Plov recipe

Rice parboiled then steamed in a cloth-sealed pot over a golden qazmaq crust, with the saffron rice and the meat-and-fruit stew served side by side rather than stirred together.

3 hours and 10 minutesmedium12 ingredients

Ingredients

• 500 g long grain rice
• 1 pinch saffron
• 700 g lamb shoulder
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 150 g butter
• 2 onions
• 100 g dried apricots
• 80 g dried sour plums
• 150 g chestnuts
• 2 tsp salt

How to make Plov

1. Rinse 500 g of long grain rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in salted water for 2 hours. Steep a good pinch of saffron in 3 tbsp of hot water.
2. Make the govurma in a separate pan: brown 150 g of diced lamb shoulder in 50 g of butter with 2 sliced onions, add 100 g of dried apricots, 150 g of dried sour plums and 150 g of peeled chestnuts, barely cover with water and stew, covered, for 1 hour until the meat falls apart.
3. Parboil the drained rice in plenty of boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes, until a grain bends but the core is still firm, then drain it.
4. Make the qazmaq: beat 1 egg with 2 tbsp of yogurt and 2 tbsp of flour, and spread it over 150 g of melted butter in the bottom of a heavy pot. Lavash bread or potato slices do the same job.
5. Pile the rice on the qazmaq in a cone, poke a few holes down to the base with a spoon handle, pour over 150 g of melted butter and half the saffron water.
6. Wrap the lid in a tea towel, seal the pot and steam on the lowest heat for 40-45 minutes. The cloth absorbs the condensation and is what keeps the grains dry and separate.
7. Colour the top of the rice with the rest of the saffron water and fluff it without crushing the grains.
8. Serve the rice on a platter with the govurma alongside in its own dish, and break the golden qazmaq into pieces over the top. Pickles and fresh herbs go with it.

Get Copper on the App Store

More dishes from Azerbaijan →