Pilaf
There is an ancient kyuu (melody) among the Kyrgyz called "Gray Trotting Horse of Shyrdakbek." Its performance on the komuz is usually accompanied by the telling of a legend: "Once, the Kyrgyz were ruled by Khan Shyrdakbek. He had a young beautiful wife named Kanym. Shyrdakbek-khan cherished and pampered her.
He placed her on forty downy pillows and fed her pilaf made from the bone fat of forty black rams."
So says the legend, and historians suggest that Khan Shyrdakbek indeed lived in the 16th century. If there is any truth in the song of the akyns, then the Kyrgyz were preparing pilaf as far back as the 16th century. Pilaf is widely spread throughout Central Asia.
It is possible that in the distant past our people adopted it from neighboring fraternal nations. However, it would be a mistake to think that Kyrgyz pilaf and pilaf, say, Uzbek or Tatar, are the same dish.
Of course not.
The structure of the economy, customs, and natural conditions have left a deep imprint on both the method of preparing this dish and its recipe.
As a result, Kyrgyz pilaf, while mainly similar to similar dishes of neighboring peoples, has become a deeply national and original dish. Among national dishes, pilaf ranks immediately after beshbarmak in popularity and significance.
However, in terms of calorie content and digestibility, pilaf may even surpass it.
The main ingredients for pilaf are oil, meat, rice, carrots (yellow ones are valued), and onions. They are rich in protein, various vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, mineral salts, and other beneficial substances for the body.
To enhance the flavor of pilaf, tomatoes, red and black pepper, bay leaves, cumin, garlic, various spicy herbs, dried fruits, and berries are also widely used. Despite the significant differences in the technology of preparing different types of pilaf, there are certain common rules.
INGREDIENTS
1 kg of rice,
300 — 350 g of melted butter,
500 g of meat,
600 g of carrots,
4 — 5 onions,
2 heads of garlic,
3 — 4 tomatoes,
2 — 3 green peppers,
cumin,
red and black pepper,
salt.
The preparation of any type of pilaf can be divided into three stages:
Preparation of ingredients;
Preheating the oil and preparing the zirba;
Preparing the rice and adding it.
Prepare all the main ingredients: cut the carrots into strips, the onions into large rings, and the garlic as usual. Clean the meat from small bones and cut it.
Pilaf is usually cooked in animal fat, melted or vegetable oil.
Heat the cauldron well and pour in the oil.
To check if the oil is overheated, it is enough to throw a little coarse salt into the pot: it should scatter and "pop." Overheating destroys the specific smell of the oil and neutralizes bitter substances.
For pilaf, it is not allowed to use oil that has already been used, rancid, or stale fat. When using internal fat or tail fat, it is necessary to remove the cracklings after rendering. Melted or butter should not be overheated for long, as the beneficial substances contained in the oil quickly burn.
The preparation of zirba involves frying the meat with onions and carrots. When the carrots are fried, add the chopped tomatoes, spices, and seasonings to the zirba.
Pour water into the cauldron. Depending on the variety and water absorption of the rice, the ratio of rice to water is approximately 1:2 — 3. The contents of the pot should boil over low heat.
Once you are sure that the zirba is ready and there is enough salt, add the rice. First, sort it, rinse it in cold water, and then soak it in warm water to swell. The soaking time depends on the variety of rice and its water absorption. To check if the rice is ready, just taste it: swollen rice does not crunch between the teeth. After soaking, rinse the rice again in 2 — 3 waters. It is preferable to cook pilaf in a cast-iron cauldron and over firewood.
Main dishes of Kyrgyzstan