Bukharian Oshpelo

Bukharian Oshpelo

Oshpelo is a festive pilaf of rice, meat and carrots, known throughout Uzbekistan and Central Asia and with a central place on the Bukharian Jewish table as well. This version uses beef and chickpeas, a common combination in Israel; other families use lamb, raisins or no chickpeas.

Prep time: 35 minutes · Cooking: 100 minutes · Yield: 8 · Difficulty: medium

Layers, not risotto

The base — zirvak — is cooked from meat, onion and carrot. The rice is laid on top and steams after the water is absorbed. Repeated stirring releases starch and breaks the grains, so stir only when serving.

Ingredients (for 8 servings)

• 600 grams basmati or Persian rice
• 800 grams beef shoulder, 3 cm cubes
• 100 ml neutral oil
• 3 large onions, sliced
• 700 grams carrots, in thin sticks
• 240 grams cooked, drained chickpeas
• A whole head of garlic, outer skin removed
• 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, salt and pepper
• 900–1,050 ml boiling water in total — 500 ml for the zirvak and 400–550 ml for the rice

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Shoulder (Israeli cut no. 5) is convenient and easy to find; lamb gives a more traditional flavor but is fatty. Cut the carrots by hand into sticks so they don’t disappear in cooking. Canned chickpeas work after rinsing; don’t add dry, unsoaked chickpeas.

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water is almost clear and soak for 30 minutes; drain.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Brown the meat in batches and remove. Brown the onion for 10 minutes.
3. Return the meat, add the carrots and spices and cook for 8 minutes without breaking up the carrots.
4. Add the chickpeas and 500 ml water. Cover and cook for 45 minutes, until the meat is almost tender.
5. Spread the rice in an even layer, first add 400 ml of the remaining boiling water and, only as needed, up to another 150 ml, so the water stands about 1 cm above the rice. Push the garlic into the center. The total amount in the recipe, including the 500 ml in the zirvak, is 900–1,050 ml.
6. Cook uncovered until the water is absorbed, poke holes in the rice, cover and steam over low heat for 25 minutes. The meat should reach at least 71°C (160°F) and be tender.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

Variations and tips

• Rice still hard? Add 3 tablespoons of boiling water and steam for another 10 minutes.
• Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in shallow containers and reheat until steaming throughout.
• You can cut the oil to 70 ml and save about 35 calories per serving.

Summary

Oshpelo succeeds when the zirvak is rich and the rice steams in a separate layer. One serving is about 720 calories. For a long Shabbat version, see osh savo. Back to all Bukharian recipes.