Fat for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Rice stew with meat and carrots – an old dish from Uzbekistan and Central Asia

Cut the meat into cubes approximately 2-3 cm in size, as you would for goulash. Heat the fat in a large pot and sear the meat until browned. Season generously with salt and pepper. Slice the onions, dice the garlic, and sauté both briefly. Add the bay leaves to the pot. Deglaze with a little water. Cut the carrots into large sticks (approx. 1 x 1 x 4 cm) and layer them on top of the meat; do not stir! Layer the uncooked rice on top of the carrots; do not stir! Season generously with stock powder. Add enough water to cover the rice by about 2.5 cm. Cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 30-45 minutes, without stirring. Add a little more water towards the end if necessary. This should not be a soup; the liquid should be completely absorbed by the rice. Carefully arrange the dish on a large platter using a slotted spoon. This traditionally goes well with a fresh salad of tomatoes, onions, and radishes. Note: My children love it too; I always tell them the story of the Russian warriors who prepared this dish over an open fire about 200 years ago. It tastes three times better!