New Year’s Eve revival is now reigning in Azerbaijan. Although Muslim countries celebrate next year in spring, the secular New Year, inherited from Soviet times, is also a favorite holiday since childhood. This is an excellent occasion to set up a festive table, especially since the country celebrates the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis on December 31. Therefore, we can safely say that drinking traditions will also be observed. Azerbaijanis will have festive Azerbaijani pilaf on their table both in their homeland and in other countries. This is a mandatory program. Everything else is to your liking. Here is the recipe for the most luxurious shah pilaf.

Shah pilaf is the main New Year’s dish

More than 300 varieties of pilaf are prepared in Azerbaijan. But the most popular and favorite is shah pilaf (royal pilaf), which is prepared for the New Year and for weddings. They are served at the very end of the fun, as the most solemn dish.

Ingredients:

Beef — 600 g

Rice — 600 g

Butter melted butter — 350 g

Onion — 250 g

Dried apricots — 150 g

Amber raisins — 150 g

Dried cherry plum — 100 g

Chestnuts (cooked and peeled) — 150 g

Turmeric — 30 g

Saffron — 3-5 petals

Salt — to taste

Barberry — 50 g (optional)

Thin lavash — 400 g

How to cook:

Meat should be cooked until fully cooked.

In another bowl, pour the rice with cool water, let it stand for 20 minutes. Then drain the water, pour boiling water over the rice, add salt and cook for 5-10 minutes, depending on the variety. Rice should be brought to half cooked (al dente state). Then pour the rice into a colander, let all the water drain.

Cut the onion into half rings. Lightly fry in oil, then add all the ingredients every 3-4 minutes one by one: cooked and sliced meat, dried apricots, cherry plums, raisins, and finally chestnuts. Add salt, pepper and turmeric to taste. After another boil, turn off the fire.

Melt half of the remaining butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cut the lavash into long strips 5 cm wide. Grease the walls of the cauldron to the top with oil. Overlap several strips of lavash so that they cover the bottom and hang from the walls of the cauldron. Coat them with oil and saffron. Continue to spread the lavash strips in the same way, periodically lubricating them with oil and saffron until the entire bottom of the pan is completely covered.

Put one third of the rice in a saucepan and add butter and saffron. Place half of the meat with dried fruits on top of the rice. Then put half of the remaining rice, on top all the meat with dried fruits and the juice from the pan in which they were stewed. Then place all the remaining rice on top and cover the contents with the hanging ends of the lavash. Generously grease its surface with oil and put it in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for an hour. Bring the lavash to golden brown and serve. Shah pilaf is served hot, cut in portions.

Source: https://woman.rambler.ru/

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