Plov
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Plov (Persian: پلو - polo, Uzbek: palov, Turkmen: palov, Turkish: pilav, Crimean Tatar: pilâv, Tatar: pılaw, Russian: плов - plov) is the national dish of Uzbekistan, and other Turkic and Central Asian people. It is a rice dish consisting of carrots, onions, spices (cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and Barbaris), lamb, cottonseed oil, and medium grain rice. It is traditionally cooked in a deep, metal dish known as a "qozon". Plov can be made either at home or over an open fire. Several different types of simple salads are served with plov. The most common of these is a mix of very thinly sliced tomatoes and onions which are then mixed with salt and pepper.
Preparations and recipes can vary from region to region, however the contents of the dish will always be based on the above carrot/onion/lamb/rice mix. (called "sabzi" in Uzbek) Ingredients such as whole heads of garlic, garbanzo beans, chilis and quinces can be added while cooking. A special "wedding plov" will include saffron in its preparation.
The origins of plov are somewhat lost over the course of history. However, stories abound of it having been served to Alexander the Great upon his capture of Maraqanda. (modern Samarqand)
Plov is from the same family of Turkic rice-based dishes as Afghan "Pulao", Tajik "Osh", Turkmen "Palov" (see also Pilaf). One can also find variations of plov in the Tatar regions (Tatarstan) of Russia (Tatar: pılaw) and in Crimea, Ukraine (Crimean Tatar: pilâv).
During the years of the Soviet Union, the dish spread throughout the other Soviet republics, becoming a favorite in such diverse places as Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
