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Uzbek plov is characterized by a delicate aroma and spicy flavor. I have prepared it vegan. The combination of rice, vegetables, fried pieces of tofu and various spices is irresistibly delicious. You can find a detailed pilaf recipe with the exact quantities and step-by-step instructions here at the very bottom.
Uzbek plov with what spices?
Traditionally, Uzbek plov is seasoned with black pepper, coriander, cayenne pepper, turmeric powder, cumin, paprika powder, among others. Dried barberries are often added as well.
There are also ready-made spice mixtures for pilaf to buy.
Of course, it is possible to take spices according to taste, similar to the buckwheat with mushrooms or mountain lentil fritters. So you can omit certain spices you don’t like and add new ones.
Whole garlic bulbs and chili peppers are also alternative.
How to make it really fluffy?
A fluffy consistency makes the classic plov, unlike a risotto. To ensure that the rice dish is a success, you should pay attention to a few details during preparation.
Use a type of rice with a starch content that is not too high. Long grain rice is the best choice, just as it is for the rice bombs.
Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear, much like you would for homemade sushi. This way you remove the excess starch from it.
When cooking the pilaf, it is better to use too little water than too much. The liquid must evaporate as soon as the rice is almost cooked.
If you use too much water, you may have to cook the rice too long. This could cause the rice to overcook by the time the liquid has had a chance to evaporate.
It is best to use a little less water first. Then you can add more if the rice is not yet cooked and there is no liquid left.
Also, avoid large temperature differences between the ingredients. This means, for example, that you should only add hot water when cooking.
Do not stir the rice with the tofu and vegetables during cooking. You do that only when the rice dish is ready. In order for the liquid to evaporate faster and the rice to cook evenly, you can make wells in the rice while cooking and mix it lightly only on the surface.
Alternatives to tofu
If you don’t like tofu, you can make Uzbek plov vegan with mushrooms. Maybe you have already tried my recipe for pilaf with mushrooms. Vegan plov with chickpeas is also delicious.
Alternatively, you can make the plov with vegetables only. Then just use more carrots in the recipe.
This plov is
- hearty,
- spicy,
- fluffy,
- grainy,
- heavenly delicious,
- aromatic,
- vegan,
- healthy,
- with fried tofu,
- easy and quick to make,
- ideal as a main meal for lunch or dinner,
- classic of Uzbek cuisine.
Easy Uzbek pilaf recipe
The vegan plov recipe you’ll find here at the end of the post in the recipe box is pretty simple. Quickly you’ll have the delicious healthy lunch or dinner on your dining table.
Step 1:
First, soak rice in water. Then cut carrots into sticks, onion into half rings and tofu into cubes.
Step 2:
Now fry the tofu pieces in a deep frying pan in vegetable oil until lightly golden. Then add the onion and fry until translucent. Now add the carrots and fry them for a few minutes. After that, add spices.
Step 3:
Then add some hot water to the tofu and vegetables and bring it to a boil. At the same time, thoroughly wash the rice, which is then evenly distributed on top of the other ingredients in the pan.
Step 4:
Add whole garlic bulbs and a chili pepper to the rice. Pour hot water so that it covers the rice and bring to a boil without stirring.
Simmer the rice until it is almost cooked, then put the lid on the pan, turn off the heat and let the pilaf sit on the hot stove for about 15 minutes.
Step 5:
Then mix the rice with the tofu and vegetables and serve the Uzbek plov.
How to make plov vegan: tips and tricks
- Use a large and deep wok pan or, as it is traditionally done, a kazan pot to cook plov.
- Long grain rice, rice with a starch content that is not too high, is best for pilaf.
- Wash rice thoroughly to remove excess starch.
- Season the Uzbek rice dish to your taste.
- Do not add too much water to the rice. Rather add some later during cooking as needed.
- Do not discard the garlic bulbs after cooking. Peel them and serve them with the plov. The garlic loses its pungency after cooking, but develops its aroma and becomes soft.
Have you made Uzbek plov vegan using this recipe? I’m looking forward to your result, your star rating and your comment here below how it turned out and tasted.
Also try these recipes for hearty main courses with rice:
- Hearty rice casserole with zucchini and feta cheese – vegetarian recipe
- Indian chickpea curry vegan with rice: tastier than in the restaurant
- How to make poke bowl – vegan recipe with sesame sauce
Uzbek plov vegan
Equipment
- Wok pan or kazan pot
Ingredients
- 400 g long grain rice
- 400 g natural tofu
- 3 carrots medium
- 1 onion medium
- 2 garlic bulbs
- 1 chili pepper
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
- approx. 2 tsp salt or to taste
- approx. 1 l hot water
- water for soaking
Instructions
- Soak rice in plenty of water while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Peel onion and cut it into half rings.
- Cut tofu into cubes and carrots into thin sticks.
- For garlic bulbs, remove only the top, excess skin.
- Bring water to a boil.
- Add vegetable oil to a wok pan or kazan pot and heat.
- Add the tofu cubes to the hot vegetable oil and stir fry over high heat until lightly golden, about 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add the onion to the tofu in the pan and stir fry over high heat until translucent, about 3 - 4 minutes.
- Add the carrots and continue to stir fry for about 3 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, black pepper to the vegetables and tofu and stir fry for about 1 minute.
- Pour 100 ml of hot water to the vegetables and tofu in the pan, salt it, bring it to a boil and turn the heat to low.
- Pour off the water from the rice and wash it several times with clean water until it runs clear.
- Spread the rice evenly over the tofu and vegetables in the pan.
- Tuck the garlic bulbs and a chili pepper into the rice.
- Pour still hot water to the rice so that it is covered by about 0.5 - 1 cm.
- Bring the water with the rice to a boil and cook it without a lid until it is almost done (15 minutes for me). The liquid must have evaporated by then.
- If the liquid has evaporated before the rice is done, pour in some hot water.
- Put the lid on the pan, turn off the heat and let the plov sit on the hot stove for about 15 minutes.
- Carefully mix the rice with the tofu and vegetables, season with salt and spices if necessary, and serve the vegan plov.
Notes
- Use a large and deep wok pan or, as it is traditionally done, a kazan pot to cook plov.
- Season the Uzbek rice dish to your taste.
- Do not add too much water to the rice. Rather add some later during cooking as needed.
- Do not discard the garlic bulbs after cooking. Peel them and serve them with the plov. The garlic loses its pungency after cooking, but develops its aroma and becomes soft.
- Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the vegan plov at the top of the post.
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