Lamb Pilaf (Plov)

1. 1 Lambpack 600 g ≈ $11.00Not in every store: Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Target, Trader Joe's, Safeway, Whole Foods 150 g
2. 2 Long-grain ricepack 800 g ≈ $1.94 80 g
3. 3 Carrots≈ $1.50 per kg 80 g
4. 4 Onions≈ $1.60 per kg 60 g
5. 5 Garlic≈ $10.00 per kg 8 g
6. 6 Sunflower oil 20 ml
7. 7 Cumin 2 g
8. 8 Chili flakes to taste
9. 9 Salt 2 g

Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.

Method

1. Rinse the lamb¹, pat dry, and cut into 3 cm (1.2-inch) chunks. Slice the onion⁴ and carrots³ into 1 cm (0.4-inch) thick matchsticks. Leave the garlic⁵ bulb whole, just snip off the top. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat.

2. Sear the lamb¹ on high heat for 8–10 minutes until deeply browned on all sides, then set aside on a plate.

3. Add the onions⁴ to the pot and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown.

4. Stir in the carrots³ and cook another 10 minutes until tender with a slight caramelization. Add the cumin, chili powder, and half the salt.

5. Return the lamb¹ to the pot, pour in boiling water to cover the ingredients by 2 cm (0.8 inches), bring to a gentle boil, then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes until the meat is fork-tender.

6. Spread the rice evenly over the top, place the whole garlic⁵ bulb in the center, add enough water to cover the rice by about 1 cm (0.4 inches), sprinkle with the remaining salt, and bring to a boil over moderate heat.

7. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 20 minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid and becomes tender.

8. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 10 minutes, then gently fluff the pilaf, transfer to a serving dish with the garlic⁵ bulb intact, and serve hot.

In short

• In the planner this dish is cooked for two days: reheat on day two.