This is proper plov: one pot, no shortcuts, and the kind of meal that makes the whole house smell amazing. Lamb gets browned with freshly ground cumin, coriander, and pepper, then it’s layered - not stirred - with onions, carrots, garlic, bay, chickpeas, and raisins so every stage builds flavor without turning into mush. The rice goes in last and steams on top, soaking up all the lamb fat and spiced broth until it turns fluffy and golden. It’s warm, deeply savory, a little sweet, and exactly why plov is a flex across Central Asia.

What is the history of plov?

Plov (also called pilaf/pulao/polov) is an ancient Silk Road rice dish that spread across Central Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, changing little everywhere it landed. The version most people recognize as Central Asian plov (meat browned first, then layered with onions and carrots, then rice cooked on top to absorb the rich broth) became a signature method in places like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan where it’s treated as both daily food and celebration food. Many historians link one of the earliest written descriptions to the 10th century scholar Avicenna (Ibn Sina) who recorded a pilaf style dish and helped cement it as a respected, “proper” meal rather than just peasant rice. Today plov is basically cultural currency; cooked in huge pots for weddings, holidays, and gatherings.

How to make plov?

In a spice grinder coarsely ground coriander seed, cumin, and peppercorns. Set aside. Place rice in a bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a Kazan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot stir in lamb pieces and the ground spices, and cook for about 10 minutes until evenly browned. Stir in the heads of garlic and bay leaves. Lower the heat to medium and add sliced onions as an even layer and cover. Cook for about 10 minutes and scrape the sides upward so nothing sticks but without mixing everything together. Add julienned carrots as an even layer, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. Scrape the sides again and add a layer of garbanzo beans and raisins. Cover and cook for 20 minutes occasionally scraping the sides and bottom. Rinse the rice until the water runs clean. Add it as a pile in the middle and cover. Every few minutes move the rice around without spreading it to the edges. Then pour the boiling water on the sides and cover. Keep moving the rice around every few minutes. Once the rice is almost cooked spread it as an even layer all the way to the edges and cover for a few minutes. Then mix everything together and season with salt. Serve immediately!