In the ratio of water to rice. Plov gets just enough water for the rice to absorb it all; in mastava the broth stays liquid, so you end up with a soup.
Think of mastava as plov made into a soup: the same ingredients, with much more broth. Everything is cooked in a single kazan (a heavy cast-iron pot), with the meat, vegetables and rice simmering together. It is a filling home dish for an everyday lunch, and especially good on cold days.
Method
- 1
Rinse the rice.
- 2
Heat the oil in the kazan and fry the meat for 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes.
- 4
Add the carrots and peppers and fry for 3 minutes.
- 5
Add the tomatoes, garlic and spices, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 6
Pour in 1.5 litres of water, bring to the boil and add the potatoes.
- 7
After 10 minutes, add the rice and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes.
- 8
Season with salt and leave to stand for 5 minutes, then serve scattered with coriander.
Cook's tips
- Do not rinse the rice too thoroughly: its starch is what thickens mastava.
- For an even more filling soup, add cooked chickpeas with the potatoes.
- Leftover mastava makes a good breakfast the next day, as it improves overnight.
- Serve it with cold katyk (an Uzbek fermented milk drink) or a spoonful of soured cream.
Arkan Bazar
Halal meat for this recipe
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FAQ
Mastava: common questions
Yes, a meat-free mastava with vegetables and rice is perfectly normal. Add chickpeas to make it more filling.
Laser rice is the best choice: it cooks quickly and gives the right texture. Devzira is not used for mastava, as it is too dense.
2–3 days in the fridge. The rice soaks up some of the broth as it reheats, so add 100–200 ml of water and bring it back to the boil.
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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.