Uzbek Duck Pilaf

Cut the carrots into thick julienne strips. Do not use a grater and do not use thinly sliced carrots — they will disappear during cooking.

Slice the onion into thin rings. Thinly sliced onion fries faster and more intensely, but burns more easily.

Rinse the duck and cut it into fillet pieces. Cook pilaf exclusively in a cauldron on a gas or electric stove, or over an open fire.

Heat the cauldron over high heat, then heat the oil. Add the bones separated from the meat and fry for 5 minutes. If using only meat pieces, proceed to the next step.

Add the onion and stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Onion gives pilaf its color — the more you fry it, the more saturated the dish's color will be.

Place the sliced duck in the caramelized onions and fry until half cooked, stirring thoroughly. Add carrots, filling the cauldron almost to the brim. Fry over moderate heat, stirring constantly. The carrots should bend but not break. By this time the onions will have almost disappeared. Put a kettle of water on the heat — you will need boiling water.

Pour boiling water over the fried onions, meat, and carrots. This is zirvak — the base of pilaf. Simmer for 40–60 minutes. Zirvak can be prepared in advance, even a day before serving. While it simmers, prepare the devzira rice, garlic, and cumin.

After 45 minutes of boiling the zirvak, add the peeled garlic cloves and cumin. For a more intense aroma, rub the cumin in your palm before adding.

Salt the broth so that it is slightly oversalted — the rice will absorb some of the salt. Do not add other spices. Cook for another 15–20 minutes.

Bring the zirvak to a boil and add the rice in handfuls, scattering it in mounds throughout the cauldron. Carefully level it with a skimmer without stirring. The water should cover the rice by 1.5–2 cm. Add boiling water if necessary.

Turn the heat to high so the water boils intensively and evaporates. Close the cauldron with a lid for a moment, then open it. Help the water evaporate by pushing the rice from the sides toward the center with a skimmer and making holes with a wooden stick for more intense evaporation. When water stops bubbling from the holes, level the rice, close the cauldron with a lid, and reduce the heat to minimum. Wait 20–25 minutes.

Stir the pilaf from bottom to top carefully and gently, so that the carrots, rice, and meat are evenly distributed. The pilaf is ready to serve.