Title: Sarimsaaqli Palaaw (Central Asian Garlic Pilaf)
Categories: Pilaf, Main dish
Yield: 12 servings
3/4 c Oil
5 sm Onions, diced
1 lb Lamb leg meat, cubed
4 lg Carrots, cut into julienne
Water
12 Garlic heads
5 c Rice, soaked in 5 changes
-of water and drained
1 t Salt
1 t Ground cumin
1 t Ground red pepper or cayenne
This is recently invented Central Asian pilaf, dating from just after
World War II. At first popular among teahouse pilaf cooks in eastern
Uzbekistan, it's now cooked all over that country. Most people squish
out the mild cooked garlic from the whole cloves and use it as a
sauce for the pilaf. From "Plovy na Liubol Vkus" by Karim Makhmudov.
Put oil in large pot, add onions and saute over medium heat until
light brown. Add meat and stir until browned. Add carrots and 5 cups
water, and cook over medium-high heat until meat is tender, about 7
minutes. Mix whole heads of garlic into stew and sprinkle rinsed rice
over. Add 8 cups water, taking care not to disturb layering of rice
and stew, and boil uncovered until rice absorbs water, about 40-45
minutes.
When rice is done, heap rice in pot, cover, reduce heat to minimum,
cover pot and steam 25-30 minutes. Serve 1 head garlic with each
portion of pilaf. Makes 10-12 servings.
