Tashkent Wedding Plov (To'y Oshi)

Method

1. The day before, soak the chickpeas in plenty of water for at least 8 hours, then drain. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak it in warm water for 1 hour. Cut the carrots by hand into thin sticks 3 mm thick and 7 cm long, and pat the lamb completely dry. Pick over the barberries for tiny stones and stems, rinse them with the raisins and soak both in water for 10 minutes. Wash the quail egg shells.

2. Heat the oil in a 24 cm heavy pot over high heat until a faint wisp of smoke rises, then fry the onion wedge for 3 min until black and lift it out. This Uzbek way of purifying the oil removes off-flavours and leaves it clean-tasting. Never leave the pot at this stage; if the oil catches fire, do not use water: cover with a lid and turn off the heat.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 100 mlOnion wedge (to purify the oil, discarded) ½

   high heat

3. Add the lamb bone side first, letting it fall away from you, and sear over high heat for 10 min until deep brown all over. If the pieces overlap, sear in two batches; a crowded pot steams instead of browning.

   Add in this stepBone-in lamb (ribs or shoulder, in 5–6 cm pieces) 400 g

   high heat

4. Add the onion and fry over medium-high heat for 6 min until a deep caramel brown, a shade darker than for everyday plov. If it colours too fast, lower the heat a little: burnt onion turns bitter.

   Add in this stepOnion 1

   medium-high heat

5. Lay the yellow carrots on top and leave them for 2 minutes, then add the orange carrots and turn gently over medium-high heat for 8 min in total, until the carrots bend softly and the oil takes on their colour.

   Add in this stepYellow carrots (or ordinary carrots) 160 gOrange carrots 160 g

   medium-high heat

6. Crush most of the cumin between your palms into the pot, add the coriander, chilli, soaked chickpeas, part of the salt and the water to cover. Bring to the boil over high heat, then simmer on low heat for 45 min, until a chickpea crushes easily between your fingers and the meat starts to come away from the bone. Top up with a little hot water if the meat is exposed, and season so the broth tastes slightly too salty at the end.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 0.9 tspWhole coriander seeds 1 tspWhole dried red chilli 1Dried chickpeas 50 gSalt 0.9 tspWater (for the base) 400 ml

   high heat→low heat

7. Scatter the drained barberries and raisins over the zirvak, then cover them with the drained rice in an even layer; underneath the rice they plump up instead of scorching. Push the garlic heads into the centre. Dissolve the remaining salt in the boiling water and pour it over a slotted spoon until it sits 1.5 cm above the rice. Boil uncovered over high heat for 10 min until the surface water has gone. Do not stir.

   Add in this stepDried barberries 1 tbspRaisins (dark if possible) 2 tbspMedium-grain rice (devzira rice if available) 200 gWhole garlic heads 1Boiling water (for the rice) 330 mlSalt 0.6 tsp

   high heat

8. Gather the rice into a dome, poke 6–7 holes to the bottom with a chopstick, sprinkle with the rest of the cumin and push the quail eggs, in their shells, into the rice. Cover tightly and steam over low heat for 25 min; the quail eggs cook through completely. Turn off the heat, lift out the meat, take it off the bone and slice it. Fold the rice, carrots and chickpeas together from the bottom, pile onto a large platter and top with the meat, garlic and the peeled, halved quail eggs.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 0.6 tspRaw quail eggs, in their shells 4

   low heat