To prevent Uzbek pilaf from becoming an ordinary porridge with meat, spices and seasonings are added to it. Thanks to their combination, the dish turns out to be aromatic, rich and tasty. Of course, in the store you can buy a ready-made mixture of spices, but for Uzbek pilaf it is better to take the time and find all the necessary spices.
The main spice for Uzbek pilaf is zira, which is often confused with ordinary caraway seeds. It is believed that for the Uzbek version of the dish it is better to find the seeds of Indian black cumin, but they can be found extremely rarely in stores. In order for the zira to reveal its aroma, you must first rub it between your palms, and then add it to pilaf. This spice has other names: zra, cumin, Roman cumin. It not only gives rice a unique taste and aroma, but also has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart, helps to relieve migraines, flatulence and colic.
It is impossible to imagine Uzbek pilaf without dried barberry berries. They make the dish slightly sour; this seasoning contains vitamin C, citric and malic acid.
Another important ingredient is saffron, it is better to purchase it not in powder form, but whole stigmas to make the seasoning more aromatic. If you can't find saffron, you can substitute turmeric for it. This spice will also give the pilaf a golden color.
Much less often, other seasonings can be found in Uzbek pilaf: thyme, rosemary, allspice and pink pepper, oregano.
To simplify the process of preparing Uzbek pilaf, you can prepare a mixture of seasonings in advance, pour it into a clean jar and store it in a dry place. To do this, you need spices in such quantities:
- 2 tsp cumin;
- ½ tsp coriander;
- 4 tsp barberry berries;
- 2 pinches of saffron;
- 5 pieces. dried tomatoes;
- 4 pcs. dried red sweet and green hot peppers;
- ½ tsp black pepper.
There is no garlic in this recipe - it must be added to the whole pilaf. And to prepare the mixture, first cumin, saffron and coriander are poured into a jar, and peppers and tomatoes are pounded in a mortar and added to the rest of the ingredients. By the way, for pilaf with chicken, you can also prepare a mixture of spices, you just need to add 1 tsp to the seasonings. thyme.
