The only rice pilaf I’ve ever had was always Uzbek and Georgian inspired. My dad makes killer rice pilaf and that’s the only kind I’ve ever eaten at home. Last week I got a hankering for my dad’s rice pilaf but didn’t want to bother him with the recipe. Plus, no one in my family even uses recipes  - which kind of drives me up the wall. It’s always a pinch of this, and a handfull of that. Ridiculous!

So to google I went. You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to find the recipe! I finally settled on one that sounded fairly simple and flavorful. Well, I was 1/2 right. It was pretty easy. The flavor - well not so much. The rice, was extremely rich and yummy, the meat was bland and tasteless and kind of gross. Maybe I’m not used to eating lamb…I usually eat it only a few times a year, if even that. But the lamb was chewy and gross. Maybe I got the wrong kind of cut, but I followed the recipe exactly, so maybe next time, if there’s next time, I’ll deviate a little bit.

Honestly, I’d make this just for the rice. The meat did add the fat and the richness that the rice needed and the spices were in perfect balance - not too much not too little.

Next time, I think, I’ll try using a cut of lamb with much less fat and gristle and ask my dad for his recipe….or just ask him what exactly he puts in there. This dish is great as leftovers. I made it late Saturday night and have been eating it for lunch for the last 3 days…well just the rice. I pretty much picked out most of the rice and left the meat for my dear husband….which I don’t think he’ll eat either.

Also, the recipe calls for saffron  - I got mine at World Market - in case anyone’s wondering.

Uzbek Style Rice Pilaf
serves - a lot. maybe 5 or 6 (?)
Recipe from Recipes Wiki

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless shoulder or leg of Lamb, with some fat (the fat lends a wonderful flavor to the dish)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, julienned
• 3 large carrots, julienned
• 2-1/2 cups raw rice
• 4-1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon adzhika (see below), or crushed red pepper
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon saffron, stepped in 2 tablespoons boiling water for 10 minutes
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Raw Onion, sliced paper-thin

Directions:

1. Cut the Lamb into chunks. Heat the oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven, then stir in the Lamb and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.
2. Stir onions and carrots into the fat remaining in the pan, adding a little more olive oil if necessary. Cook over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until tender but not browned. Return the Lamb to the pot and add the raw rice. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the rice begins to turn golden brown. Then pour in the boiling water, stirring to mix well.
3. Add the adzhika (or red pepper), salt, saffron tea and black pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Serve libarlly garnished with paper-thin slices of raw Onion