How to cook a real plov: secrets and rules, can not do without

How many cooks, so many pilaf recipes. But there are basic rules to be followed by all. Layfhaker collected those which relate to the ingredients and the preparation of popular Uzbek pilaf.

How to prepare ingredients

rice

This is the main stumbling block of all chefs, are ever ready pilaf. Nevertheless, almost all of them agree that the best is rice devzira, as well as other varieties of Uzbek and Tajik.

Try to cook pilaf can be with other types of rice, but preferably not too starched. And in any case need to figure before laying rinse well (as long as the water is clear). This will wash away the starch dust, and will not allow afloat stick together. Cook also advised to soak it in cold water for an hour or more.

By the way, instead rice pilaf can be used in wheat, chickpeas, corn and mung bean. But this is a slightly different story.

Meat

Pilaf traditionally used the lamb, but beef is also suitable. You can also use pork, although Muslim chef is unlikely you will be forgiven. Option with chicken, too, is possible, but he has little in common with classical Uzbek pilaf.

Better to choose the meat of adult animals; it gives the necessary full-bodied taste.

The meat should be cut into fairly large pieces, about 5 × 5 cm or a little more. You can fry the meat and large chunks neportsionnymi and grind it just before serving. It is believed that the larger the piece, the juicier the meat is ready.

Vegetables

The pilaf are two major vegetables like onions and carrots. Onions can be used onions. With the carrot is more complex: in the Central Asia is often prepared pilaf with yellow carrots, but in her absence and will approach the usual orange.

The main rule - not smaller. Onion cut rings or half rings, carrots - cubes large thickness of about 5 mm. If the finely chopped vegetables and meat, it will turn out it is not rice, and rice porridge.

Oil

To prepare pilaf or used vegetable oil odorless or animal fat (fat kurdjuchnyj), or both types together. At home, the easiest to use refined sunflower oil.

You do not have to skimp: pilaf fat meal. On average, per 1 kg of rice leaves about 200-250 ml of oil.

Spice

Here space for an impressive experiment. Still, you can allocate more or less traditional seasonings:

• garlic (slightly obshelushivaetsya and lays the whole head);
• hot red pepper (laid pod integer);
• cumin;
• barberry;
• ground black or red pepper.

Also pilaf can add thyme, coriander, hops-suneli, saffron or other spices to your taste. The easiest way - to use ready-mixed seasonings.

other ingredients

Apart from the above components are often added in pilaf presoaked and dried chickpeas.

What kind of dishes to choose

Cauldron, cauldron and the cauldron again. With thick walls. In it the meat does not stick, and rice cooked evenly and stays crisp. It is best to use a cast iron cauldron (especially if you are cooking pilaf on fire), but suitable and aluminum.

Good replacement Kazan can become utyatnitsu. But the pan, deep pan, wok and other kitchen utensils will not give the desired effect, as if you wanted to.

How to cook risotto

The basic principle of pilaf is as follows: first, preparing zirvak (it fried in oil the meat and vegetables with spices and broth), and then poured on top of rice.

The standard ratio for pilaf - equal parts of rice, meat and carrots. Number bow can vary but be at least 1-2 heads. The same with the garlic.

Heat the kettle and pour oil into it. It's okay to warm up to further ingredients can quickly browned.

Further, roasted onions and meat. If you cook risotto with lots of onions, you can fry the meat first. You can put it in the kettle gradually, so as not to bring the temperature down, and do not turn at once - otherwise it may begin to allocate juice.

Onions need to fry until golden brown state, ready to impart color to the broth to rice.

When the meat and fry the onion, carrots laid. She fried a few minutes until tender.

Then all the ingredients are poured with hot water. It should cover the meat into 1-2 cm. Following is put garlic, pod of red pepper, spices and other ingredients. Everything is salted to taste (or add a little more salt than you love the rice absorbs it) and cook over moderate heat for at least 40 minutes until tender meat.

After zirvak cooked, laid Fig. Do it better with a slotted spoon to spread the rice evenly. From above it can be a couple of pinches of cumin flavor - for flavor.

Further, there are two variants of the preparation:

1. Figure recessed broth (if necessary, through skimmer topped more hot water so that it is slightly covered dish) and quenched in the clear water until completely absorbed (about 20 minutes). Then turn off the fire (if pilaf cooked on the fire, then at this point the wood should just smolder) seemed to cover with a lid and leave for a couple of rice reach about 15-20 minutes.
2. After laying rice cauldron immediately covered with a lid and the contents extinguished about half an hour at a minimum the fire, and then another about 10 minutes to reach without fire.

When the fire is turned off, wrap the lid with a towel: it absorbs condensation and not let him get into the dish.

From the ready pilaf take out the garlic and pepper. If used for cooking large pieces of meat, then take out and, cut and spread on top of the mixed pilaf. If used in small pieces, you can mix the pilaf with them.

Pilaf is traditionally served on a large plate, and the top is decorated with a head of garlic. It is best combined with this dish easy salad of fresh vegetables.

You know the secrets of other cooking pilaf? Share them in the comments.