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Polo (Pilaf)

Uyǧur (Uyghur)

Ingredients

  1. 1 lb. of lamb chops

  2. 1 lb. of carrots, julienned

  3. 1 medium or large onion, julienned

  4. 2 to 2.5 cups of water

  5. 2 to 2.5 cups of rice

  6. 0.5 cups of olive oil

  7. 0.5 tablespoon unsalted butter

  8. (Optional) 0.25 to 0.5 tablespoon salt

  9. (Optional) 0.25 to 0.5 tablespoon sugar

  10. (Optional) 0.5 tablespoon cumin

  11. (Optional) 1 bulb of garlic

  12. (Optional) 1 red hot pepper

  13. (Optional) 0.25 to 0.5 cups of raisins

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large cast iron or pot on high temperature stove

  2. Add meat, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes or until evenly browned

  3. Add onion and salt, stirring for 3 minutes

  4. Add carrots and sugar, stirring for 5 minutes

  5. Remove meat and place it in the oven at 200°F

  6. Set stove to medium temperature

  7. Add water

  8. Once water boils, add the pepper and garlic. Let them simmer for 5 minutes, and then take them out and put them to the side.

  9. Add cumin

  10. Let mixture boil for another 5 minutes

  11. Set stove to high temperature and add rice

  12. Using a fork, poke holes into rice

  13. Flip top layer of rice

  14. Turn off heat and add raisins. Re-add pepper and garlic

  15. Lightly spray or brush rice with olive oil

  16. Cover pot or cast iron, letting it sit for 5 minutes

  17. Turn on heat to low temperature, letting mixture cook for 30 minutes

  18. Carefully mix ingredients in the pot or cast iron

  19. Remove lamb chops from oven and place them on the rice

  20. Serve warm

Further Reading

Silk Road Recipes: Parida's Uyghur Cookbook

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