Cumin, Camels, and Caravans by Nabhan Gary Paul

Author:Nabhan, Gary Paul
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780520267206
Publisher: University of California Press

• OSHI PLOV •

Persian-Tajik Rice Pilaf with Quince

This is perhaps the quintessential meal of Central Asia’s segment of the Silk Roads, from Baghdad through Bukhara and Samarkand to Dushanbe and Kabul. It is embraced by both the Bukharan Jews and the Ismaili Muslims of Badakhshan and was no doubt held in high esteem by the Zoroastrians of the region. The pilav, pulao, palau, and plov of Central Asia probably hark back to the earliest introduction of rice into the area, though bulgur wheat or couscous may well have been there prior to the arrival of rice. Variations emerge in the Middle East with maqluba, khoresh-e beh, and kidra, and in Spain with paella. In most cases, these dishes include an aromatic rice that has been partially cooked in a seasoned broth with caramelized onions, then steamed with other ingredients layered or buried in the rice. Like a paella, a plov is often prepared in huge quantities for festivities such as weddings or holidays, and each cook contributes his or her own distinctive flair to the dish.

In the fourth century BCE, Alexander the Great and his troops became so taken with Bactrian and Sogdian pilafs that they reportedly took the preparation back with them from the Sogdian capital of Marakanda (present-day Samarkand) to Macedonia. But the first detailed description of how to prepare a pilaf properly came to us during the tenth century from Ibn Sīnā, known to the Western world as Avicenna. Because of his enormous influence, Ibn Sīnā is considered by many culinary historians to be the father of modern pilaf preparation.

The foundation for the following recipe was offered to me by a Tajik man named Jumbaboy, whom I met in Dushanbe. He noted that the Tajik version of the dish was most often made in late autumn, just as the fruits were ripening on quince trees. To gain a more detailed perspective on proportions of fruits, nuts, and spices relative to the lamb, rice, and onion base, I have relied on Najmieh Batmanglij’s Persian version in her fine book, Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey.

Serve with a mixture of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and capers marinated in cider vinegar or lime juice. Serves 6 to 8.

For the Rice

3 cups basmati or other long-grain white rice

4½ cups water

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons butter

For the Broth

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