Ashy's vegetarian recipes
©Ashy Macbean 2003
Here's another non-meat variation on a traditional Central Asian theme. The method for this recipe is similar to my Uzbek plov recipe but I've used different measuring system. I had a mug handy when I did the first recipe but I used a cup this time.
It doesn't really matter what kind of mushrooms you use, although different types will give a different end result. I used a kind of large white bracket fungus, which I found on sale in our local bazaar. It was similar in taste and texture to oyster mushroom but a little more tender.
Ingredients
300g of mushrooms
2 carrots
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 cups of rice
7 cups of hot water
A little crushed black pepper
Salt
Vegetable oil
Chop the mushrooms and onion. Cut the carrots into chunks about 2x2x4 cm. In a large deep pan, fry the onion in quite a lot of oil until it's beginning to soften then add the mushrooms. Stir and fry for about 7 minutes then add the carrot, crushed garlic cloves and pepper. Stir and level the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle on the rice evenly, then add the water very carefully trying not to disturb the layers dissolve some salt in one of the cups of water before adding it.
When the water starts boiling turn the heat down to simmer and
cover the pan tightly. After 15 minutes the water should have been absorbed
from the top. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar to make
four holes in the mixture which go right down to the bottom of the pan. Cover
the pan again and continue simmering for another 20-25 minutes. Test a few grains
of rice to see if they're soft. If not, a splash of water and another 4 or 5
minutes cooking will do it. Turn off the heat and let the plov sit for 5 minutes,
then give it a gentle stir to mix all the ingredients.