Oshpelo, (also osh or plov,) is Uzbekistan’s national rice dish that’s cooked with meat, carrots and chickpeas. The Jews of Bukhara, an ancient city in todays Uzbekistan, brought it with them to Israel, where it became popular among home cooks.
Oshpelo is considered a festive dish (just look at the shiny carrot speckles!) that’s served on weddings and holidays as well as Shabbat.
This recipe is Kosher for Passover for those who eat rice and legume (kitniyot.)
Oshpelo, Uzbeki lamb, carrot and rice dish
Course: Main courseCuisine: uzbekiDifficulty: Difficult8
servings45
minutes2
hours2
hours45
minutesINGREDIENTS
2½ cups round rice (such as sushi rice)
2 medium yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lb. lamb shoulder, bone in, cut to large pieces
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
6 large carrots
1 can (15.5 oz.) cooked chickpeas, washed
2-3 whole garlic bulbs
3 dried hot peppers, or to taste
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
DIRECTIONS
- Put rice in a large bowl, cover with water, mix with your hands, then drain the water. Repeat three times, in order to wash the rice, then cover with water and let stand until ready to use.
- Half onion lengthwise and slice. Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and sauté onion until golden.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle salt and pepper over lamb. When onion is ready, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. Add lamb to the same pot, and sear on both side, about 8 minutes total. Cover lamb with 3 cups water at room temperature. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cumin seeds, bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and cook for about 1½ hours, until lamb is very tender.
- In the meantime, peel and julienne carrots. Remove outer dried skin from the garlic bulb, leaving bulb intact. Set aside.
- When lamb is tender, mix sautéed onion back into pot. Top with carrots and chickpea, then place garlic bulb on top of carrots. Cover pot and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove garlic bulb and keep aside for later. Drain rice, add to pot and flatten with a large spoon, making sure the water covers the rice with just about ⅛ inch. Add more boiling water as needed. Sprinkle with turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make 5 holes in the rice and all the way to the bottom of the pot, to let water evaporate. Increase heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, without the lid, until water evaporates almost completely.
- Use a large slotted spoon to gently mix only the rice layer. Use the slotted spoon to bring the content of the pot to the center, shape in all to a mountain-like (or a large cone) shape. Place the garlic bulb and dried peppers on top of the rice. Cover pot with a small towel or a few layers of paper towels, put lid on top, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Let stand for 10 more minutes before serving.
