Plov, Pilaf, Pilau, Pulao, Osh Series

Forget ‘the meat and potatoes’, ‘the meat and rice’ is where it is at.

Plov, pilav, pilaf, or pilau. Whatever you call it, there are two things we can all agree on.

1. It is the quintessential meal of many nations all over the Middle East, West and Central Asia, Balkans, East Africa, South Asia, Latin America

and

2. It is delicious.

Fun fact, it is what I wrote my college essay on (I could talk more about this another time). But for those of us who aren’t familiar with plov (as I will call it from now), let me get into the details.

What is Plov/Pilaf?

Plov is the marriage of fluffy, usually long-grain rice, with a meat and various additions, both of which varying based on the region and who you ask. Caucasian nations will add beef or chicken and decorate the white rice with a tint of yellow from saffron. Central Asian cuisines like Uzbek plov may dot the dish with dried fruit. But even within these cultures there exists tens of different variations and types of plov. Not only do additions to this dish vary, but cooking methods do too. Every family has their own preferred method and technique.

Plov can be made fancy, and star huge events like weddings and celebrations. But it can also be a weeknight meal and remains that for so many families including mine. I would relish each time I saw plov was being made for lunch or dinner. As an avid meat-eater from a very young age, I’d ask and make sure that there was always some beef or lamb in the huge metal pots called qazans my family cooked plov in.

How to Make Plov/Pilaf

What indicates a great plov, however you make, is arguably the preparation of the rice. Every grain should be separate, plump and fluffy and there should be no mushiness. That is why many people, including my family, parboil their rice first after washing and then allow it to steam. This is a old technique and many delicious additions can enter the process at this stage. We will get into all of them as I try my best to highlight as many plov dishes as I can.

Next is the meat. Beef and chicken are the most common. Lamb, veal, pork and other proteins are also used. They can be cooked separately and added to the freshly-made rice, or they can finish cooking simmering with rice.

Whatever you call this dish, it is a delicious meal enjoyed by millions all over the world for centuries. There can be hundreds of variations within one nation, but that is the beauty of the dish. Plov is versatile. It can be made to feed a family on a regular day but it can also be the center of a celebratory event like a wedding. And each variation in ingredient and technique of preparing a meat and rice is worth exploring. Follow me in exploring and highlighting these different dishes, and please share any you’d like to see!

Persian “Shah” Plov