Azerbaijani pilaf with dried fruits
Description
I learned the recipe for Azerbaijani plov with dried fruits from my friend who works at an Azerbaijani restaurant. Once, when I visited him, I tried this wonder dish and completely lost my peace of mind. Believe me, all the other versions of plov I've made or tasted before simply cannot compare to this culinary masterpiece!!! Its taste and aroma are so incredible that words fail to describe them. As it turns out, preparing Azerbaijani plov with dried fruits at home isn't that difficult—what matters most is knowing the correct sequence of steps. So go ahead and get the ingredients from the store, and let's get started right away!
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
First, we need to boil the rice until fully cooked. Now, take a cauldron (it's impossible without one) and line its bottom with lavash. Place the cauldron over low heat.
- 2
Step 2
Next, we carefully spread the rice onto the lavash, evenly distributing it across the entire surface. Then we cover the pot with a towel, followed by the lid. This complex setup will help us achieve perfectly fluffy rice. We let the rice cook in this state for half an hour over the lowest possible heat.
- 3
Step 3
While our rice is cooking, we add a couple of pinches of saffron to a mortar, add salt, and grind this mixture.
- 4
Step 4
Now pour a small amount of boiling water over the saffron and salt mixture.
- 5
Step 5
After half an hour, we open the lid of the cauldron and pour the melted butter and prepared saffron-salt mixture over the rice. Cover again with a towel and the lid, then cook over low heat for another 20–30 minutes.
- 6
Step 6
Now you need to place our dried fruits and nuts in a double boiler so they soften well. Add a little salt and ghee to them, cover with a lid, and let them sit until they become soft enough.
- 7
Step 7
Essentially, our pilaf is ready, and we can serve it at the table. But if doing everything properly, we need to heat a ceramic dish, transfer the pilaf onto it, and then arrange dried fruits and nuts on top of the pilaf. Now we can proceed to taste authentic Azerbaijani pilaf with dried fruits. Enjoy your meal, everyone!