A Perfect Holiday Centerpiece

It’s that time of the year again, when afternoons are short, the colors are subdued, and the appetite for rich spicy foods is at its highest. What a perfect occasion to cook a hearty Central Asia pilaf with mutton, lots of cumin, and (if you can find them) barberries (also known as berberis or “northern lemon”).

I grew up in the shadow of my mother’s cooking, spending countless hours in our kitchen, watching her cook and bake – and never imagining myself stepping into those shoes. She was (and is!) a wonderful cook, and people visiting the observatory where I grew up were often brought to our apartment to give them a taste of good cooking. No surprise then that it took me many years to even think about attempting some of my mother’s signature dishes. Many of them – such as borshch and pelmeni and (until very recently) pilaf – I still haven’t approached. Partly, it’s because she cooks them without a recipe and cannot give me any solid advice. But also because the taste of these dishes the way she makes them sets such a high threshold for me that I get a dose of imposter syndrome just thinking about cooking them.

But her pilaf is actually a very easy and versatile dish that may not be very traditional, but is guaranteed to warm you up. And doesn’t require many ingredients (but do get those dried barberries online, their slightly sour taste is always a nice surprise when you bite into a mixture of meat, rice, carrots and onion – and balances the rich, fatty taste of the pilaf well).

Pilaf with Mutton

ingredients

1 medium yellow onion

1-2 carrots

1½-2 pounds rack of lamb or veal brisket

1½-2 cups Basmati rice 

Cumin seeds

Dried barberries

Coriander seeds, saffron pods
or turmeric powder

Paprika

1 head of garlic (optional)

Salt and pepper

Start by chopping the lamb into pieces that are about 2x1 inches. Dice the onion finely – it basically melts away in the final dish. Cut the carrots into thin sticks about 2 inches long.

Put a Dutch oven on the stove, heat it thoroughly, and then add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil and throw in some cumin and coriander seeds. When the seeds begin to pop and shoot, your oil is hot enough to quickly sear the meat.

Once the meat is browned on all sides, throw in the diced onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the burner down to medium, and continue frying the meat and onions, stirring constantly. Feel free to add other spices at this time, such as paprika or hot pepper or some more cumin and coriander seeds.

If you want to use garlic in your pilaf, this is the time to do it. Peel the outer layer from the head of garlic, cut the top part off, and place the head cut side down in the center of the Dutch over, among the meat and onion. Pour in some hot water (½ cup or slightly more).

Take your carrot sticks and spread them on top of the meat and onions, so that the carrots cover them in a layer. Close the lid and let the Dutch oven sit for 10 minutes, so as to steam the carrots. Meanwhile, prepare the rice by washing it until the water runs mostly clear. Boil the water: if you want your pilaf to have a beautiful yellow color, crush a few strands of saffron and mix them in the water (or take a teaspoon of ground turmeric and do the same). Or just use the water as is.

Put the rice on top of the carrots so that it covers them, sprinkle with dried barberries, and add water until it completely covers the rice. Sprinkle some more salt on top, then put the lid on, turn the burner to low, and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, until the water is gone and the rice is cooked.

Finally, turn off the burner and leave the pilaf covered for another 30 minutes. After half hour, open your pot, remove the garlic if you used it, and mix the pilaf well.

Serve with a simple cucumber and tomato salad or pickled onions.