Pilaf in bread. Shah Ash - Royal Pilaf! (Khan-pilaf)

A Turkish proverb says: “There are as many types of pilaf as there are cities in the Muslim world.” Being the main national dish for the cuisines of most eastern countries (Uzbek, Armenian, Tajik, Turkish, Arab, etc.), it is prepared differently everywhere. For example, Azerbaijani pilaf is distinguished by a cooking technology completely different from others, according to which the cereal is cooked in a separate container and only then combined with the rest of the ingredients.

Shah-pilaf is not just rice with meat, but a real culinary masterpiece. The pride of Azerbaijani cuisine! The dish got its name for a reason. In eastern countries, the supreme ruler is called shah, and the shape of the shah-pilaf resembles his crown. The dish is usually prepared for ceremonial feasts and served to the most dear and respected guests.

The treat not only has an unusual name, but also looks completely different from traditional pilaf. Juicy and at the same time crumbly, saturated with the aromas of spices and meat juice, the rice is hidden inside the “gazmakh” - a crispy lavash crust. Pieces of meat literally melt in your mouth, and dried fruits leave an original sweet and sour aftertaste.

Rice for pilaf

In eastern countries, only one whose rice in pilaf turns out fluffy is considered a good cook. Even if the pilaf turns out tasty, but the rice is overcooked, the cook’s skill will be greatly questioned.

Experienced cooks know that perfect pilaf requires certain types of rice. For Shah pilaf in Azerbaijani style, ordinary cereals are not suitable; preference should be given to basmati rice. It absorbs liquid well, is saturated with the aroma of spices, meat and vegetables and does not stick together during the cooking process.

Extensive plantations of this rice are located in India and Pakistan, and these countries are its main suppliers. Literally translated from Hindi, the name “basmati” means “full of taste.” Long, slightly curved grains retain their appearance after prolonged simmering, and even after increasing 2-3 times, they do not boil into porridge. The cereal has an incomparable, incomparable, light nutty aroma that makes the taste of pilaf unforgettable.

How to cook rice for Azerbaijani pilaf with dried fruits and meat? Place a pan of water on the stove, bring it to a boil and add thoroughly washed and cleaned rice. Stir so that the grains do not stick together, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, without bringing it to full readiness. The cereal should be both soft and not. The recommended proportions of water and rice are 1 liter per 250 g of cereal.

Cooking Shah Plov

Ingredients:

• Long grain rice - 400 g;
• Chicken breast - 700 g;
• Lavash - 2 pcs;
• Onion - 1 piece;
• Carrots - 1 piece;
• Dried apricots and raisins - 70 g each;
• Figs, dates, prunes - 6-8 pcs each;
• Garlic - 5 - 6 cloves;
• Spices for pilaf, salt - to taste;
• Butter.

You can experiment with dried fruits for Azerbaijani-style pilaf. Cherry plum fruits and pomegranate seeds will help make the taste more rich and slightly sour.

How to cook Azerbaijani pilaf:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly using a fine sieve and soak in warm water for half an hour.
2. Boil water and cook rice with turmeric in it.
3. Wash the dried fruits, cut them into small pieces, put them in a bowl and add hot water to soften them a little.
4. Prepare an infusion of saffron, which will give the finished pilaf a more beautiful color and pleasant aroma. To do this, pour boiling water over 1-2 stigmas and cover with a lid and leave for 10-15 minutes.
5. Cut sheets of thin pita bread into strips approximately 5 cm wide.
6. Place the pan on the stove and pour in a little olive oil.
7. Wash the chicken breast and cut into small pieces.
8. Peel the carrots and cut into thin strips. Remove the skins from the onion and garlic, cut the onion into cubes and chop the garlic.
9. Without waiting for the oil to get very hot, add the onion to it and fry until a beautiful golden color.
10. Remove the onion and fry the chicken in the remaining oil, then add the carrots, return the onion and, after stirring, keep all the ingredients over medium heat for 5 minutes.
11. Drain excess water from dried fruits and place them in a frying pan with meat and vegetables. Add chopped garlic and remove the pan from the heat.
12. Melt the butter in a saucepan and brush the sides of the cauldron with it.
13. Following the original recipe for Azerbaijani pilaf, you need to line the dishes with strips of lavash so that their ends hang outward, and each strip overlaps the previous one. They need to completely cover the inner surface of the pan. Brush the pita bread with melted butter so that it gets a golden brown crust when baking.
14. Place 1/3 of the rice in a cauldron, level it, pour saffron infusion over it, and put govurma (gravy) on top. And so, layer by layer, alternate rice / saffron infusion, chicken / with dried fruits.
15. Pour melted butter over the top layer of rice and cover with the hanging ends of the pita bread, turning them clockwise. Trim off the excess.
16. Close the cauldron with a lid and place in an oven preheated to 150° C for 40 minutes, then raise the temperature to 180 C and hold for another 15-20 minutes.

Royal Azerbaijani Shah-pilaf with dried fruits is served hot to the table, cutting the pita bread into equal sectors immediately before the start of the meal. A light vegetable salad of fresh tomatoes, onions and herbs will perfectly complement this treat.

Carefully passed down from generation to generation, the secrets of national Azerbaijani cuisine have been preserved to this day. And although each region of the country has its own type of Azerbaijani shah pilaf, it is still possible to identify general principles of preparation.

To give the rice a pleasant yellowish tint, add saffron infusion before cooking. You can replace this expensive spice with more inexpensive turmeric by adding a pinch to the water in which the cereal will be cooked.

In Azerbaijan, Shah pilaf is mainly made with chicken and turns out to be low-fat and very juicy. In principle, instead of poultry, you can take young lamb or veal. The choice depends on personal preference, the main thing is that the product is fresh.

The best utensil for preparing any pilaf is a cauldron, but in this case any thick-walled round saucepan, cast-iron frying pan or baking dish without a handle that can be placed in a hot oven will do. You can prepare Azerbaijani-style pilaf with meat in a multicooker using the “Pilaf” or “Baking” mode. To achieve a beautiful golden brown crust, 40 minutes after the start of cooking, the treat should be turned over and left for another 20 minutes.

This recipe for Azerbaijani pilaf is easy to adapt to the requirements of the Lenten table, and it will definitely be appreciated by those with a sweet tooth. By removing meat, onions and carrots from the ingredients, and adding honey or sugar syrup, you can make sweet pilaf in Azerbaijani style.

15.03.2018

Do you want to surprise your loved ones and guests with an original dish? Then cook pilaf in pita bread in the oven. It will amaze not only with its unusual presentation and appetizing appearance - its taste is beyond praise!

How to properly prepare pilaf “Padishakh”?

This dish has a unique aroma and amazing taste. It consists of bread flatbread - thin Armenian lavash. That is why some housewives call this dish “Armenian pilaf in lavash,” but this is a component of Azerbaijani cuisine. Its recipe was invented by the Azerbaijani culinary specialist Shah-Huseyn Kerimov.

Preparing the dish will take time - at least an hour and a half for preparation and the heat treatment process itself will take 1 hour and 10 minutes. But the result is worth it! You will get a real culinary masterpiece that will decorate any holiday table.

Ingredients:

• thin lavash sheets (ready);
• long grain rice - 4 cups;
• melted butter - 300 g;
• lamb (pulp without bone) - 1 kg;
• onion - 400 g;
• turmeric powder, saffron - one pinch each;
• dried apricots, cherry plum, barberry, raisins, chestnuts - 150 g each;
• salt;
• water - 5 liters.

Note! The number of pita sheets depends on the size of the flatbread. If you take a long rectangular one, you will need about 5-6 sheets. If you use a round one (about the size of a dessert plate), then the number of sheets will need to be increased two to three times.

Preparation:

1. Soak the rice in cold water and salt (1 tablespoon per liter of liquid) for a couple of hours.
   
2. Brew a pinch of saffron with 50 ml of boiling water. The spice should steep for 20 minutes, then strain the water.
   
3. Cut the pita bread into strips up to 5 cm in size. Their length should be twice the height of the mold.
   
4. Wash the meat, cut into medium pieces (about 3 x 3 cm), fry in vegetable oil.
   
5. Cut the onion into half rings. Fry it until golden brown.
   
6. Place fried onions into the meat. Add raisins and barberries. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes over low heat.
7. Boil water in a saucepan and add salt.
8. Drain the water where the rice was infused. Rinse it at least 7 times.
9. Place rice in boiling water. Cook without bringing it to readiness.
   
10. Drain the water. Pour boiling water over the rice. Put in it a piece of butter, saffron, turmeric, diluted in 2 tablespoons. spoons of boiling water.
11. It's time to turn on the oven! It should heat up to 180°.
12. Take a baking dish, pan or cauldron. Brush the sides well with melted butter.
13. Line the bottom and all the walls of the mold with pieces of pita bread, leaving no gaps. Place them overlapping one another so that they lie in two layers. Grease the space between them with oil. The edges of the pita bread should hang over the sides of the dish.
    


14. Place dried apricots and raisins on top of it.
15. Spread a layer of lamb on top.
16. Cover the meat with another layer of rice, then add dried fruits.
17. Alternate these ingredients, but always end with rice.
18. Start sealing the pilaf. Fold all the free edges of the pita bread one by one onto the pilaf, “wrapping” it. Brush the top of the product with melted butter.
    
19. Place the pilaf in a preheated oven. He must spend one hour there.
20. Turn the finished shah-ash onto a beautiful plate and cut with a sharp knife.

Note! The royal dish - Shah's pilaf in pita bread - is definitely not eaten alone, so the amount of ingredients in the recipe is indicated for a large company. If there are few eaters, you can reduce the weight of the components.

Shah-ash for beginners: a simplified recipe

This complex multi-component dish cannot be made quickly. . But the recipe can be slightly modified. If you are interested in the question of how to cook pilaf in pita bread from more familiar ingredients, we advise you to deviate a little from the classic recipe and use an adapted version.

Ingredients:

• Armenian lavash - 4-5 pieces;
• Basmati rice (it does not require so long soaking) - 1 kg;
• veal or chicken meat from thighs (breast will not work) - 800 g;
• olive oil - 3 tablespoons. spoons;
• butter - 1 pack (about 50 grams will be used for coating the mold, the rest for pilaf and pouring pita bread);
• carrots - 2 pieces;
• onions - 5 pieces;
• garlic - 4 cloves;
• dried fruits - raisins, pitted dates, dried apricots (100 g each);
• salt;
• water, turmeric.

Preparation:

Note! If the pilaf in pita bread in the oven is cooked correctly, the rice will be crumbly. This is how it differs from a pie with rice filling.

It is difficult to imagine at least one Azerbaijani holiday without aromatic, crumbly and fatty pilaf. It is an integral part of national cuisine and is considered its pinnacle. You can find a great variety of recipes, not only in Azerbaijan, but in the East in general. Dishes will differ both in taste and in the cooking method and ingredients used. One of the most famous variations is the magnificent Shah. We will reveal the recipe and the secrets of its preparation in our article, but first a few words about the history of this amazing dish.

From the history of the dish

Eastern pilaf is so ancient that historians are unable to reliably establish its origin. It is assumed that the basic principles of its preparation originated in the Middle East and India in the 2nd-3rd centuries BC. This time, in principle, coincides with the beginning of rice cultivation in the region. In China, the plant began to be grown much earlier, but the technologies for preparing pilaf (including shah) do not fit into Japanese or Chinese cuisine. Probably, the historical roots of the dish go back to Indian gastronomy. There are similar ways of preparing rice in the country, but they are vegetarian. The meat component of pilaf most likely appeared in ancient Persia. The Indian origin is also supported by the tradition of coloring rice an appetizing yellow color using turmeric and saffron threads.

The main components of pilaf

There are thousands of recipes for preparing tasty and aromatic pilaf. However, not all of them meet the basic requirement. The dish should consist of two parts: zirvak and cereal. Shah-pilaf in Azerbaijani style (recipe with photo is presented below) meets these conditions. Zirvak means meat or fish component (including ready-made minced meat in the form of meatballs), game, vegetables, dried fruits, and spices. In Azerbaijan it is called “gara”. The cereal part does not always consist only of rice; sometimes chickpeas, corn, mung bean, wheat, jugara, or even a mixture of the listed components are used. There is great variability in the set of ingredients. The main secret of real oriental pilaf lies in the cooking process. There are two options - Central Asian and Iranian, the latter, in particular, adopted in Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Plov Shah, according to one version, is named so because of the method of serving. The finished dish resembles the crown of a medieval eastern ruler. According to another version, pilaf prepared in this way has such a good taste that it is worthy of the Shah’s table and the most solemn ceremonies. On ordinary days, women prepare it, but during preparation for the holidays, men and even specially invited masters take up the task. We offer a recipe for a traditional Azerbaijani dish from a famous chef. Anyone can prepare it, you just need to be patient and put a piece of your soul into the process.

Shah - Azerbaijani pilaf: ingredients

Of course, the most delicious pilaf comes from products that are produced in its homeland. The market is perhaps the most suitable place to buy them. The products there are mostly homemade, fresh and very tasty. The main component of pilaf is rice. A long-grain variety such as basmati is best. The second important component is meat. It could be lamb, beef or chicken. The choice depends on your personal preferences. Don't forget about butter too. You will need quite a lot of it. In Azerbaijan, buffalo butter is often used, which has a characteristic, completely white color.

In order to prepare Shah-pilaf in Azerbaijani style (photo according to the text), you will need another extremely original ingredient - an iron horseshoe. For what? Read on and find out one ancient secret.

So, the necessary ingredients:

• basmati rice - 500 g;
• butter - 500 g;
• meat - 500 g;
• spicy onion - 300 g;
• walnuts - 500 g;
• pomegranate juice - 1 glass (can be squeezed from ripe fresh fruit);
• cherry plum puree - 1 tbsp;
• lavash - 5 pcs.;
• saffron to taste.

Stage No. 1. Cooking rice

First, before you start cooking the cereal, soak a few strands of saffron in a cup of boiling water and let it brew for at least one hour.

Washing rice before cooking it is a process that has become almost an axiom for us. In this case, in order to prepare pilaf shakh, you do not need to do this. In a large saucepan, bring a sufficient amount of water to a boil - 2-3 liters, add salt and add dry rice. Cook the cereal until half cooked, this will take about 5-10 minutes. Remember that you are only lightly steaming it, not cooking it. Then drain the rice in a colander.

Stage No. 2. Meat preparation

Meat (chicken, beef, lamb) must first be boiled in order for it to be soft. This needs to be done within 2-2.5 hours. Quite a long process, so it's better to do it in advance.

Scroll the hot onions through a meat grinder and squeeze the juice dry. In a preheated frying pan with the addition of a small amount of butter, fry it over low heat.

Step #3. What is a horseshoe for?

This is another secret of how to cook shah-pilaf in the best traditions of the East. The use of metal objects (in this case, a horseshoe, which is very symbolic) when preparing food was practiced by the ancestors of modern eastern peoples for a very long time. This served as a kind of natural source of free and accessible iron to the body. Nowadays the horseshoe is used more for decoration.

Combine pomegranate juice with sour cherry plum paste and mix thoroughly until smooth. Heat the horseshoe until red on the fire. Next, using tongs, dip it into the pomegranate juice. Ideally, the procedure should be repeated three times.

Stage No. 4. Cooking meat

In a frying pan, combine onion, boiled meat cut into large pieces, crushed walnuts, and pomegranate juice. Mix all the ingredients and place the same horseshoe in the middle. Simmer the meat over low heat for 10-15 minutes. It should take on a dark, almost black color.

Stage No. 5. Baking rice

In order to prepare Shah pilaf, it is best to take a small round pita bread, which is sold in a package of several pieces. In this case, you will need 5-6 pcs. Dip the pita bread into pre-melted butter and carefully place it in the cauldron overlapping, gradually covering the bottom and walls of the dish, as shown in the photo above. Then layer the cooked rice, pouring saffron infusion and oil over it. Cover the top with the edges of the pita bread. It is preferable to use a conical cauldron, then the finished dish will resemble the Shah’s crown even more. Place the rice laid in this way in the oven or oven for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees.

Stage No. 6. How to serve the dish

We presented the photo in the article) has one more feature. In Azerbaijan, the meat and cereal components are not mixed at the cooking stage. This is done only during the meal. The finished pilaf is taken out of the oven, transferred to a large serving dish and the browned crust is carefully cut. Aromatic, juicy and soft meat is placed around the “crown”. The dish looks very impressive and luxurious. Let’s assume an option with portioned serving, as, for example, in the photo below. For beauty, dried fruits are used when serving.

Pilaf Shah: recipe in a slow cooker

Shah pilaf is a dish distinguished not only by its special ingredient composition, but also by its cooking method. Is it possible to do this without a special cast iron cauldron? A rhetorical question. Pilaf and a cast iron cauldron are a duet, without which it is impossible to get a traditional and truly tasty dish.

However, now almost every housewife has a multicooker. A miracle technology that hides enormous functionality. The principle of its operation is in many ways reminiscent of a familiar oven, since the bowl is heated evenly from all sides. In the case when you have a great desire to cook shah-pilaf, but there is no cauldron, a multicooker will come in handy. We will tell you how to do this below. The recipe is slightly different from the above in terms of ingredients, but no less interesting.

Ingredients for pilaf with dried fruits

As mentioned above, the composition of ingredients can vary significantly depending on the recipe. Above was the traditional version, including a minimum set of products, herbs and spices.

In one of the regions of Azerbaijan, shah-pilaf (photo above) is prepared contrary to the principle of separating the cereal and meat components. Here it is customary to place the ingredients in a cauldron, alternating them, so that during the baking process they are saturated with the smell and taste of each other.

Now we invite you to try pilaf with dried fruits. Prunes, dried apricots, raisins - all this is very popular not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the East in general. Dried fruits retain their aroma and taste, moreover, it becomes even richer. In traditional cuisine, such a dish is usually called turschi-kaurma-pilaf. Chestnuts in this case are an optional component and may be absent. So, in order to prepare traditional Azerbaijani (5 servings), you will need:

• basmati rice - 500 g;
• fatty lamb - 500 g;
• butter - 500 g;
• onions - 300 g;
• cherry plum paste - 3 tbsp;
• chestnuts - 200 g;
• dried apricots - 150 g;
• raisins - 300 g;
• lavash - 8-10 pcs.;
• pepper, saffron, salt - to taste.

Step #1

Boil the rice in salted water until half cooked for 5-10 minutes. Then drain the cereal in a colander and allow excess moisture to drain. Cut the meat into large pieces and boil until soft. The broth can later be used to make soup.

Prepare the onion in the same way as indicated in the previous recipe. Namely, peel and mince. Then squeeze out the juice and fry in a frying pan with a little butter over low heat.

Cut the finished boiled meat into portions. Add it, dried fruits, cherry plum paste and chestnuts to the onions. Bring the mixture to the desired harmonious taste with salt and pepper, heat for 10-15 minutes over very low heat, stirring occasionally, without letting it burn.

Step #2

Melt the butter. Dip sheets of thin pita bread into it one by one. Then place them overlapping in the multicooker bowl, covering the walls and bottom. Place about 1/3 of the boiled rice on the bottom, sprinkle with pre-prepared saffron water, and add ½ of the meat mixture. Next, cover it all with another piece of rice. Top with a little saffron water and butter. Place the remaining meat and cover with a third of the rice. Cover the pilaf with pita bread on top, thereby creating something like a basket.

Turn on the multicooker to the "Bake" mode and cook for 50 minutes. During this time, the rice will completely steam, but will remain crumbly. Finally, place a small piece of butter on top of the pilaf, close the lid and let it rest.

Pilaf Shah, the recipe for which is presented, is served whole on a wide flat dish so that each guest can take as much as they need. In Azerbaijan, the dish is not placed on the table very hot, but only warm (so that the butter does not harden). It is traditionally eaten with hands, without mixing rice and meat on the plate.

Lavash for pilaf

For Shah pilaf, as you already understood, you need lavash. Of course, you can buy it at any grocery store. However, if you set out to prepare a delicious dish with your own hands from start to finish, then you may need Thin flatbreads made from unleavened dough are not as difficult to prepare as it might seem at first glance. They are traditionally cooked in the oven, but in modern conditions a non-stick frying pan or even a regular cast iron one will do just fine.

In order to prepare pita bread, you will need approximately 700 g of flour, 300 g of water and salt to taste. Knead the above ingredients into a stiff dough, divide it into parts and roll out each into a very thin (no more than 2 mm thick) flat cake. Fry it in a dry hot frying pan without adding butter.

Shah-pilaf is the pride of national Azerbaijani cuisine, and it is not just rice and meat, but a real culinary masterpiece that has absorbed all the charm of oriental cuisine. Exquisite and tasty crowned pilaf is treated to the most honorable and dear guests - it is wrapped in pita bread and served to the table like a huge hearty pie. In combination with spices, such a dish in a crispy golden crown of lavash - can become a real decoration of the festive table. After all, it looks quite original and unexpected.

The dish got its name - royal pilaf - due to its similar shape to the crown of the supreme ruler. The main attribute of shah-pilaf is “gazmakh” - a delicious crispy lavash crust in which the pilaf is cooked. For the filling according to the classic recipe, Basmati rice is used with the addition of tender beef meat, dried apricots, Azerbaijani chestnuts and spices.

1. Step-by-step recipe for Shah pilaf with lamb and dried fruits

Ingredients:

• Rice - 600 gr.
• Meat (lamb, veal) - 600 gr.
• Onions - 2-3 pcs.
• Butter (ghee) - 150 gr.
• White raisins - 100 gr.
• Dried apricots - 100 gr.
• Barberry - 50 gr.
• Dogwood - 100 gr.
• Garlic - 3-4 cloves.
• Thin lavash - 3 pcs.
• Turmeric
• Pepper

Preparation:

Rinse the rice and soak for several hours.
Then boil until half cooked, adding turmeric to the water for color.

Soak dried apricots and raisins in boiling water for a few minutes, rinse.

Chop the onion and fry in butter until transparent.

Cut the meat.
Remove the onion from the pan and fry the meat in the remaining oil.

Cut the dried apricots into strips, finely chop the garlic.

Return the onion to the meat and add raisins, dried apricots, barberries, dogwood and garlic.
Salt, pepper, turmeric and any spices - to your taste.
Stir and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Cut two circles according to the size of the heat-resistant dish in which the pilaf will be cooked.

Coat the sides well with oil and cover the bottom with pita bread.

Cut the pita bread into long strips, 5-6 cm wide.

Place strips of pita bread overlapping the sides of the vessel.

And so on around the entire perimeter. Brush with melted butter.

Add 1/3 of the rice.

The second layer is half the meat.

Grease the top with oil, cover with a lid and place in the oven.
At t 200s - 1 hour.

In one hour...

Cover the Shah pilaf with a flat plate and turn it over.

Cut with a sharp knife.

It’s quite difficult to put on a plate, everything falls apart
But so aromatic, tasty and unusual.

2. Shah-pilaf with chicken

Ingredients

Salt 1 tsp Spices 3 tsp. Garlic 4 cloves Raisins 70 grams Dried apricots 100 grams Butter 70 grams Onions 2 pieces Lavash 2 pieces Rice 400 grams Chicken 600 grams

Preparation

Add dried fruits to the meat and fry for 2 minutes. Add salt and spices. Chop the garlic, place in the frying pan, immediately remove from the heat. Cut the pita bread into strips 5 cm thick. Place them in a round shape, grease with melted butter.
Layer meat and rice on pita bread. Cover it all with pita bread. Bake for about 40 minutes. Before serving, it is better to place the dish on a board and cut it like a cake.

3.Recipe for Shah-pilaf with beef and hunting sausages

Beef-based pilaf is more satisfying and rich, and smoked sausages give the pilaf a breathtaking smoky smell.

Ingredients

• 700 g beef;
• 0.5 kg rice;
• 300g hunting sausages
• 4 pita breads;
• 350 g butter;
• 1.5 onions;
• 300 ml broth;
• 4 cloves of garlic;
• 150 g each of raisins and dried apricots;
• 100 g dried cranberries;
• 1 pinch of saffron;
• salt and spices for pilaf to taste.

Preparation

Bake in the oven for 1 hour. It is best to serve this dish with a salad of fresh vegetables and herbs.

All pilaf fans should definitely try this variation. It’s especially good to serve this dish on a holiday table, because it looks really interesting.

4.Shah-pilaf in dough

Ingredients

• lamb or beef or pork - 600 -700 g,
• rice - basmati -1 cup,
• butter - 100g, onion - 1 pc.,
• 1 carrot,
• bell pepper 1/2 pcs.,
• I replaced apricots, raisins, cherry plum (barberry), chestnuts with Brazil nuts - 6 pieces,
• turmeric, salt, spices for pilaf

dough- 50/50, on sour cream and kefir 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup kefir, added salt, 2 cups flour and filed it down.

Preparation:

Apricots and raisins, preferably seedless, cherry plum or barberry add a distinct sourness.

Wash the rice and cook until half cooked, before finishing, add a little turmeric to the rice, you don’t need a lot according to your taste, otherwise the rice will taste bitter and the color will be ultra yellow and bright. Place in a sieve and let the water drain. Transfer to a separate bowl and add 50g butter.

We cut the meat into regular small pieces, just like you cut it into pilaf. We prepare the meat as for regular pilaf. In a heated frying pan or cauldron, melt the fat tail fat or heat the butter.

Place meat in heated oil or fat, fry until golden brown, add salt and pepper, remove from heat. Add spices.

In a separate frying pan, fry onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Fry and remove from heat.

Pour boiling water over the apricots and raisins for 5-10 minutes, depending on the degree of drying, drain the water.
Let's collect our Shah-pilaf.

Grease the casserole generously with oil. Line the cauldron with rolled out dough. Drizzle the bottom with a few tablespoons of melted butter.

Lay out some of the rice. Raisins, dried apricots, cherry plums. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with spices (be careful with the spices, just a little!).
Place the meat on top of the rice. Place a third of the rice on the meat again, pour in some oil, a little spice, and place raisins and apricots on top.

Place the remaining rice on top, pour oil, add some spices.
Cover with dough, pour in oil. Knead the dough as for dumplings,
Close the cauldron with a lid and place in the oven, preheated to 180 degrees, for 1-1.5 hours.
Holding the pilaf with a spatula, pour the oil over the edge of the cauldron (there will be little of it, but there will be some), then turn the cauldron onto a dish.

Cut into petals using a sharp knife. Don’t think, it won’t be a casserole, this is a real crumbly pilaf, it just wakes up on the dish!

It is known that cooking is the most ancient art, and pilaf is one of the oldest dishes prepared by man. The first recipes for this dish appeared simultaneously with the period when people began to cultivate grain crops. There is a famous saying in Turkey that there are as many recipes for this treat as there are cities in the Muslim world. In the East there are other proverbs and folk sayings associated with this dish. However, even in this diversity there are recipes that can rightfully be called masterpieces of world cuisine. One of these amazing dishes is generally recognized as Shah pilaf - a royal dish worthy of the most solemn event.

Baku pilaf with dried fruits has long gained immense popularity all over the world and still remains the main dish of Azerbaijani cuisine. It is impossible to imagine any special event in this eastern country without khan pilaf.

It is prepared for weddings and birthdays, and placed on the table when meeting close friends.

An incredibly tasty and stunningly beautiful treat always takes pride of place at the feast. The peculiarity of this dish is that when served it looks more like a delicious pie than traditional pilaf. Rice with meat and dried fruits is inside a royal crown made of dough.

There are several recipes for Azerbaijani Shah pilaf: it can be prepared with meat, with fruits or with a combined filling. Regardless of the composition and main components of this treat, its form always remains the same. All products are inside a thin dough, which is baked until golden brown.

Ingredients

Azerbaijani royal pilaf is usually prepared from young lamb meat. If desired, it can be replaced with any poultry or veal. Shah pilaf can also be prepared in a sweet version, without adding meat at all, but this will no longer be a classic recipe, but one of its variations.

To prepare 6 servings you will need:

• Lamb - 1 kg;
• Devzira or basmati rice - 1 kg;
• Butter - 3-4 tbsp. l.;
• Onions - 1-2 pcs.;
• Carrots - 2 pcs.;
• Dried fruits, raisins, chestnuts, dried apricots - 350 g;
• Salt - to taste.

For the test:

• Flour - 2 cups;
• Ghee - 150 g;
• Water - 1/2 cup;
• Salt - a pinch.

How to cook Shah pilaf

Before preparing pilaf, preheat the oven well, otherwise it may turn out dry.

The classic Shah pilaf is decorated with ruddy gazmah - a thin, delicate dough crust, but in some versions you can prepare this dish using thin pita bread. To make a treat according to a real Azerbaijani recipe, first of all, gazmah is prepared from flour, oil and water.


Place the oil in a convenient container and heat it well. When the butter has cooled to room temperature, add salt, flour and water and knead into a soft, elastic dough. You can find out what consistency the dough for gazmakh should be by looking at the recipe with a photo. Wrap the resulting dough in a plastic bag and set aside for 40 minutes until it becomes smooth and pliable. After this, you can divide it into several small parts, roll it into a thin layer and place it in a form for baking pilaf.

Step-by-step recipe for Shah pilaf

Cooking royal pilaf step by step in the oven will help even a beginner make a tasty treat. Unlike classic cooking options, when using a cast iron casserole, you can use any baking dish. It is better if it has a round shape, then it will have the traditional appearance of a large pie or the crown of a Shah (king).

Shah pilaf in Azerbaijani does not require the preparation of zirvak - meat gravy with vegetables and spices.

Separately, cook the rice in lightly salted water. After the grains are half cooked, carefully drain the water through a strainer or colander, leave the grains for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly. You can cook rice cereal in bags, then place it on a plate in which it will need to cool to room temperature.



Rice should be cooked in plenty of water so that the grains will not stick to each other. Heat the water separately and after cooking, rinse the cereal well and let the excess water drain. Heat some of the melted butter until it is slightly warmer than room temperature. Place the rice in an even layer on the prepared dough and coat it well with oil.

When making a large portion, you can lay out the rice in several layers, each of which should be lightly oiled.

It is not recommended to stir the cereal; it should lie in an even but loose layer. Don't forget to oil the mold in which the dough is placed. If thin pita bread is used for the crust, it should be spread on a table or cutting board and cut into several thin strips, 5-6 centimeters wide.

Preparing the filling for Khan's pilaf

Let's prepare the filling with which we will fill the royal pilaf in pita bread (or dough).
Cut the meat across the grain into medium pieces 3-4 centimeters wide. Place pieces of tail fat in a dry frying pan and render the fat well (the cracklings must be removed so that they do not give the finished treat the taste of burnt meat). Add a piece of butter and, when it is well heated, add the prepared lamb to the fat. You can replace it with young veal. When the meat is fried until golden brown, cover it with a lid and reduce the heat so that it simmers slightly and becomes softer. Place it on a separate plate.


Peel the onion, chop it into thin rings and fry until soft in hot oil. Add cumin, spices and a little salt, stir. Chop the carrots into strips, add them to the onions, stir and let them brown slightly for 1-2 minutes. Add the fried meat, the rest of the dried fruits, spices and seasonings and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, you can add a little water if necessary. Cook until the liquid evaporates; place the filling on the rice.

This pilaf recipe can be changed by removing meat and vegetables from the ingredients, and adding a little honey or sugar syrup instead of salt and spices. This way you will get another wonderful treat - sweet pilaf made from dried fruits.

Spread the filling over the entire surface and carefully fold the edges of the dough so that it completely covers the contents of the mold. If necessary, trim off excess dough from edges. If you are using pita bread, wrap the strips clockwise, overlapping them. Place the pilaf in the oven and cook for 50 minutes at a temperature of 150-160 degrees.


When the crust is slightly dry, remove the pan and grease with the remaining piece of butter. For even oiling, it is better to use a pastry brush. Increase the temperature to 180 degrees and bring the treat until fully cooked (the top crust should be a beautiful golden color).



It is recommended to serve pilaf on a round or oval-shaped dish, cutting the dough into 8-12 pieces in a circle into equal sectors (like a cake). Carefully bend the edges of the dough to make a semblance of a crown and serve the royal treat to the table.

The traditions of the Azerbaijani people are inextricably linked with national cuisine. There are many recipes for khan pilaf - every city and village has its own specific way of preparing this wonderful treat. However, there are certain rules that every cook adheres to. According to legend, it is thanks to special subtleties that only folk pilaf makers know about that a real culinary masterpiece worthy of a royal table is obtained.

• Instead of bread, pilaf is served with pieces of fried crust, which can be carefully cut off before serving the dish. If the treat is being prepared for a large number of guests, it is cut into equal triangular pieces, after which the filling can be placed in heaps on a plate, and pieces of fried pita bread or dough can be used instead of bread.
• To give the rice a beautiful yellow hue, you can add a pinch of turmeric or saffron to the water during cooking. If saffron is used, it is enough to add 1-2 thin threads. Since the spice has a rather specific taste, it needs to be added in small quantities, otherwise the aroma of rice will overpower the smell and aroma of other components.
  
  
  
• The most suitable utensil for preparing any pilaf has always been considered a cast iron cauldron. However, in this case, it is best to prepare the treat in a round baking dish (you can use a mold for jellied pies or sponge cakes; a cast iron frying pan with a removable handle is suitable. However, please note that the bottom and walls of the dish must be thick so that the crust fries but does not burn .
• At home, you can make a dish for 6-8 servings using a convenient kitchen appliance - a multicooker. Using this modern device, it is best to use ready-made thin pita bread instead of dough. The dish is prepared in the pilaf mode for 40 minutes, after which it is carefully turned over and brought to readiness for another 20 minutes. This way the treat will have a beautiful golden brown crust on both sides.
  
  
• In the homeland of this wonderful treat, in Baku, the festive dish is prepared in a wood-burning oven. In urban conditions, it can be prepared in both an electric and gas oven. In order for the dish to be ready, but not burnt, it is important to change the temperature regime in time. For the first 40 minutes, pilaf is cooked at +130°C-+150°C, after which it is increased to 180°C.
• When cutting the top crust, be careful not to press on the rice filling. For convenience, you can take culinary scissors, carefully pierce the crust in the middle and move towards the edges. After the entire upper part is divided into sectors, carefully open the resulting petals as well, from the middle to the edge. Before serving, you can add fresh pomegranate seeds on top of the filling - this will make it look even more impressive.
• You can use more than just meat and fruit as a filling. If desired, you can prepare sweet pilaf from dried apricots, nuts and prunes. In some cases, it is prepared only from rice. In this case, all spices and seasonings are added to the water in which the cereal is cooked.
  
  
• If poultry is used for the filling, it is pre-marinated. This makes the meat more juicy and flavorful. The simplest version of marinade for chicken or turkey: ripe tomatoes are crushed into puree, a few drops of vegetable oil, salt and spices are added. Place the meat in the tomato marinade (preferably in a large piece) and leave for 3-4 hours. Before frying, the meat is cut into portions. Marinade can be added to stew meat.

Shah pilaf in Azerbaijani style