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EveryMasala

Regional blends

Plov spice mix

Cumin, barberry and dried coriander for the festive rice pilaf of Central Asia.

Plov, or osh, is the national rice pilaf of Uzbekistan and a dish of Central Asia and Afghanistan. A spice mix of cumin, barberries, coriander and dried pepper is added, usually with whole garlic heads and carrot.

What goes in

Cumin: 36%36%Barberry: 21%21%Coriander seed: 14%14%Black pepper: 14%14%Dried marigold: 7%Red pepper: 7%14parts

Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.

Made step by step

Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.

  1. Step 1: Dry Rinse the barberries and dry them.
  2. Step 2: Toast Toast the cumin and coriander lightly.
  3. Step 3: Pound Crush the spices coarsely in a mortar.
  4. Step 4: Blend Mix in the pepper and marigold.
  5. Step 5: Bloom Add to the hot oil and fried meat and onion in the kazan.
  6. Step 6: Store Store the dry mix in a jar.
  7. Cumin: 36%36%Barberry: 21%21%Coriander seed: 14%14%Black pepper: 14%14%Dried marigold: 7%Red pepper: 7%
    Finished Plov spice mix, by share.

Occasion dish

Plov is cooked in a large kazan, often by men, for weddings, funerals and on Thursdays in some towns. The big pot is cooked outdoors in neighbourhood gatherings.

Spice mix

Cumin is the key spice. Barberries give a sour note, while coriander, dried marigold and black pepper are added. Zira, the local black or green cumin, is used in some regions. Recipes vary among cities.

Where it is used

Uzbek plovLamb pilafSamsa

The spices in it

CuminMain spice.CorianderSeed.Black pepperThe dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.Chili pepperThe pungent berry of the Capsicum plant, used to add heat to dishes worldwide.

Also part of it, and being written: Barberry (Sour berry.).

More on EveryMasala

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Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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