ROMANTIC: June 2011

With roots in the food culture of Central Asia, the national cuisine of the Uzbeks shows a great variety of dishes.

In addition to their own roots, this wealth in variety and numbers of dishes can be explained by the interaction with neighboring cultures and the rich possibilities afforded by nature.
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PLOV
Pilaf (for an extended list of local names, see is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth (zirvak). In some cases, the rice may also attain its brown color by being stirred with bits of burned onion, as well as a large mix of spices. In our country the most developed food it is plov. It is a traditional food. That prepair from rise, actually I like it. There are different types of plov. Plov [plohf] is a cult dish not only in its homeland Uzbekistan, but all over the former Soviet Republics and Russia. A hearty one-pot rice dish cooked in lamb fat with onions and carrots, it has many variations. Russian men often cook plov for parties with the same me-put-food-on-this-table showmanship displayed by American husbands around their grills.Polow: rice that is cooked exactly the same as chelow, with the exception that after draining the rice, other ingredients are layered with the rice, and they are then steamed together.Uzbek plov on the other hand differs from other preparations in that rice is not steamed, but instead simmered in a rich stew of meat and vegetables called zirvak until all liquid is absorbed into the rice, although some limited degree of steaming is commonly achieved by covering the pot.
Actually pilaf my mom's delicious, the best and sweetiest food in the world.

plov

uzbek food plov

uzb plov

pilaf....

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SAMSA
Samsa is prepared in all areas of Uzbekistan with various fillings: meat, pumpkin, herbs, etc. Samsa is baked in a tandoor oven, as well as in gas ovens and on electric plates. For samsa, an ordinary stiff dough is mixed, left for 20-30 minutes, then unrolled in plaits and cut into pieces of 10-15 grams. It should not be thicker than 2-2.5 mm. The edges are thinner than the middle. The filling is put in the center, folded in the dough and baked at a high temperature. For the dough, the following ingredients are required: flour - 25 g, water - 105 g, salt - 6 g; for the filling - mutton or beef fillet - 150 g, fat - 35 g, onion- 250 g, caraway - 1 g, salt and pepper.
Samsa (meat pies) is a pastry pie stuffed with meat and onion or pumpkin, potato, cabbage, mushrooms or nuts backed in tandyr . Tandyr is a traditional cylindrical clay oven, heated with coal. Skill is needed when placing the rawsamsas or non on the inside wall of the oven

SAMSA WITHY SOUCE

SAMSA

TANDYR SAMSA

GUL SAMSA

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CHUCHVARA

Chuchvara is the most widespread national dish, sometimes seen under different names such as Varak-chuchvara (pel'meni). In all areas, Chuchvara is prepared with the same methods. The ingredients are flour, eggs, water and salt. The dough is mixed and left for 40-50 minutes to rise. For the stuffing, beef or mutton is cut in slices and finely cut with onions or passed through a meat grinder; cold water, pepper, salt, and thyme should be added and carefully mixed. The dough is unrolled in a layer 1-1.5 mm thick and cut into squares of 4x4 cm. A small drop of stuffing should be dropped onto a slice of dough, after which the corners are pinched and folded. When the ends are connected, it should form a half moon shape with a small hole in the middle. Chuchvara should be boiled in salt water or bouillon and served with "suzma" (sour milk), and seasoned with pepper, onion and tomato paste, with black pepper or sour cream.

chuchvara

cuchvara soup

chucnvara soup

chuchvara

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Shurpa Mastava
Among the liquid dishes, various kinds of Shurpa and Mastava take an important place in Uzbek national cuisine. The basis of these dishes is the bouillon of fatty meat. Shurpa and Mastava are prepared from fresh or pre-fried meat, most often from fresh mutton. Important components are sliced carrots and onion rings, which are added fresh. Sometimes Shurpa is prepared with turnips or peas. In several areas potatoes, fresh tomatoes and sweet peppers are added. Shurpa is subdivided into Kaytnama (shurpa from fresh meat) and Kovurma (shurpa from fried meat). Kaytnama - shurpa is the most popular and has a gentle taste and aroma. The meat is cooked in large pieces, and the vegetables - whole or in large pieces. Cooking should be done on a slow fire and it is impossible to allow a vigorous boil.
Mastava can be considered as a version of Shurpa. It is prepared, as a rule, from fried meat. The basic components are rice (pre-washed), which is put into a bouillon 25-30 minutes prior to being ready. In some areas, caraway seeds are added to the Shurpa 50-60 minutes prior to being ready, for a better taste

shurpa pie

noxt shurpa
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MANTY
After Plov, Manty is the most popular and favorite Uzbek dish. That is why in many regions Manty is served at the end of the meal. In the Fergana valley, Samarkand, Tashkent and Bukhara, Manty is one of the major components of the diet of the local population. In other places, it is prepared less often. Manty is prepared from water based dough, which is unrolled in layers 4-5 mm thick and cut in squares of 12x12 cm. Meat, vegetables or spices can make up the stuffing. Manty is steamed for 35-45 minutes in a special pot (kaskan). Manty is served with sour milk or sour cream.