If you love real Uzbek pilaf, and not its hybrid, which looks like a sticky mass with meat and carrots, then this recipe will certainly please you. Tasty, aromatic, crumbly – isn’t this how pilaf should be? Exactly like that. And you can do it yourself. Let's talk about how to cook pilaf in Fergana style, we will give a recipe from Stalik Khankishiev, who believes that apart from lamb, carrots, cumin, garlic and, in fact, rice, nothing needs to be added to this dish. According to him, it’s not about the ingredients at all, but about using good tools - a cauldron and fire, and also being able to handle rice correctly.

Fergana pilaf - recipe

Ingredients for the dish: lamb pulp – 1 kg; fat tail fat – 0.5 kg, bones with a small amount meat – 3-4 pieces, 1 kg of carrots (ripe); rice – 800 g; 2-3 onions; the same amount of garlic; 2 peppers; salt, cumin.

We prepare products

1. First, wash the meat and dry it with napkins. Cut the lamb into cubes (medium). Beat the meat on the bones a little. Now cut the lard into pieces.
2. Let’s put the meat aside for now, because we have a whole kilogram of carrots that need to be cut. Do not grate it under any circumstances, but rather cut it into thin strips. It's long, but correct and beautiful.
3. Now chop the onion, maybe into half rings. Simply peel the garlic from the top husk, do not remove the clean one.
4. The rice must be sorted well and washed at least 6-7 times. An indicator of purity is clear water. Poorly washed rice may not turn out so crumbly, which means the dish will be spoiled.

Let's start cooking

We will definitely cook in a cauldron. First, use the maximum heat that is available to you.

1. Place the lard in a cauldron and wait until the fat is rendered. Then remove the brownings using a slotted spoon. There should be a lot of fat.
2. Now put the pieces of meat with bones into it. On high fire it will cook until brown in minutes. Flip it over to the other side to cook evenly. By the way, you can cook with vegetable oil, but choose something that is devoid of its own smell and does not foam. When the bones are browned, remove them to a plate.
3. Now the onion slices go into the cauldron. Onion cooks quickly over high heat, so you need to stir it several times.
4. When the moisture leaves the onion, immediately add the meat, and then the carrots. Add some cumin. After 2-3 minutes, stir the contents, fry the carrots until soft and the aroma of pilaf appears along with the meat and onions for at least 15 minutes.
5. After this time, add water. According to Stalik Khankishiev, purified water must be taken. Add enough so that it completely covers the contents of the cauldron. Add whole heads of pepper and garlic there. We wait for the liquid to boil.
6. After boiling, you need to reduce the heat, set it to a level slightly above the minimum. We put the bones, which we previously fried, into the broth. All this aromatic mass should be cooked slowly for about an hour, maybe a little less, in an open cauldron.
7. After this time, add salt (about a level tablespoon). The broth should be slightly salty. Remove the bones from it onto a plate. Here is this dark mass, exuding madly delicious aroma, called zirvak, Fergana-style pilaf is prepared in it.
8. Now it’s time to add the washed rice. It is important to drain the liquid completely before putting it in the cauldron. Place the rice with a spoon or slotted spoon, distributing it evenly over the bottom of the cauldron.
9. Pour water into the rice very slowly. You can’t say exactly how much, but it should cover the rice. As Stalik Khankishiev says, it is better not to top up than to overfill. Increase the heat as much as possible. The rice should come to a boil as quickly as possible. The whole secret of cooking crumbly pilaf in Ferghana, the oil rises to the top during intensive cooking and then falls, enveloping each grain of rice with a thin film. Under no circumstances should the contents of the cauldron be stirred when there is rice in it. Its surface can only be slightly leveled. When the liquid has evaporated (or it seems that there is none there), tap the surface of the pilaf with a spatula or slotted spoon. You will hear a squelching sound if there is still water at the bottom. Wait a little, the dish is not ready yet. You can try rice. If it no longer crunches in your teeth, then completion is near.
10. Reduce the heat first to medium, and a little later to low. When there is no moisture left at the bottom, sprinkle the pilaf with cumin. After this, cover the Fergana-style pilaf with a tight lid. Let it sit for about 25 minutes.
11. Now the pilaf can be opened, but only carefully so that the steam does not get on your hands. Carefully remove from the finished pilaf hot peppers, trying not to damage it, and garlic. The final chord is to shake the pilaf with a slotted spoon so that every grain of it seems to breathe.

Stalika Khankishiev's Fergana-style pilaf is served on a large platter, laid out in a mound, the top of which is decorated with a head of garlic, and meat on the bones and hot peppers are placed on the slopes.

If you still decide to make a real Uzbek pilaf, be sure to get a cauldron, and choose the one that rings loudest. This is perfect for preparing pilaf. It is equally important to follow all cooking principles and recipes. And to truly appreciate its taste, be sure to eat it with your hands. common dish, or, at least, with a spoon, as is customary in the East.

Friends, this weekend my husband cooked Fergana pilaf for us already... legendary recipe Stalika Khankishieva. I’ll say right away that the recipe is not easy, but the result is worth the effort!

This is the most delicious pilaf of all the ones I've tried, especially if cooked over a fire.

Fergana style pilaf.

Chop the carrots into large cubes using a Burner vegetable slicer or by hand. YOU CAN ' T RUB!

Cut the beef tenderloin into 2 x 2 cm pieces.

Wash the rice in seven waters and then soak in large quantities warm water.

Cut the lard into small slices or cubes. It's better if it's fat tail fat. But in extreme cases, lard can even be replaced with vegetable oil without smell.

Step-by-step video recipe

Turn on the stove to maximum temperature. Place a cauldron on it and heat it properly. Only after this, put the lard into the cauldron and render the fat out of it. There is no need to stir the pieces of lard - just turn them over once. IT IS IMPORTANT! When ready, remove the cracklings from the cauldron.

Carefully place a whole onion head into the rendered fat. It must be fried until black so that it absorbs unnecessary odors.

Now carefully fry the almost bare bones on all sides in fat. This should not be done for long - about 5 minutes - the bones should turn golden brown! Remove them from the cauldron onto a plate.

Cut the onions into half rings or rings. Fry in a cauldron until dark golden color.

Add pre-chopped beef to the onions and fry them together.

When a crust appears on the meat, add carrots and fry for about 12 minutes, periodically stirring the meat with vegetables. Now you need to reduce the power of the stove to medium level and throw half the cumin into the cauldron. First, grind the cumin in your palms - you will immediately feel its magnificent aroma - and only then add it to the meat.

Pour boiling water into the cauldron - the water should cover the contents of the cauldron by 1.5 cm. Carefully lower 2 whole heads of garlic and 1 dry chili pepper into the water. And then put the bones here, which were fried a little earlier. Let the broth boil. Then reduce the heat to low and leave the sour mixture to simmer for 40 minutes. DO NOT close the lid!

Remove the bones. Salt the broth - maybe even a little more than necessary - extra salt will go into rice. Drain the water from the rice and transfer it evenly into the cauldron. Pour boiling water - about 1 liter. Keep in mind that it is better to add water later than to pour it at first! Turn on the stove at maximum power - the faster the pilaf boils, the better! The oil should float to the top, then the pilaf will be crumbly! When there is little water left and the rice is almost done, reduce the heat to slightly below medium.

Bukhara pilaf with raisins

Ingredients:

• 1 kg rice
• 250–300 g different oils and fats
• 2 medium onions
• 600 g medium carrots
• 1 cup raisins.

Cooking method.
Prepare a mixture of oils. We calcinate those oils or fats that need it, for example fat from tail fat or cottonseed oil. After this, reducing the heat, add other oils. Then put the onion, cut into rings, into the oil. As soon as it starts to turn red, quickly remove it from the oil. We wait until all the moisture remaining after the onion has evaporated from the oil. Add carrots, cut into thin strips. When the carrots are fried, add hot water, bring to a boil and reduce heat. That's it - the base for the pilaf is ready. Now she needs to cook for a sufficient time - 20-30 minutes.
After that, add salt, add raisins, you can also add dried apricots and prunes. Add rice, fill it with water, turn up the heat. And remember: the closer the moment of complete evaporation of water, the lower the fire. After making sure that the rice is almost ready, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Usually 25–30 minutes is enough, but the most delicious and aromatic rice is obtained if it has stood for 45–50 minutes.
Ready pilaf serve on a large round dish. You can mix it, or you can leave it in layers - rice at the bottom, and carrots with raisins on top.

Fergana pilaf

Ingredients (for 8-liter container):

• 1 kg lamb pulp
• 3–4 loin wedges with ribs (can be replaced with beef or veal)
• 300–350 g fat tail fat (or butter)
• 1 kg rice
• 1 kg red carrots
• 2–3 medium onions
• 2–3 heads of garlic
• 1–3 capsicums
• salt
• cumin
• barberry.

Cooking method.
We cut the carrots into strips approximately 3 by 3 mm, the meat into 1.5-centimeter cubes, and set the ribs aside. We sort through the rice and wash it thoroughly. Soak in plenty of warm water. Heat the pilaf dish over high heat. Dip the diced lard into it and melt the fat. If oil is used, heat it until it smokes blue. After this, lower the whole onion head and fry it until black – this will remove extraneous odors. Then fry the ribs in oil until golden brown. We take them out and set them aside.
Place the onion cut into rings into the heated oil and fry it until red-golden. Then add the lamb pulp and fry it with onions. As soon as meat appears on the cubes beautiful crust, add a layer of carrots. Fry for 10–15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium, add some of the cumin. Pour in boiling water so that everything is covered with water by a centimeter and a half. We lower the whole heads of garlic, peeled from the husks and roots, and Bell pepper. We return the ribs that were fried at the beginning. After everything boils, turn down the heat. Let it simmer for 40 minutes.
Then add heat to maximum and add salt. Drain the water from the rice and pour in a liter of boiling water. Leave on the stove until the remaining water is about to evaporate, reduce the heat to medium, and when the water completely disappears, to a minimum. Sprinkle the rice with the remaining cumin and cover with a lid. We wait 20–25 minutes, open it. We take out the pepper pods, garlic, ribs - they are served separately. Mix the pilaf and place it on large dish and serve it on the table.

Steam pilaf "Al-Maghrib"

Ingredients:

• 1 broiler chicken weighing 1.2–1.4 kg
• 1 kg basmati rice n 800 g carrots
• 300 g onion
• 150 g ghee
• 100 g Asian chickpeas
• 50 g prunes
• spices (cloves – 2 pcs., cinnamon – 1 stick, turmeric, rosemary – 1 tsp each, sumac, sweet red pepper – half a teaspoon, hot red pepper – a quarter teaspoon).

Cooking method.
Divide the chicken into pieces, cut the carrots into cubes, and dice the onion. Heat in a cauldron over high heat melted butter, omit the cloves and immediately the onion. Stirring continuously, fry the onion until transparent, add pieces of cinnamon, add turmeric. Stir until the turmeric dissolves, add the carrots. Then almost immediately rosemary. As soon as the carrots begin to brown, pour boiling water over them. Add all the other spices and salt. We regulate the spiciness with pepper, and the sourness with sumac.
We lower the pre-soaked peas, boiled until half cooked, and lay the chicken pieces on top.
Place well-soaked and washed rice, boiled until half cooked in highly salted water, in a colander. We place a colander on top of the cauldron, wrap it with towels and cover with a lid. As soon as it warms up, reduce the heat. Leave for 40 minutes. If after this there is little water left and the rice is not ready, add a little boiling water. If there is a lot of water and the rice is almost cooked, turn up the heat and remove the towels to let the steam escape. By the time the rice is ready, there should be no water left at all.
Before serving, place rice on the dish, then carrots, peas, and chicken pieces on top.

A lot has been said and written about pilaf.
Exist classic recipes, which are also represented in this community, and this recipe is not something new or unusual.
Quite the contrary. For the time being, pilaf seemed like a complicated and time-consuming dish to me. However, recently my attitude towards him has changed.
Everything is actually not as complicated as it seems at first glance. It is enough to cook this dish 2-3 times and you can safely invite guests without fear of making a mistake.

Although I will immediately make a reservation that I do not consider myself an expert in pilaf, and perhaps we made some inaccuracies or mistakes when preparing it, and perhaps correcting them will give an even better result.
Therefore, I will be grateful in advance for constructive comments and suggestions.

So, let's begin.
For cooking Uzbek pilaf we need:

lamb 1-1.5 kg, not very dry, better with fat, some recommend using it on the bone - a matter of taste, for me it’s better without it. And under no circumstances buy ready-made pilaf kits - it’s a waste of money.
fat tail 150-200 grams (this time I didn’t have it, but even without it everything works out fine)
carrots - 3-4 pieces, it may seem like a lot, but it only seems so
3 medium onions
2 large heads of garlic
rice for pilaf (devzira) - 1 kg. washed and soaked
cottonseed oil
spices - we're already taking them ready set spices on the Uzbek market, which includes barberry, saffron, dried red pepper, cumin and something else (can anyone tell me what else is there!)
water - 1.5 liters

The cauldron is on fire, let's go.

First fry on cottonseed oil onion.
The degree of frying of the onions is a matter of taste; some fry until very golden brown. We prefer the one in the photo.

Let's start adding meat.

The fire at this time should not be very strong, but stable, the main thing is to avoid sudden changes in temperature.

Don't forget to stir.

The meat and onions should constantly sizzle and sizzle.

It's almost...

Bring the meat to this level of readiness.

Time to put in the carrots.

We interfere.

And continue stir-frying.

Add water. And here a dispute may arise - which water is better to add - cold or hot boiled.
I lean towards cold, because the greater the temperature contrast, the more aroma and taste are released into the water (as professional chefs taught me).

As soon as the water boils, changes color and becomes foamy, it’s time to add spices.

And garlic.

Bring everything to a boil and add rice.

Be sure to level the rice; the surface level of the rice and liquid should be approximately the same.

At this stage you need to reduce the heat.

As soon as the liquid is gone, cover the cauldron with a lid and leave for 20-25 minutes.
There should be no open fire in the cauldron, only coals. But the coals are quite strong.

Well, almost ready.

The rice should be cooked, but not swollen. It should not stick together, and not be dry, relatively soft, but not stick to the teeth.
We made it!

As you can see, there aren't that many carrots.

Bon appetit!

This amount of pilaf is easily enough for 2 days for 6-7 people.

Stalik Khankishiev. Pilaf

I prepared the first pilaf in my life according to the recipe of Stalik Khankishiev. Stalik’s first book, ““, became one of the first in my now impressive collection cookbooks. I missed the subsequent creations of this author: pilaf, whatever one may say, is not the most frequent guest on my table, and the bookcase is not rubber - and what new can I learn about pilaf if I already have a wonderful “Cauldron, Grill”? .

My family asked me about the same question when they saw me with Stalik Khankishiev’s new book “Pilaf”: they say, how is it possible that a whole book, and such a thick one, is all about pilaf? What can you write there? It turns out that it is possible, and quite a lot. The subtitle of the book - “Culinary Research” - comprehensively describes its essence and content: this is not a collection of recipes, or even a description of advanced culinary techniques, but a fundamental work that finally dots all the i’s when it comes to preparing pilaf.

The book surprises you right away, as soon as you open it. Despite the “normal” orientation of the cover, all pages of the book are laid out in a horizontal, landscape format. The author motivates this by the fact that for most of his readers, opening a laptop has long become much more familiar than a book, and cooking with a book on the kitchen table and leaning it against the wall will also be more convenient. I, never a fan of laptops (I can’t stand the feeling of heaviness on my knees, nor the short keyboard, nor the lack of a normal mouse), did not appreciate the innovation, since reading it while lying down is simply inconvenient, but I believe that this approach also has a right to exist.

However, the innovations are not limited to this. For example, all the recipes in the book are written on several levels at once - there are pictograms showing you at what stage which products are time to use, and a graphic description of each stage, indicating the time, temperature and even the location of heat sources under the cauldron and the intensity of boiling inside it, and a brief, literally one or two sentences, description of the main actions that are included in each stage. It is clear that step by step photos each stage of preparation and its detailed description are also not forgotten. It’s intelligently thought out, you can’t say anything: if you read the recipe for the first time, properly, with arrangement, then you’ll find out all the details - and if you’re not cooking for the first time, then it’s enough to look at the book once to clarify when to add spices or increase the heat.

But the whole charm of this book is not in the recipes, not in them at all! The main thing in it is a thorough analysis of everything that happens to the products at all stages of preparing pilaf, and what usually remains outside the scope of 95% of all recipes. How to choose carrots and cut onions? What temperature water should you soak rice in and how should you fry meat? How to render fat and stir pilaf? A bunch of subtleties that can either be comprehended through many years of practice, or obtained in a ready-to-use form, under one cover. The most important thing here is that the author does not simply write “do it this way and nothing else” - no, he re-masters, together with the reader, everything that he already knows. By studying the experiments carried out by Stalik Khankishiev, you can not only find out that rice is best soaked in water at a temperature of 60 degrees, but also understand why such water is better than cold or boiling water - and thanks to this, take confident steps towards preparing the perfect pilaf.

There are many of them in this book, different ideal pilafs. Someone will even argue with the author - they say, how can Chinese pilaf be considered a type of pilaf? fried rice with vegetables or Italian risotto? But this approach is understandable and useful - having studied various products and the ways in which throughout to the globe prepare pilaf or dishes similar to it, you can figure out why this particular recipe appeared in this particular geographic location, which rice is best suited for each type of pilaf, and what to pay attention to if for some reason you have to replace one rice completely to others.

In general, to summarize, the book “Pilaf” turned out to be interesting, innovative, thoughtful and very useful. I am far from saying that everyone who reads this book will immediately be able to cook impeccable pilaf, but here is what the author managed to do in an accessible and pleasing way (these photographs are useless to look at on a monitor screen, they need to be seen on paper) form to decompose the entire process of preparing pilaf literally into molecules - undoubtedly. This book will be an invaluable source of knowledge for any novice cook, and if anyone you know cooks pilaf at least twice a year - best gift you won't find it.