UZBEK PILAV (Özbek Pilavı)

This is basically a pilav with meat, wrapped up in yufka. I know that it is traditional in Uzbekistan but the recipe I give here is a variation. It is changed a bit in Turkey. It is really nice and fulfilling. It would suit very well to a dinner party as well.

Ingredients:

• 300 g rice
• 1 yufka (or 2 filo pastry)
• 1 carrot
• 60 mL olive oil (plus some more for pastry)
• 1 onion
• 250 g meat, diced in small cubes
• 600 mL hot water
• Salt, half teaspoon

Preparation:

• In a pan, add meat, finely diced onion, finely sliced carrot, and oil and roast for 15 minutes.
• Wash the rice, drain, add to the pan. Roast for another 5 minutes by mixing all.
• Add hot water, and salt, cook on a medium heat with the lid off until all water is soaked. (Do not wait for all the water to disappear or the rice becomes too dry. Let some water remain between the rice to make vapor while it rests.)
• Let it rest for 20 minutes with the lid on.

• In a glaced oven tray, lay a yufka or a filo pastry sheet.
• On top of it, pour all the pilav.
• If it is a yufka, one yufka should be enough to lay on bottom and also cover on top, like a bohça. But for the filo sheets, lay one to the bottom and another on top.
• In a small bowl, mix some olive oil with same amount of water, like 20 mL oil, 20 mL water. Pour all over the dish.
• Cook in oven, 200°C (gas mark 6), for 30 minutes until it is golden on top.

♬ Music attached to the video is Liszt, Un Sospiro by André Watts. It can be reached in here.