How to cook pilaf at home

Pilaf belongs to the dishes of oriental cuisine, according to its taste characteristics it is quite satisfying and colorful. The original recipe for this dish has several variations, as a result of which in each country the dish is prepared differently. Consider the most common cooking recipes.

Classics of the genre

An important feature of cooking pilaf according to this recipe is the correct choice of rice. Semi-soft varieties are not suitable for this technology; give preference to hard-grain rice (Devzira, Laser, Alanga).

As for meat, pilaf in Tashkent is prepared from lamb or beef. According to the original recipe, cottonseed oil must be used, but in some cases it is replaced with ordinary refined sunflower oil.

• rice - 650 gr.
• beef (lamb) - 650 gr.
• natural oil (cottonseed, vegetable) - 100 ml.
• Capsicum - 2 pcs.
• yellow onions - 4 pcs.
• garlic - 1 head
• carrots - 500 gr.
• adjika ground (dry) - 5 gr.
• zira - 10 gr.
• seasoning for pilaf
• salt

1. Wash and peel the carrots, chop them into cubes, cut the capsicum into thin strips, onions into half rings, lamb or beef into small cubes 4 * 4 cm in size.
2. Take a cauldron or a thick-bottomed frying pan, put on a large fire, pour cotton (sunflower) oil and warm to the maximum possible threshold. When this happens, add onion half rings, fry them until golden in boiling oil.
3. After the onion is fried, add the cubes of meat to it, reduce the heat to a medium mark and fry well. It is necessary to bring the meat to such a state that it grabs the crust, while leaving the juice inside. Do not bring to readiness, in the process of cooking it will reach itself. After the expiration of the meat roasting, send the cubes of carrots to the cauldron, simmer it, stirring constantly.
4. Peel the garlic, cut into 3 small pieces 3 cloves of garlic, mix with zira, pilaf spices and salt. Send the contents to the rest of the ingredients, add some water so that the liquid covers the composition. Simmer for about half an hour, then open the lid and wait for the partial boiling of water.
5. While the base is languishing on fire, proceed to process the rice. Rinse it under running water 7-8 times so that the drained liquid becomes completely transparent. Next, pour grains with boiling water so that the liquid level rises by 1 cm, cover with a lid and leave for a quarter of an hour.
6. After insisting the rice, put finely chopped garlic over the contents of the cauldron, squeeze it with a spatula, place a thick layer of rice. Then again, garlic and rice. When all the grains are laid out, cover the lid, fill with water, simmer for about 10 minutes.
7. At the end of the period, collect the rice from the walls to the middle of the container, open the cauldron and let the liquid boil away. After all the water has evaporated, cover the pan, turn down the heat, leave the composition to soak for another 20 minutes.

In the end, you should get friable steamed rice without damaged grains. Serve a dish with a salad of vegetables and cheese, as well as complement it with green tea with jasmine or lemon balm.

Pilaf with Tomatoes

• rice (steamed) - 750 gr.
• white onions - 3 pcs.
• carrots - 2 pcs.
• tomatoes - 4-5 pcs. (at the discretion of)
• garlic - 1 head
• pork or lamb (pulp) - 650 gr.
• olive oil - 175 ml.
• spice

1. Cut the onions in half rings, chop the carrots with strips or thin slices. Heat the cauldron well, fry the vegetables until they are half-cooked. After that, chop the meat into cubes, fry it over medium heat so that the juice comes out.
2. Rinse the rice grains under running water several times, then place them in a thick layer on top of the fried onions, carrots and meat. Peel and chop the garlic, stick it in the rice, fill the contents with purified water mixed with spices.
3. Cover, simmer for about half an hour to partially boil the water. When this happens, place the cubes of tomatoes on the surface, do not interfere, again fill with liquid.
4. Wait 20 minutes, during which time the water should evaporate. Collect rice from the walls to the center of the container to make a kind of pea. Cover, turn down the heat to the minimum mark, simmer another quarter of an hour.

Slow cooked fish pilaf

People who, for certain reasons, do not eat meat, have to look for alternative ways to cook pilaf. Since tender fish fillets undergo heat treatment in a short time, it is better to use a slow cooker or a double boiler.

• boneless sea fish (sirloin) - 400 gr.
• Rice "Alanga" or "Laser" - 450 gr.
• sour cream with a fat content of 20% - 300 gr.
• onions - 2 pcs.
• vegetable oil - 50 ml.
• carrots - 1 pc.
• dill, parsley
• seasoning for pilaf

1. Rinse the fish, dry it with a waffle or paper towel, chop into small cubes or slices
2. Cut the onions into rings. Fry it in a slow cooker until golden brown, after adding vegetable oil. Select the appropriate “Express” or “Fry” mode.
3. When the onion rings are ready, grate the carrots on a grater with a large section. Send it and fish fillet to the rest of the ingredients, cook until golden brown (10-15 minutes). Pause the appliance throughout the entire period and stir the contents so that all components cook evenly.
4. Wash the rice through a colander 8-10 times, soak it for 15 minutes in boiling water. Mix sour cream with spices, add chopped parsley and dill.
5. When the onions, meat and carrots come to a state of readiness, put rice on top of them and season with sour cream mixture, mix, set the mode "Stewing", "Grain" or "Porridge" (depending on the manufacturer of the slow cooker / double boiler).
6. Wait for the timer to turn off, after that do not open the lid, leave the dish to ripen for another half hour. Before serving, sprinkle pilaf with lemon juice mixed with soy sauce.

Chicken Pilaf

Many people prefer chicken fillet to lamb (beef, pork) tenderloin, and this is not surprising. A quick recipe does not require much effort, the chicken easily soaks rice grains, resulting in a tender dish.

• chicken fillet or breast - 550 gr.
• steamed rice - 600 gr.
• onions - 3 pcs.
• carrots - 2 pcs.
• seasoning
• olive oil
• fresh greens

1. Grate the carrots on a medium grater or chop it into thin rings / straws. Chop the onion into small pieces, mix it with carrots, add seasoning, black pepper and salt.
2. Pour olive oil into the cauldron, heat the dishes to the maximum mark, then immediately send vegetables for frying there. Wait until they get a golden hue.
3. Cut the chicken breast (fillet) into small cubes, send them to fry along with onions and carrots. When the chicken has a crust, fill the mixture with 100 ml. purified water and simmer another 10 minutes.
4. Pass the rice through a colander, treat it with running water to remove excess husk and starch. Pour the beans into a cauldron with meat and vegetables, do not mix. Fill with water, cover, simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Chop the parsley, dill and basil, sprinkle the rice with herbs, leave for a quarter of an hour. All this time the water will boil, it must be added.
6. At the end of the time, mix the pilaf, set the burner to minimum power, simmer the dish for about 15-20 minutes. When time runs out, do not rush to serve pilaf to the table, leave it to reach for another half hour.

Mushroom pilaf

The recipe is for people who prefer mushrooms to meat and fish. The downside of such pilaf is considered to be its long digestibility, since mushrooms are digested for about 5-6 hours. The dish has gained particular popularity among vegetarians who use it together with vegetable salad and tartar sauce.

• mushrooms (champignons or chanterelles) - 400 gr.
• tomatoes - 4 pcs.
• rice (long-grain, steamed) - 400 gr.
• Bulgarian pepper - 2 pcs.
• carrots - 1 pc.
• white onion - 1 pc.
• garlic - 5 cloves
• butter
• spices for pilaf
• dill - 1 bunch
• turmeric (optional)

1. Rinse rice through a colander 6-8 times, pour filtered water into a container, add ice cubes, salt the grains and soak them for 1 hour.
2. Cut carrots into thin slices, chop onions. Grind the bell pepper into strips, and the tomatoes into half rings. Wash the mushrooms, peel them, cut into slices along the legs.
3. Heat a thick-walled pan or cauldron, add a lot of butter, fry mushrooms on it until half cooked. Then pour the carrots, onions, bell peppers and tomatoes, pour water. Add salt, pepper, garlic and pilaf spices passed through a crush, mix. Simmer the mass over low heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Strain the rice, then evenly distribute it on the surface of vegetables, add water so that it covers the grain by 5 cm. Cover, simmer for 20 minutes. At the end of the time, turn off the stove, mix and let the dish brew for another 1 hour.

It is believed that Tashkent technology with adjika and beef (lamb) is called a classic. However, pilaf can also be cooked using tomatoes, chicken, fish, and even mushrooms. Choose your favorite recipe, and then boldly start cooking.

Video: how to cook a real Uzbek pilaf