Uzbek Pilaf. Узбекский плов

For pilaf it's best to use a big and heavy cast iron pot, for example, the French Le Creuset will do. It's a good idea to cut meat and vegetables and to put rice in a warm slightly salted water before you start cooking.

• 2 kg lamb
• 1 kg yellow onion
• 1 kg carrot
• 300g suet
• 1 kg white rice
• 2 garlic heads
• 5 cloves
• 2 teaspoons coriander, ground
• 2 teaspoons cumin, ground

1. Heat suet (cut in pieces) on medium-high until it is completely liquid and smoky. If suet is not available, use vegetable oil, but it's not ideal because it will burn at higher temperatures.
2. Put onions (cut in semi rings) and simmer for several minutes, until the onions turn golden. The colour of the onions will determine the colour of the pilaf.
3. Add the lamb (cut in pieces, 3-5 cm big) and fry for several minutes.
4. After the meat turns brown, put carrots. The carrots should be cut in thin and long pieces (8-10 cm long). Stir everything, and pour hot water to cover the mix (about 4-5 cm above the meat level). Also add spices at this time: a little bit of coriander, clove, cumin, and bеrbеris (optional).
5. Simmer the pot on low until the meat is tender (about 1 hour).
6. Add rice on top of meat but do not stir. Add more hot water if needed to cover the rice, and put garlic (whole heads) on top. Cover and cook for 15 min, or until the rice is ready.