Devzira is larger, denser and darker. It soaks up the fat and zirvak more deeply, so the finished plov tastes fuller and looks darker. Laser is the more versatile rice for everyday cooking; devzira is for festive and wedding plov.
Rice & staples
Devzira rice: red rice for plov
Devzira is a red rice from the Fergana Valley for festive and wedding plov: a large, dense grain with a rich aroma that turns amber as it cooks.
Devzira is an aged red rice and the classic choice for festive and wedding plov. The grain is larger and denser than most, with a distinctive pinkish-brown groove; as it cooks it turns amber and takes up the fat and zirvak more deeply than laser rice does.
- Origin
- Fergana Valley (Uchkurgan, Uzbekistan / Uzgen, Kyrgyzstan)
- Category
- Rice and grains
- Packaging
- 1 kg and 5 kg packs, loose from 250 g
- Shelf life
- Up to 24 months in a dry, dark place
- Certification
- Halal, certified by ALHALAL
The variety grows in the Fergana Valley, around Uchkurgan and Uzgen, and is traditionally aged for a year or two so that the grain can "mature". We try to keep last season's crop on the counter, since that is what gives finished plov its distinctive aroma and dark colour.
Plov made with devzira has a fuller flavour and a denser texture. The variety does well in Samarkand plov, which is served in layers, and in the Tashkent wedding plov; for an everyday family plov, many people prefer the lighter laser rice.
At Arkan Bazar in Riga you can buy devzira in 1 kg and 5 kg packs or loose. If you are cooking a large kazan, ask at the counter about the ratio of meat, carrots and rice: for devzira it differs slightly from laser because the grain is denser.
FAQ
Devzira red rice: common questions
Yes, always. Devzira is traditionally soaked in warm salted water for 1–2 hours and then drained. This brings out the aroma and gets rid of mineral dust; a rinse in clean cold water just before cooking is a must as well.
Devzira has a thin reddish-brown bran layer and a groove along the grain. Some of the pigment survives polishing, and once cooked the rice turns amber, sometimes with a faint pink tinge.
In the Fergana Valley, around Uchkurgan in Uzbekistan and Uzgen in Kyrgyzstan. The best lots have been aged for a year or two, and those are the ones we try to keep on the counter.
For plov or tea
Everything for dinner at one counter
At Arkan Bazar in Riga you can get everything for a meal in one go: rice, spices, dried fruit, flatbread and tea. Planning a family celebration or cooking for a large group? Write to us through the form in advance, and we will have your order ready on time.