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Shah Plov Azerbaijani Style
Instructions
I get the ingredients ready for the shah-plov. I am using turkey thigh, but you can replace it with veal or lamb. The butter should be melted in the microwave or over a water bath. It is better to take rectangular lavash, as it is more convenient to work with later on.
Rinse the rice well.
Cover the rice with plenty of water and boil it for literally 5 minutes, until half-cooked.
Then rinse it well under running water and leave it in the colander to dry a little.
Pour boiling water over the dried fruits, then rinse them under running water.
Cut the carrot into fairly large pieces.
Cut the onion into rough cubes.
Cut the meat into medium pieces.
Now that all the chopping is done, I start frying. I keep the onion in heated oil until lightly translucent.
Add the carrot and fry everything for 3–4 minutes.
Cut the large dried apricots and figs into long pieces.
Add them to the vegetables in the pan and fry together for about a minute.
Transfer the fried mixture to a plate and return the pan to the stove.
With a small amount of vegetable oil, fry the meat pieces (this takes about 5 minutes whatever the type of meat).
Add the fried mixture to the meat. Keep the heat on.
Salt the mixture and season it with the spices. Keep everything over the heat for about a minute, then turn off the burner.
Cut the lavash lengthwise into 3 strips. Turn the oven on to 160 degrees with top and bottom heat.
Grease any heatproof dish that will hold the rice and the filling (it can be a pot, a frying pan or a springform mold) on all sides with melted butter.
Lay the first lavash strip inside so that its edges hang over the rim, or at least one edge does. Brush this base well with butter.
Lay out the remaining strips, overlapping them with one another. Brush them thoroughly with butter.
Spread half the rice over the bottom. Level it and salt it. There is no need to tamp it down. Add a couple of spoons of melted butter.
Next, spread out all the meat with the dried fruits. If you like, add a chili pepper.
Cover this layer with the remaining rice, salting and drizzling it with butter just like the first half.
Fold the overhanging ends of lavash over the top.
Brush the top with the last of the butter.
Cover the pot with foil and place it on the middle level of the heated oven.
After 1.5 hours, remove the foil and keep the dish at the same temperature for another 20 minutes or so, to dry the lavash to a crisp, brittle crust.
Turn the dish out onto a plate and lift off the pot.
The shah-plov Azerbaijani style is ready. When you cut into the crisp crust, the whole structure opens up like a flower, revealing the centre full of crumbly rice and dried fruits. Such a treat is made only for big celebrations or for dear guests. Give it a try yourself, and enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
Half-cooked rice is the secret to the texture. Rice that is cooked all the way through will turn mushy in the oven. Five minutes of boiling until half-cooked lets it finish in the oven without overcooking.
- 2
Plenty of butter on the lavash is the secret to a crisp crust. Dry lavash turns rubbery in the oven. Lavash brushed thoroughly with butter crunches like a crisp.
- 3
Dried fruits scalded with boiling water are the secret to juiciness. Dry dried fruits stay tough in the plov. Scalding them with boiling water makes them plump and juicy.
- 4
Foil plus drying out is the secret to the shape. Without foil the top will scorch. Without the final drying the lavash stays soft. Foil for 1.5 hours plus 20 minutes without it gives a perfect shah-plov. The same principle works for other festive pilafs with dried fruits.
FAQ
Which rice should I choose for shah-plov? +
Long-grain rice is ideal, the kind labelled for pilaf. Good options include basmati, jasmine and parboiled long-grain, as well as the Central Asian "devzira" rice if you can find it. Do not use round-grain rice meant for porridge, as it will turn sticky and clump together.
What can I use instead of figs? +
You can replace the figs with pitted dates, an extra portion of dried apricots, a mix of prunes and dried apricots, dried cranberries for a touch of tartness, or dark raisins. In season you can also use fresh figs instead of dried. Use genuine dried fruit and avoid candied peel with artificial colourings.
How long does shah-plov keep? +
It keeps for 2–3 days in the fridge in a tightly closed container, and on the second day the flavour becomes richer. Before serving, reheat it in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 °C under foil to restore the crisp lavash; in the microwave the lavash will go soft. I do not recommend freezing it, as the dried fruits lose their texture. Do not leave it at room temperature for longer than 4 hours.
What should I serve shah-plov with? +
In the Azerbaijani tradition it is served with pomegranate narsharab sauce, with ayran or tan, and with tea, whether green tea without sugar or black tea with lemon. It also goes well with an "achichuk" salad of tomatoes and onion, with pickled onion, with a garlic-yogurt sauce, with fresh coriander and basil, and with pomegranate seeds scattered on top. It makes a fine centrepiece for a wedding or anniversary table.
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