It would seem that it is difficult to cook delicious pilaf with meat, because the recipe is simple and the products are quite affordable! However, in order for this dish to turn out really flawless, you need not only to put a piece of your soul into it, but also carefully study the cooking technology.

Our detailed recipe with step-by-step photos will help you make delicious crumbly pork pilaf in a cauldron on the stove. Of course, ideally, it is better to use lamb for pilaf, but it is not always available for sale, so we offer an affordable and homemade version of this popular dish.

Ingredients:

• long grain rice - 350 g;
• pork (preferably shoulder or brisket) - 500 g;
• carrots - 1-2 pieces;
• onion - 1-2 pcs.;
• vegetable oil - about 80 ml;
• garlic (optional) - 3 heads;
• zira - ½ tbsp. spoons;
• turmeric - ½ teaspoon;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

Homemade pork pilaf recipe with photo step by step

How to cook crumbly pilaf in a cauldron on the stove

1. We cover the bottom of the cauldron with a thin layer of vegetable oil, heat it up. We load the peeled and finely chopped onions. Fry over moderate heat until soft.
   
2. Cut the carrots into thin strips and lay them on the onion. Stirring, we pass the vegetable "assortment" for a couple of minutes.
   
3. Let's move on to the meat. After washing and drying, cut the pork into medium-sized pieces, add to the carrot-onion sauté and fry until golden brown, not forgetting to stir. To prevent the pilaf from turning out dry, it is better to give preference to sufficiently fatty parts of the pork - in this case, the shoulder blade, brisket, neck, etc. are perfect.
   
4. As soon as the meat is reddened, sprinkle it with salt, ground pepper, add cumin, turmeric and / or other spices at your discretion, mix. Pour in about a glass of boiling water (so that the pork is almost completely covered with liquid). We load the heads of garlic into the cauldron, after cutting off the roots and stem, and also removing the top layer of the husk. Stew the meat over low heat under the lid for about 30-40 minutes (until soft).
   
5. We thoroughly wash long-grain rice, drain the water and load it with almost ready-made pork. Smooth out carefully with a spoon.
   
6. Pour in boiling water, being careful not to damage the layer of rice grains. As a result, the water should be 0.5 cm above the rice level. Add a little more salt, set the maximum heat and bring the liquid to a rapid boil, do not mix! Immediately cover the cauldron with a lid and keep the rice at maximum heat for exactly 7 minutes.
   
7. After the specified time, without opening the lid, reduce the temperature to a minimum and simmer the contents of the cauldron for 12 minutes. To make the pilaf really tasty and crumbly, in the process of cooking, in no case do we mix the rice and do not open the lid until the last, so that all the water has time to evaporate and the rice grains are thoroughly steamed. Having removed the freshly prepared pilaf from the heat, we continue to insist for another 10 minutes, and only after this time we remove the lid and gently mix the rice with the meat.
   
8. We distribute our crumbly pork pilaf into portioned containers and serve. The dish is completely self-sufficient, so no additions to it are required!
   

Pork pilaf in a cauldron on the stove is ready! Enjoy a hearty lunch! Enjoy your meal!

Lamb is a traditional meat for cooking the classic Uzbek pilaf. But the spread of recipes around the world has made adjustments even to standard dishes. Delicious crumbly pork pilaf is an equally popular and sought-after dish. After all, this meat is easier and faster to prepare, and in terms of taste it is in no way inferior to lamb.

How to cook crumbly pork pilaf

Pilaf is a dish for which step-by-step recipes with photos will not give any meaningful clues. The only thing that can be estimated from them is the intensity of the roasting of the components and the size of the chopped vegetables and meat.


When preparing, you need to consider several nuances:

• zirvak - meat roast for a dish, cooked in a large amount of oil. As a base, you can use fillets or ribs with thin bones obtained from young pork. Small layers of fat are also suitable;
• carrots for real pilaf are not rubbed, but cut into cubes or long sticks (straws);
  
  
• the sequence of actions at the frying stage may differ: so that the onion does not burn, some cooks put it on top of the meat, but before the carrots, others add it before the meat;
• to cook delicious crumbly pork pilaf, you need to choose the right rice. There are varieties that are labeled as "for pilaf": devzira, steamed species. But it is best to experiment with several varieties, because producers in different regions of the country differ;
  
  
  
• you need to cook the dish in sunflower oil or lard, if there are pieces with a large layer. Pre-fat is melted;
• barberry gives sourness to pilaf, but it is not necessary to use it, despite the fact that seasoning is found in almost all traditional recipes.
  
  

Now you can start cooking delicious pilaf with pork.

Quick and tasty pork pilaf in a cauldron on a live fire

To cook crumbly pilaf in a cauldron over a live fire, you need to use only high-quality firewood or coal.

No plastic or rubber elements should get into the fire.

To complete the recipe, you need to take the exact number of components, or increase them in accordance with the proportions.

• 1 kg pork meat without bones and excess fat;
• 1 kg of long-grain rice, or a special variety for crumbly pilaf;
• 1 kg of carrots;
• 4 large onions;
• 200 ml of odorless vegetable oil;
• 2 heads of garlic;
• zira (cumin) - 1-2 tsp. depending on condiments.

Optionally, you can take hot peppers (in pods) to taste, salt, black pepper, combined seasoning for pilaf, barberry and herbs.

Remember that spices should not be too much.

1. The meat is cut into large pieces, as soon as the rice is washed to white water and left to soak for 30-40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, the cauldron is heated over high heat, a glass of oil is added.
   
   
3. As soon as the smoke appears, fall asleep onion, cut into half rings.
4. After 3-4 minutes, pork is added to the onion: the meat should be covered with a golden crust, and the liquid should evaporate.
   
   
5. At the final stage of preparing zirvak, carrots are added, stirring constantly.
   
   
6. After 5-7 minutes, when vegetables and meat become golden in color, seasonings, salt are added, hot water is added so that it is 1 cm higher than the contents.
   
   
7. Now you need to reduce the heat and simmer the delicious pilaf for another 5-6 minutes. Then rice is added and water is added to cover the cereal. Carefully remove the slotted spoon after adding, leveling the layer of rice, but without stirring it!
   
   
8. Once the water boils away, add the peeled heads of garlic. The cauldron is covered with a lid.
9. The cooking time from this point is 12-15 minutes, since the meat is already ready.
   
   

The final touch is decoration with greenery and serving.

How to cook crumbly pilaf with pork at home on the stove

To cook crumbly pilaf with pork and rice, take a cast-iron pan (a wok with a narrow bottom and wide edges).

You can use a similar aluminum cookware with a thick bottom.

It is very important to use the exact amount of water to avoid porridge.


Before you start cooking crumbly pilaf with pork, collect all the ingredients:

• 1 kg each take pork and rice, which after cooking turns out to be friable;
• carrots need 200 g less - 800 g;
• garlic - 3-4 heads, and onions - 600 g;
• obligatory spice - zira 1 tsp;
• vegetable oil - 200 ml;
• water - 1.5-2 liters, if a pot-cauldron is used to cook pilaf with pork, and not a frying pan, less water will be required;
• you can add 1 tsp. a mixture of peppers, a handful of barberries and 1 tsp. turmeric.

The technology for cooking pilaf on the stove differs only in small nuances, but the process itself will not be the same as when using an open fire. Here you do not need to monitor the dishes every second and prevent excessive heating:

1. Rice is poured for 40-60 minutes, after washing to clear water.
   
   
2. Carrots are cut into cubes, onions are cut into half rings, and pork is cut into large cubes.
   
   
3. First, the onion is fried in slightly smoky oil, then pieces of pork are added to it, it is not necessary to cover it with a lid.
   
   
4. When the pork is reddened, lay out the carrot sticks. It is important to press the vegetables with a spatula to the surface of the meat without stirring. Then the carrots will be saturated with the aroma of fat, and not boiled.
   
   
5. Prepare spices: peel the garlic, cut off the top, chop the peppercorns, sort out the barberry.
   
   
6. Add to zirvak 2 tbsp. l. salt, cumin, crushed pepper. If hot chili pods are used, they are put whole.
7. Pour the products with hot water 1 cm above their surface.
   
   
8. Put the barberry and the remaining spices, cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes.
9. Put the rice on top, spreading it gently with a spatula. It is necessary to press the cereal well, but do not mix it.
   
   
10. Peeled heads of garlic are immediately added and the mixture is poured with boiling water 1.5 cm above the rice level.
    
    
11. After boiling, holes are made in the compressed cereal with a stick so that the moisture evaporates faster. Cover with a lid.
12. As soon as the moisture evaporates, the rice is collected with a spatula in a hill, reduce the heat to a minimum and cover the wok with a towel. After 20-40 minutes turn off the stove.
    
    

Cooking time at the last stage depends on the variety of rice chosen. So, steamed grain will take longer to boil than polished. At home, pilaf is served on a large dish, first laying out rice, and then pork and carrots. You can lay out a slide, after mixing the ingredients.

Pork pilaf in a slow cooker is the most delicious recipe

A step-by-step recipe for crumbly pilaf in a slow cooker with pork is a real find for those who want to save time and use the kitchen tool to the maximum of its capabilities.

When using the correct recipe, the dish in the slow cooker turns out to be tasty, fragrant, and does not require any complex manipulations.

But in order to cook a delicious and crumbly pilaf with pork, you must strictly follow the requirements of the recipe, otherwise the dish will turn into rice porridge.

What you need

To prepare the recipe, take the following ingredients:

• pork - fatty neck or other type of pulp - 600 g;
• special rice for pilaf or basmati - 400 g;
• onion - 300 g;
• carrots - 300 g;
• sunflower oil - 150 ml;
• garlic - 1 head;
• zira - 0.5 - 1 tsp.

You can add pepper or coriander, as well as other seasonings that are combined with pork. For a subtle sour note, use dried barberry berries.

How to cook

As in any other recipe, rice is first washed with water, poured for 40-60 minutes and vegetables are prepared. Then oil is poured into the slow cooker, when smoke appears, the onion is fried in the “frying” mode.
Then pieces of pork are added, and when an appetizing crust appears, carrots are covered. After 10-15 minutes, after mixing, boiled water is added (1 cm above the products), salt and spices are added, including the head of garlic.


Close the lid and set for 10 minutes at 120 degrees. Open the slow cooker, fill in the swollen rice, pour water along the wall (70-80 degrees). Set the temperature to 100 degrees, close the lid and turn on for 20 minutes. After cooking, let the dish brew for 20-30 minutes.

Pilaf cooking secrets

Use a few secrets when preparing a fragrant dish:

• even if you really want to, do not grate the carrots, otherwise the pilaf will turn into porridge;
• if you do not like long-grain rice, choose round cereals with a minimum starch content;
  
  
• soak rice in hot water with salt (60-70 degrees);
• if you need a light pilaf, put the onion after the pork;
• you can also get a richer taste if you first fry coarsely chopped onion over high heat, take it out and fry the meat in the same oil. In this case, onions are put again together with carrots, but already new.
  
  

While cooking, experimental cooks often discover new tricks and secrets for creating delicious pilaf recipes.

Crumbly pilaf with pork in a saucepan

Traditional pilaf is a popular oriental dish, the first recipes for which appeared long before the appearance of a huge amount of kitchen utensils. That is why there is an opinion that this dish can only be cooked in a thick-walled cauldron over an open fire. In fact, the art of cooking has evolved significantly, and many dishes have been cooked in the utensils that are convenient over time. Classic pilaf with pork in a saucepan on a gas or electric stove can be cooked no worse than on a fire. Moreover, for modern hostesses, this option will be much more convenient and affordable.

Of course, you should take into account the peculiarity of the preparation of this dish. Since the pan cannot be heated equally from all sides, like a cauldron with a semicircular bottom, it is very important to ensure that the cereal is not overcooked. That is why there are a few simple secrets on how to cook pork pilaf in a saucepan. Knowing the rules of food preparation and cooking technology, you can cook an amazing treat at home.

Pork pilaf recipe in a saucepan

Cooking time : 60 minutes

Servings : 6-8

Ingredients :

• Pork - 450-500 g
• Onion - 100 g
• Carrot - 1 pc.
• Long grain rice - 1 cup
• Water (boiling water) - 2 cups
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Vegetable oil - 100 ml
• Barberry, zira, turmeric - 1 pinch each
• Salt - to taste
• Bay leaf (optional) - 1 pc.

Prepare all necessary products. If the meat is fatty or sinewy, it will need to be cut into small pieces, cut off excess fat and veins. You can use any kind of rice, but long-grain varieties are best for pork. Heat the water in advance, and select the spices to your taste.

To prepare the base - zirvak, you need to prepare meat and vegetables. Onions and carrots must be peeled and chopped into thin sticks. Cut the meat as desired.

If you cook in an enamel pan, then it is best to cook zirvak separately in a pan or cauldron. But if there is no other suitable dish besides the pan, it will do. Put the meat on one pan, drip a little oil - no more than 1 tablespoon and fry it over high heat.

When the meat becomes soft and a beautiful golden crust appears on all sides, add the remaining oil and vegetables.

Saute food until vegetables are soft.

Put zira barberry and turmeric in a saucepan, mix and add salt to taste. At this stage, you can add any spices to your taste.

Pour boiling water into the pan so that the water covers all the products and close the lid. Simmer zirvak over medium heat for 20 minutes.

While zirvak for pilaf is being cooked, prepare rice groats. Pour the rice into a convenient deep bowl and rinse well under running water. You need to wash until the starch is completely washed out.

Pour the prepared rice with a little water and leave for 15 minutes. When the grains absorb the necessary water well, fold the cereal into a strainer and let the excess liquid drain.

During this time, the zirvak should be ready - the gravy should become a uniform color, and a thin film of fat will appear on the surface.

Place the prepared grits on top of the meat and vegetables and smooth with a spatula. No need to add water! Close the pot with a lid.

Cook pork pilaf on the stove in a saucepan for no longer than 20 minutes, otherwise it may burn. If the rice has not yet reached full readiness, remove the pan, wrap it in a warm blanket or put it in an oven heated to 70-80 degrees. In 10 minutes, the cereal will reach readiness thanks to hot steam.

Incredibly fragrant and crumbly pork pilaf in a saucepan is ready.

Serve it on a wide flat plate with fresh vegetables and fresh herb salad as an appetizer and your loved ones will appreciate your culinary skills. Bon appetit!

Note to the owner

• Before cooking pilaf with pork in a saucepan, rinse and soak the rice grits for 20-30 minutes. Properly cooked rice affects the appearance and taste of the finished dish. That is why it is very important to use only the rice that you have already cooked. This will make it easier for you to determine the amount of liquid to add to the pot to cook the grits until tender.
• Classically, the recipe for pork pilaf in a saucepan can be changed to your taste by adding your favorite spices or additional ingredients. Pork meat goes very well with dried fruits, so in addition to barberry, you can add prunes or dark raisins.
• Since pork is quite fatty and heavy meat, be sure to add zira. It helps fat to be better absorbed.

Video recipe

In no case will we claim the title of classic pilaf with pork, since dishes with this meat in the homeland will never be cooked. So our version is purely Russian, but so that we don’t end up with porridge with meat, we will take some rules and principles for preparing real pilaf and transfer them to our dish. There will be two recipes: the first is extremely simple, in a frying pan, for a quick dinner, without any special dances with tambourines; the second will be more like his older brother, he will be cooked in a cauldron with more careful adherence to the basics. Both will be step by step and with photos.

The basic basics of cooking pilaf that we need

However, first, nevertheless, about the products and these very basics. It is clear that pilaf is a dish of meat with rice. We have pork today.

What part of the pork carcass (cut) is better to take for pilaf?

It is believed that for stewing (and in my opinion pilaf is roasting followed by stewing) the shoulder blade and ham are best suited. But of these, the ham is more expensive, the shoulder blade is much cheaper, and in finished form nothing is inferior to it in taste.

How to choose rice for pilaf?

You need long grain rice. It, as a rule, does not boil “into porridge”, does not stick together. Very often, cereals are recommended to be soaked for a short time in hot water. It is believed that this way it will turn out more crumbly. Based on this, you can successfully buy steamed rice and get a good result without soaking.

What is zirvak?

This is a part of pilaf without cereals. Those. ingredients such as meat, carrots, onions and everything else that is cooked in the first stage before rice is put in.

What dishes are suitable for cooking pilaf?

In everyday life at home, it is best to take thick-walled dishes: pans with a thick bottom, ceramic refractory pots for stewing, ducklings, etc. Something that takes a long time, but warms up well, but when warmed up, it keeps heat well.

What spices are needed?

On sale there are ready-made sets of spices for pilaf. Usually they include: cumin, barberry, hot pepper, turmeric (or saffron), dried onion and garlic. It is best to look at the seasonings on the market by weight, they will be fresher and more aromatic than those packaged in their original packaging.

Pilaf with pork in a pan - recipe with photo

Ingredients:

• pork shoulder - 400g;
• rice - 350g;
• carrots - 1 pc;
• onion - 1 pc;
• salt - to taste;
• tomato paste - 1 tsp;
• spices for pilaf;
• vegetable oil - 0.5 cups.

How to cook pork pilaf

1. Let's prepare the food first. Cut the meat into medium-sized pieces.
2. Carrots are usually cut into strips, but for simplicity and speed, we rub on a coarse grater. There should be a lot of carrots. We cut the onion finely.
   
3. Pour vegetable oil into the pan. Despite the fact that pork meat is fatty, oil will be required decently. Rice then absorbs it well, becomes oily, and pilaf is not greasy. Warm up well.
4. We put the meat, mix so that all the pieces are covered with oil. Fry for 10-15 minutes until crispy, stirring occasionally.
   
   
5. I put carrots and onions. We mix everything well. Cook for about 5 minutes so that the vegetables are also slightly browned.
   
6. We pour spices. Their number depends on your preferences. Someone likes the fragrance to be very barely perceptible, someone likes it brightly expressed. The quantity also depends on the quality, fresh spices will need less. So look for yourself. I usually put in about 1 teaspoon.
   
7. Salt and add tomato paste.
   
   
8. Pour the rice in advance into a cup, one in which you can then pour water. Pour the rice on top of the zirvak in an even layer.
   
9. And pour hot water from the kettle (boil it a little in advance). The amount of water is determined by the volume of rice. Let's say you had rice in a volume of 1 glass, which means there should be 2.5 times more water, i.e. 2.5 glasses.
   
10. Cover the pan tightly with a lid. We reduce the fire to the lowest possible and leave to cook until all the water is absorbed and the rice becomes soft.
    
11. When we see that there is no more water on the rice, we taste it. If it is soft, the pilaf is ready. But pay attention, the top layer of rice can be, as the Italians say about pasta, "al dente", i.e. a little hard, while inside it will be completely soft. If you notice that there is still liquid left in the pan, cover the lid and wait a little more.
12. Usually the pilaf is not stirred, but I like to do this: when it is ready, I turn on the high heat and, with high heat, stir the contents of the pan for 1 minute.
    

Now that's all for sure! The dish is ready, you can call everyone to the table.

Recipe for pilaf with pork in a cauldron

The cauldron should ideally be cast iron, but it is very difficult to find one now. On sale are mainly aluminum with or without non-stick coating. In such dishes, it is good to cook pilaf on the stove or over the grill (with a special grate under the cauldron).

Composition of products:

• pork ribs - 1.5 kg;
• long grain rice - 0.5 kg;
• onions - 5 pcs;
• carrots - 3pcs;
• spices;
• ground black pepper;
• salt;
• garlic - 1 head;
• chili pepper - 1 pc.

How to cook pilaf with pork

1. My ribs, cut into separate pieces with a bone. If they are long, cut in half. If there is fat, do not trim it.
   
2. We clean the onion, cut into half rings.
   
3. Washed, peeled carrots cut into thin strips.
   
4. We will cook without oil. Therefore, first we put two pieces of pork in a heated cauldron and wait for the fat to melt. Then we rotate them there to grease the walls of the cauldron with melted fat and put a few more ribs.
   
   
5. Fry them on all sides.
   
6. Put the onion, fry until translucent.
7. Now you can put all the remaining meat.
   
8. We add spices.
   
9. We put the carrots and fry the whole zirvak well.
   
   
10. Fill with hot water so that the gona covers all the pork with vegetables. We put a whole, not peeled head of garlic and chili pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 1.5 hours.
    
11. After this time, remove the garlic and pepper. Do not throw away the garlic, it is very tasty and then you can eat it with pilaf.
    
12. Rinse the rice several times with running water until the water runs clear. We put it in a cauldron with a slotted spoon, level it, but in no case mix it with meat. If necessary, add a little water to cover the rice. Close the lid again and cook for 20 minutes.
    
13. During this time, the rice will cook until half cooked. We rake it with a slotted spoon to the center to form a slide. You can return the pepper and garlic to the cauldron. We stop heating, cover the lid and keep the pilaf for about half an hour until the rice absorbs all the water and becomes soft.
    

That's all! Your pilaf in a cauldron is ready!

For this recipe pilaf it turns out crumbly, juicy and delicious. The meat melts in your mouth. There are a few little secrets of delicious pilaf: do not mix, stick garlic strips 5 minutes before cooking (see recipe below). Prepare and delight your loved ones.

Ingredients:

Pork (pulp)– 700-800 grams

Bulb onions- 200 grams

Carrot- 200 grams

Rice (parboiled)- 2 glasses

Vegetable oil- 0.5 cups

Garlic- 2-3 cloves

Spices: salt, ground black pepper, barberry, zira, turmeric or curry, paprika.

How to cook delicious crumbly pork pilaf

1 . Cut the pork flesh into small pieces. If the meat is frozen, thaw it first.

2 . Heat vegetable oil in a cauldron or thick-walled pan. Fry the pork until golden brown.

3 . Peel the onion and cut into cubes. Peel and grate the carrots (finely chop).

4 . Add carrots, onions and spices to the cauldron. Turmeric (curry) will give pilaf not only flavor and benefits, but also a beautiful golden color.

5 . Stir and simmer without closing the lid for about 3 minutes.

6 . Add 1-2 cups of water to cover the vegetables with meat (zirvak), reduce the heat to a minimum, close the lid. Simmer until meat is cooked.

7 . When the meat is ready, pour steamed rice on top. Spread the rice evenly over the entire surface of the pilaf.

8 . Add water carefully. It should exceed the surface of rice by 2-3 cm. Cover the cauldron with pilaf and continue to simmer over low heat.

9 . Check the pilaf for readiness after 15-20 minutes. If the rice is still raw and the water has already boiled away, you need to add water. Do not pour water over rice! Make a small hole (several holes) in the pilaf with a knife, all the way to the bottom. And carefully pour water into this hole. In no case do not mix rice with meat, this can only be done when the rice is ready.

10 . 5 minutes before the pilaf is ready, you need to add garlic to it. This little detail will give your pilaf an extraordinary taste and aroma. Slice the garlic lengthwise into long thin strips.

11 . Push the garlic into the surface of the rice. Cover and simmer for another 3-5 minutes.

Mix pilaf with pork. Add more salt if not enough.

Delicious pork pilaf is ready.

Bon appetit!

Pilaf cooking secrets

Delicious, crumbly and full of flavors of various aromatic spices - pilaf is a dish of Uzbek cuisine. And you can cook it truly professionally only according to time-tested recipes, traditional and real.

Products and traditional pilaf recipe

The most basic - all the main products: cereals, meat and vegetables, must be used in a 1: 1 ratio. That is, for 1 kilogram of rice, a similar number of meat, carrots. This pilaf is prepared according to the Uzbek recipe, which involves the use of products such as:

• Rice - 1 kg (or more, depending on which company will gather for lunch).
• Meat, of course, lamb - 1 kg (if you cannot find lamb, you can take both pork and veal). Pulp and some meat on the bone for richness of pilaf. You can 700 grams of pulp and 300 grams of ribs.
• Carrot - 1 kg
• Bulb - 4 pcs. and one small one for color.
• Sunflower oil - about 0.5 liters. Perhaps you have fat, for example, fat tail or pork from ribs - it is also necessary, but you can cook pilaf without it.
• Red pepper, hot - 3 pcs.
• Garlic - 1-2 heads, depending on their size and your love for this product.

Spices

A separate paragraph about seasonings for pilaf, because it is they who will give the dish the taste and shade that it should really be. And so what is needed:

• Salt
• Zira, or they also call it an idol, is the most important ingredient. Zira can be taken both black and yellow. Both types are incredibly fragrant.
• Turmeric, not essential, but very good for color and smell.
• Barberry - without this spice, pilaf is no longer an Uzbek traditional dish, but simply cooked according to your recipe.
• For lovers of spices, you can also put saffron, this is not necessary, but it’s not the same without it.

These are the products needed for real pilaf. Each must be carefully prepared. And now about each separately, a few words:

Rice

Rice for pilaf must be selected carefully. If you want it to crumble, you should choose one that does not cook quickly, does not boil soft, does not stick together. Long rice is ideal for pilaf, while round rice, on the contrary, is not suitable. In the recipe for Uzbek pilaf, there is rice of the div-zira variety. But if it is difficult to find it, and in some cities it is not there at all, and if there is something of dubious quality, then you can buy Thai rice, it is long and already steamed. It won't crumble into mush.

Secrets of cooking rice in pilaf:

• So that rice is not boiled, it is better to cook in a cauldron. Moreover, real pilaf is cooked on an open fire, but it will do on the stove. Rice should be put after the meat gives juice and puts fat, so it will turn out crispy, but ready and whole rice.
• Rice must be washed very thoroughly several times. It is better not to leave it without water, after it has been washed to clear water, again fill it to the top with cool water, you can add a little salt.
• In order for the rice to turn yellowish, not only seasonings are needed. To begin with, when you heat up the oil, throw in a small onion before adding the fat. It should be fried to a golden color, this will be the rice. Plus, the onion will absorb all the harmful elements from the oil.

Meat

The second essential ingredient is meat and fat, ribs. Lamb is ideal, but if you can't find it, it's better to take pork. If pilaf should be more lean, of course, you can take veal, it is more tender, but the taste of the dish will be simpler. So buy pork, flesh, any, preferably a rump or neck, like a barbecue. Ribs are necessary for aesthetics - they give a very colorful look to the dish, well, they give more fat.

Secrets of cooking meat and ribs:

• There is only one way to prepare meat - wipe it with kitchen napkins, you do not need to wash it. You need to cut it into small pieces, there is such a standard rule - you need to cut the meat into pilaf 3 by 3 centimeters, so it will melt in your mouth, but at the same time it will hold in whole pieces.
• Before frying the meat, heat the oil to the chapel and throw in the fat, only after melting the fat throw in the meat and ribs. Fry over high heat until golden brown and crispy, then remove and set aside. The meat will be softer if it is already stewed with everything else.
• It is better to fry the ribs separately, and the meat is already stewed with onions, it will be juicier. The fact is that the meat sets the taste of the dish initially, so it must first be fried and then stewed, put the vegetables separately: onions, then, after cooking it, carrots, and only then, when the meat is already soft and the carrots are cooked, should put seasonings.

How to cook:

• It is necessary to prepare a dish only in a cauldron.
• We observe the exact sequence of laying down all the components, do not forget about the proportions.
• After the vegetables and meat are ready, put seasonings and garlic, it is also necessary to pour and boil water - the mixture in the cauldron should boil before falling asleep rice. This brew is called zirvak. This is the basis for pilaf.
• In zirvak, you need to add hot pepper, increase the fire, let it boil for 30 minutes.
• After everything is brought to a boil, you need to put the rice, pouring gently and slowly. Fill it with boiled water, make the fire strong.
• If the rice is not ready, it will be possible to add water during cooking, but a little bit, make sure that the dish does not burn, but also that there is no excess moisture.
• Close the lid only when you make the fire smaller, half an hour after laying the rice. And now try and wait, enjoy and taste the real Uzbek pilaf.