Uzbek beef pilaf - step-by-step recipes with photos

The hallmark of the cuisine of Uzbekistan is traditional Uzbek pilaf, the glory of which has gone far beyond the borders of this hospitable state. The recipe for the classic Uzbek dish has no analogue in the world, so its taste perfectly reflects the characteristics of the national cuisine.

Aromatic beef pilaf in one plate conveys all the flavor of this eastern country, making you eat a portion with appetite and ask for more. We have collected for you the best and original recipes for beef pilaf, but before we begin the step-by-step recipe with photos, let's study the list of necessary products.

Ingredients for pilaf with beef

The peculiarity of Uzbek pilaf is the seasonings that make the dish piquant and unique. In addition to salt and pepper, we will need dried barberry fruits and cumin (similar to the name - caraway or cumin). These are the key seasonings, without which the pilaf recipe will lose its main flavor.

For pilaf in a cauldron we need rice and beef. Be sure to choose long varieties of rice so that during the stewing process our crumbly dish does not turn into ordinary rice porridge.

The beef must be of excellent quality: without bones or streaks.

Therefore, carefully process the pieces so that the finished meat is soft and juicy.

Finally, inventory. The ideal cookware for cooking is a cast iron cauldron. The material retains heat excellently, allowing the rice to simmer over low heat without overcooking. If you don’t have a cauldron in the house, an ordinary saucepan will do, but always with a thick bottom (so that the contents don’t burn). So let's get started!

Step-by-step recipe in pita bread

Time spent on cooking is 1.5 hours.

Calorie content – 320 kcal, of which: proteins – 9 g, fats – 10 g, carbohydrates – 40 g.

Number of servings – 10.

To prepare classic Uzbek pilaf in lavash you will need:

rice - half a kilogram;
meat – 300 gr.;
3 thin Armenian lavash;
baked chestnuts – 20 pcs.;
greens, onions - to taste;
half a lemon;
salt, pepper, spices - to taste.

To make the dish more tasty and rich, the rice must first be soaked in lightly salted water for about 1–2 hours.
Chop the meat into medium pieces and boil with salt and pepper for about an hour. Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of the frying pan, heat it, cover it with a layer of pita bread. Place the rice grains on top, add a little water, and simmer at the lowest power for about half an hour.

Chop chestnuts and herbs. Saute the chopped onion in a frying pan, add boiled beef and chestnuts, various greens, and pour in the juice of half a lemon. Add salt and pepper, simmer everything for about 5 minutes.

After the meat component of the pilaf is ready, it must be added to the cereal and mixed carefully without damaging the lavash layer.

This dish will amaze not only with its taste, but also with its original presentation. Therefore, it can be safely served not only for a regular dinner, but also for a holiday table. This is definitely worth a try, because it is not only very tasty, but also unusual!

Homemade beef pilaf recipe

To prepare Uzbek pilaf with beef according to a traditional recipe, we will need:

300 g onions;
500 g beef;
900 g long rice;
500 g carrots;
150 g whole garlic;
200 ml sunflower oil;
10 g salt and pepper to taste;
2 liters of water;
5 g barberry;
5 g cumin.

The amount of ingredients is for 10 servings. The total cooking time will take about 2 hours. Let's move on to the step-by-step recipe with photos:

First, rinse the rice well, fill it with cold water and let it stand for about 30 minutes. We do this first, since intensive soaking helps to cook the rice fluffy.
Peel the carrots and chop them into strips (approximate thickness – 0.5 cm). We do not recommend using a grater, since chopped carrots will reduce the taste of Uzbek pilaf.
Peel the onion and cut into small cubes.
Place the cauldron on the stove, pour in oil and heat over high heat.
We begin to fry the onion until golden brown, stirring constantly.
Cut the meat into large cubes (at least 2 cm) and add to the fried onions. Over medium heat, cook the meat until golden brown.
Then add the carrots, salt and pepper (if 10 g of salt was not enough, feel free to add more to taste). Fry over high heat for about 10 minutes, remembering to stir.
Reduce the heat and add the remaining seasonings – cumin and barberry – to the cauldron.
Add 1.5 liters of water to the cauldron. It is necessary that it completely covers the fried vegetables and meat.
Set the heat to medium, close the cauldron tightly with a lid and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. During this time, the meat will turn out very soft and delicate in taste. Stir occasionally.
Let's return to rice. Once again, wash the grains well and distribute them evenly over the zirvak (a mixture of meat and vegetables).
Gradually add the remaining water. Be careful not to “flood” the pilaf with beef: the water in the cauldron should cover the rice by 2 cm.
Set the heat to low, close the cauldron tightly and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. At the current stage, the contents are not mixed!
Wash the whole head of garlic well without peeling the peel. Using the back of a spoon, make a shallow depression in the rice and “seat” our garlic there. Close again and simmer for another 30-40 minutes.
Upon completion of cooking the Uzbek pilaf, remove the garlic and carefully mix the finished dish.

At home, beef pilaf is served in combination with fresh herbs, pickled onions or a light vegetable salad.

Fragrant beef pilaf with raisins and chickpeas

This version of preparing pilaf is strikingly different from the previous ones, but at the same time it is also considered a variant of the classic Uzbek pilaf. Chickpeas have a fairly neutral taste and have virtually no effect on the basic qualities of pilaf. At the same time, the beef pilaf with chickpeas turns out to be quite interesting due to the inclusion of rather hard, elastic large peas. Chickpeas are often used in a vegetarian pilaf recipe that does not contain meat, but this is not necessary. Since chickpeas are quite hard grains, they need to be soaked in cool water in advance. Ideally, it should stay like this for the whole night.

Raisins, which in this version are used instead of barberries, give the dish a special sweetish taste, which is not very typical for pilaf. Some people like it, and some not so much. Try to prepare a dish at least once, guided by this recipe, so that you can form your own opinion as to whether this option is right for you.

You will need:

round rice – 2.5 tbsp;
vegetable oil – 0.5 tbsp.;
beef – 600-700 gr.;
carrots – 700 gr.;
onions – 2 pcs.;
raisins – 150 gr.;
chickpeas – 150 gr.;
ground black pepper - to taste;
seasoning "Khavaedzh" or any other - to taste;
salt - to taste.

Cooking stages.

1. Peel the onions and carrots. Cut the onion into half rings, carrots into strips.

2. Rinse the beef in ice water and pat dry. Chop the meat into medium-sized pieces.

3. Pour oil into a cauldron or any other vessel in which you cook, and heat over the highest heat. When the oil is hot enough, add the onion to the cauldron and fry, stirring, until golden brown.

4. Place pieces of meat in a cauldron and fry until crust appears on all sides - this is necessary so that all the meat juice does not leak out, but remains inside.

5. Then add a small part of the carrots and pour in all the chickpeas. Fill the future pilaf with water so that it slightly covers the contents of the cauldron. Add salt, pepper and seasoning. Lightly stir the water without touching the main ingredients. Once foam forms, remove it, reduce heat and cook for about half an hour.

6. After the specified time, add all the remaining carrots, pour in a little more water - it should cover the vegetable straws. Simmer for about another quarter of an hour.

7. While the zirvak is preparing, take care of the rice. It must be washed in ice water so many times until the liquid becomes clear. Then transfer the cereal to a colander.

8. When the zirvak is ready, pour raisins into the cauldron, then rice. Level it out. Add boiling water until the water slightly covers the rice, cover with a lid and cook until the liquid evaporates.

9. When there is practically no water left, remove the lid, make indentations with a small cylindrical object in different places, reduce the heat to minimum and simmer under the lid for another 12-15 minutes.

10. When the pilaf is ready, mix it well and serve.

You may be interested in: Lagman at home. 10 step-by-step recipes for preparing a classic dish with meat

Very tasty and crumbly pilaf is a real holiday on the table.

Recipe for pilaf in a cauldron over an open fire

Uzbek beef pilaf, cooked over an open fire, will delight gourmets with the incredible aroma of oriental spices. The peculiarity of the technology is the smell of light smoke from the wood chips. To start a fire, it is advisable to use birch sticks with bark. She "plays" longer than other breeds, so you don't have to start the fire twice.

The amount of ingredients is designed for 6-8 servings.

The total cooking time will take about 2.5 hours.

For delicious beef pilaf we will need:

700 g beef;
500 g long rice;
100 ml vegetable oil;
400 g onions;
500 g carrots;
1 head of garlic;
10 g salt, pepper to taste;
1.5-2 liters of water;
5 g turmeric;
5 g cumin.

Let's see how to cook beef pilaf in a cauldron:

Wash the rice, add cold water and leave to soak for half an hour.
Cut the meat into large pieces with a diameter of 2 cm, rinse, place on a paper towel and remove any remaining moisture.
Chop the onion into half rings, cut the carrots into large pieces.
To cook pilaf over a fire, light a fire and set up a cauldron.
As soon as the pan is hot, pour in the oil and begin to fry the onion until golden brown.
We send the entire portion of meat into the cauldron. Fry for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Then add carrots and fry for about 5 minutes.
Pour turmeric, cumin into the cauldron, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix our fry well, add water (exactly enough to cover the meat and vegetables by 2 cm).
Close the cauldron tightly with a lid and leave to simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Wash the rice again and distribute it in an even layer over the vegetables and meat.
Make a small indentation with the back of a spoon and “seat” a head of garlic there.
Gradually pour in the remaining water so that it covers the rice to 1.5-2 cm.
Close the lid and cook over low heat for another 40 minutes.

The dish is served with a light vegetable salad and fresh herbs. Don't forget that this beef pilaf recipe can be prepared on a regular stove.

In a slow cooker

One of the simplest and easiest recipes that does not require much effort. Multicookers are now becoming increasingly popular, because they allow you to cook everything faster without spoiling the quality of the dish. Of course, everyone has their own equipment and the time will vary for everyone, but the principle remains the same.

It will require:

Beef – 600 g
Onions – 3 pieces
Carrots – 2 large
Seasoning – 2 tablespoons.
Salt.
Rice - 3.5 measuring cups for the slow cooker.
Water – 5 measuring cups for multicooker.
Garlic – 3 cloves.
Vegetable oil.

Prep time: 5 minutes, cooking time: hour 10 minutes
Number of servings: 6

KBZHU: 2273/9/25/4

Pour oil into the multicooker bowl until it completely covers the bottom. Turn on the frying mode, wait a couple of minutes, add chopped vegetables. After 7 minutes add meat. Mix.
After three minutes, add seasonings and stir. Add salt.
When everything is ready, add the washed rice. Sprinkle salt on top of the cereal, insert garlic, pour boiling water. Select the “Cereals” mode.
A chic and quick dish is ready!

Cooking beef pilaf using this method is quick and easy.

How to cook delicious beef pilaf in a slow cooker - step-by-step recipe with photos

A real Uzbek dish can be prepared even in a slow cooker. This will not lose the taste of the pilaf at all, and there will be much less hassle. If you've already cooked pilaf on the stove, you'll probably appreciate the difference.

The amount of ingredients is designed for 5-7 servings. The total cooking time will take 1.5 hours.

For pilaf in a slow cooker we will need:

650 g beef;
260 g long rice;
150 g onions;
200 g carrots;
70 ml vegetable oil;
6 cloves of garlic;
300 ml water;
1 tsp cumin;
1 tsp turmeric;
Salt and pepper to taste.

Let's see how to cook beef pilaf:

Wash the rice, add cold water and leave for 30 minutes.
Cut the beef into large cubes, rinse, place on a napkin and remove excess moisture.
Peel the onion and cut into small cubes.
Peel the carrots and cut into thin bars.
Pour some oil into a frying pan, heat it up and fry the onion until transparent.
Then add the carrots and fry for about 3 minutes.
Add pieces of meat to the vegetable mixture and fry over medium heat until golden brown (about 20 minutes).
Take the multicooker bowl and grease the walls with the remaining vegetable oil.
Place the fried vegetables and meat in a bowl, add salt, pepper, cumin and turmeric. Mix and level.
Wash the rice again and place it on top of the roast, leveling the surface.
Carefully pour the mixture with water and distribute the peeled garlic cloves evenly over the rice, slightly deepening it.
Turn on the multicooker and select the “Pilaf” mode.

Once the dish is cooked, let it sit on the “Keep Warm” setting for 15 minutes. In this case, the pilaf will have time to “come up” - the rice grains will become even softer, and the seasonings will sparkle with a rich aroma. In a slow cooker, pilaf is prepared very simply and turns out extremely tasty.

Crumbly

Beef – 1 kg.
Rice – 600 g.
Vegetable oil – 150 ml.
Water 1 l.
Carrots – 4 pcs.
Onions – 2-3 pcs.
Garlic – 5-6 cloves.
Dried apricots (raisins) – 100 g.
Salt and pepper to taste.

KBJU: calorie content – 242.1; proteins – 10.2; fats – 14.1; carbohydrates – 18.5
Cooking time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 1.20-1.30 hours.

Number of servings: 9-10 servings.

Helpful advice:

“Rinse the rice until the water becomes a crystal clear liquid. This is the only way to achieve friability. It is also worth choosing varieties that have long grains. It’s not difficult to cook proper rice on the stove at home.”

Recipe:

Cut the pulp into medium pieces.
Pour oil into the container. Warm it up, then fry the meat in it.
Chop the onion, add it to the cauldron, fry for 4-5 minutes.
Grate the carrots, place in a cauldron, and simmer the pilaf for 35-40 minutes.
Pour hot water into the cauldron. Bring the meat to a boil over low heat.
Add pepper and spices to taste.
Add pre-washed rice to make it fluffy in the process. Cover the pilaf with a lid.
Soak dried apricots or raisins for 3-5 minutes in water. Then dry and cut. Add dried fruits.
After a quarter of an hour, remove the lid and collect the rice in a mound.
Place garlic on top. Cook for another quarter of an hour.
Remove from heat, close the lid and wait 10 minutes before consuming.

In conclusion - some useful tips

We'll tell you about the subtleties that will help you prepare delicious pilaf with fluffy rice on the stove or over the fire. So, let's begin:

Choose exclusively fresh meat. Anything else will not work as it may turn out tough. Preferred cuts are loin, back or neck. These are the softest and most tender pieces that, after cooking, will almost melt in your mouth.
Cook pilaf with beef in a cauldron. Thanks to the thick walls, the dish can simmer without boiling the rice.
Forget the grater. You just need to cut the carrots. Do not make the sticks or strips too thin - they will quickly boil over without having time to reveal their exquisite taste.
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear to make it as fluffy as possible. Choose varieties with long grains, otherwise you risk getting porridge instead of pilaf.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with taste by adding your favorite spices to the meat. If you really liked the recipe with curry, golden saffron or bay leaf, feel free to cook it, because it will only make the dish more appetizing!

Video on how to cook Uzbek beef pilaf with devzira rice

Pilaf turns out very tasty with pink devzira rice. It is, of course, not literally pink, but only has a layer of brownish-pink powder on the grain, which is washed off when the grain is washed. But the characteristic groove remains on it.

The advantage of this variety is that such grain is able to absorb all the juices and fats from the zirvak. This means it turns out not dry, but nourished, and incredibly tasty.

True, it can be difficult to buy a devzira, although if you set a goal, it is possible. I saw this variety in an expensive supermarket. And I myself order it at the market for Uzbeks who sell vegetables. They always bring the best. They understand this a lot. I couldn't even choose better than them.

The difference between this pilaf and the previous one is not only in the type of grain. if we prepared the last recipe according to the “Fergana” recipe. Then we will have this pilaf in Samarkand style.

What is the difference, see the chapter below, and all the nuances are told and shown in the video.