Fergana plov is stirred before serving and has an even texture. Samarkand plov is served in layers, with the rice first and the zirvak on top. Fergana plov is for every day; Samarkand plov is for celebrations.
Fergana plov is the everyday plov of the Fergana Valley, the region that grows laser and devzira rice. Unlike Samarkand plov, it is stirred before serving, so the texture is even, with the rice, meat, carrots and onion spread right through it. This is the most common style of home plov in Uzbekistan: it does without visual tricks and puts its care into the flavour. What matters most is a short, concentrated zirvak with a deep colour and a careful final adjustment of the salt.
Method
- 1
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in warm water for 30 minutes.
- 2
Heat the kazan (a heavy cast-iron pot), pour in the oil and heat it until it just starts to smoke.
- 3
Fry the meat for 5 minutes until well browned.
- 4
Add the onions and fry for 6 minutes until deep golden.
- 5
Add the carrots, cook for 4 minutes and sprinkle in the spices.
- 6
Pour in the water and add the garlic and half the salt; simmer for 25 minutes.
- 7
Spread the rice on top without stirring. If the water level has dropped 1 cm below the rice, top it up.
- 8
Bring to the boil, cover and turn the heat down; cook for 25 minutes.
- 9
Take off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- 10
Turn the plov over from the bottom up with a spatula, adjusting the salt as you go, and serve on a shared platter.
Cook's tips
- Lift out the garlic before you stir: it is served in a separate heap.
- If you use tail fat (kurdyuk) instead of oil, give the first stage more time.
- Add the barberries to the zirvak, not to the rice, so that their sourness spreads through the broth.
- For a paler Fergana plov, use yellow carrots; for a darker one, use orange carrots with a pinch of turmeric.
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FAQ
Fergana plov: common questions
Yes, but the plov will be more festive. For everyday plov, laser rice is the traditional choice: it is lighter and does not need an hour of soaking.
In the Fergana Valley the traditional choice is yellow carrots, which are firmer. The orange carrots sold in Latvian shops work well instead; add a pinch of turmeric for colour.
You can, but the zirvak will lose its sweet note. The garlic is not hot: after long cooking it turns sweet, and it is served separately as a side to the plov.
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Get the ingredients at Arkan Bazar
You will find rice, spices, dried fruit, nuts, non flatbread and tea for most of these recipes on our counter at Riga Central Market, Nēģu iela 7, open daily from 09:00 to 17:00.