Category: Festivals, Exhibitions and events, Uzbek plov
Pilaf (pilau, plov), favorite Uzbek dish was presented in all its beauty to the Tashkent residents and guests on 19 april spring morning as part of the “World of Recreation” Exhibition second day. This dish cooked differently in every region of Uzbekistan became not only an indispensable part of festive and every-day feasts but also a brand of Uzbek national cuisine.
From early morning oshpazes-cooks and their helpers began preparations for the PilafFest (Osh bayrami festival) arranging an improvised kitchen in the open air, right at the entrance to the “Uzexpocenter” exhibition hall: they installed huge cauldrons, kindled the firewood and mixed ingredients. Rice was not spared that day at all: the cooks were competing not only in their culinary skills, but also by the heaps of rice in dishes. The most impressive was “Tarona” restaurant – their Tashkent pilau took 35 kg of rice, and the restaurant’s oshpaz was imperturbably manipulating with a skimmer before the eyes of the amazed audience.
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An atmosphere of general animation was reigning on the exhibition area, various national music teams were entertaining the guests, while the cooks shrouded in puffs of smoke were conjuring over their cauldrons, being inscrutable and concentrated. Altogether the festival was represented with 10 kinds of pillau: Wedding, Chaykhana, Tashkent, Festive, Samarkand, Khorezm, Namangan and also such pilaus as “Karavan”, “Shodibek” and “Asaka”.
In response to the question about their pilaf know-how, the cooks were just smiling modestly. “We have no know-how. Everything is very simple! Have it and you will understand that our pilau is the best” – says Bobur Nurmatov, one of the cooks from “Caravan Group” restaurant chain.
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But yet, there was know-how, when all the cauldrons were open, the air was filled with tempting flavor of freshly-cooked pilau and lively queues of those wishing to taste national Uzbek dish lined up to the tables. There were also foreign guests, some of them came to Uzbekistan for the first time. Jacques Delval, a guest from France shared his impressions on “Shodibek” pilau:
- Very delicious! Its is just unputdownable! I would rather have another portion! Indeed, I like Uzbek cuisine, including shashlyk, but now pilau is my favorite dish!
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Each table was served in its inimitable style: jugs, oriental sweets, fragrant tea, fresh vegetables and salads. The lyagans (dishes) decorated with bright national patterns were served with various kinds of pilau: yellow, white and brown, dressed with grains of pomegranate, quail eggs, garlic, raisins and even whole lemons.
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The PilafFest jury who degusted the pilaf were quite at a loss – the oshpazes had done their best. However, the winners in different nominations were chosen and awarded in a formal ceremony. The nomination “National Pride” was awarded to Fayzulla Khizmatov, a cook of “Diyor” restaurant; Shukhratbek Shorustamov from “Tanovar” restaurant was awarded in nomination “Novelty in Traditions”, Khasan Rasulov from “Forel” restaurant was awarded in nomination “Inimitable Taste”, and the team from Samarkand won in nomination “The Best Thematic Table”. Avaz Zakirov, a cook from “Caravan Group” restaurant chain won the main nomination “The Best Cook”. The winner in nomination “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” was Akmal Umarov from “Tarona” restaurant, while “Guests’ Choice Award” was given to Ismail Umarov, an oshpaz from the International hotel.