Real street food: Tuy palov from Tashkent

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/16/tuy-palov-tashkent-uzbekistan-real-street-food

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What is the dish?

Palov (plov or pilaf) is a very popular rice dish throughout Uzbekistan; there are more than 120 different recipes, but you can only get tuy palov in Tashkent, where I live. Although the ingredients wherever you go are pretty similar – oil, meat, onion, carrots and rice – in our variety, you add chickpeas and raisins. I’d say this is the most famous and desirable food in Uzbekistan, a real signature dish. That’s why tuy palov is not just eaten by people from the markets and restaurants, it’s the centrepiece of weddings, parties and holidays.

What’s the history?

It is often considered to be one of the oldest recipes in Uzbek cuisine, which has Persian roots. Alexander the Great was served a kind of palov upon his capture of the Sogdian capital of Marakanda, which is now known as Samarkand. Alexander’s army brought it back to Macedonia and spread it throughout Eastern Europe. It’s also believed that the proper preparation of palov was first documented by the 10th-century scholar Abu Ali Ibn Sina, who, in his books on medical sciences, dedicated a whole section on preparing various meals, including several types of palov.

What does it taste like?

Tuy palov has a rich taste and its complementing flavours make it extremely moreish. As Tashkent’s version has raisins and chickpeas, there is also a hint of sweetness that again perfectly complements the savoury meat and vegetables. Sometimes a whole head of garlic is added, too. The meat’s juices run through the rice and carrots, the onion is cooked down until it becomes invisible, but it gives a special aroma to the rice that makes it incredibly flavourful.

Where can you get it?

At the Central Asian Plov (palov) Center, a food market where you can try all kinds of palov, not just tuy palov. When you order, it is served on one big plate for everyone to share. You can also get it in any family restaurant as it is a highly demanded dish in the city, but you’ll also find it on the table of every house on a Thursday.

How is it served?

Usually on a flat big plate so it’s easy to share. Tuy palov is always served with a special salad on side, which is made of fresh juicy and ripe tomatoes and crispy onions.

Anything extra?

Tuy palov is so loved that it has become an essential dish for weddings, where it is always prepared by men. In Uzbek wedding celebrations, there are huge numbers of guests – around 500 to 1000 people. For a big occasion like that, several hundred kilos of tuy palov are cooked and served early in the morning of the wedding day.

Why should someone try it?

Eating palov is a nice reason to meet your friends, but moreover it is very nutritious and filling – perfect for busy lunchtimes. You won’t get hungry up until evening.

What’s the bill?

Not much; £1-2 per portion at most.

Can you make it at home?

Definitely! It is not so hard to cook if you follow the recipe and the ingredients are found easily in any shop.

What does this dish say about your Tashkent?

People are so in love with this dish and so proud of Tashkent’s version that they can eat it 24/7, and that’s is the reason why our version, and versions from other regions, are a fantastic symbol of Uzbek cuisine. We have a saying in this country; “If something kills you, it should be palov.”

Recipe for tuy palov

(serves 6-8)