Polo: meat, vegetables and rice in one pot

1What it is

پولۇ is a traditional dish of the Uyghur people and a variation of pilaf, a dish found throughout Central Asia. In Uyghur it is called polu, polo or pola. Its main ingredients are rice, oil, meat, carrots and onions; they are fried and then steamed.

Mutton (قوي گۆشى) or chicken, onions and thinly sliced carrots (سەۋزە) are fried in oil, then rice (گۈرۈچ) and water are added and the dish is steamed. Raisins and dried apricots may also be added. It is traditionally made in a cast-iron pan; nowadays it is often moved to a rice cooker for the steaming.

2Ingredients (one example)

3How to make it (one example)

1. Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan and fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.

2. Add the lamb and 1 tsp of the salt, and cook for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Mix in the onions, then add the carrots and cook for about 3 minutes more.

3. Pour in the 3 cups of water and bring to the boil, then add the sugar, cumin, chillies and Sichuan peppercorns.

4. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer gently for about an hour and a half. Add the rest of the salt halfway through, and more water if needed.

5. When the lamb is cooked, clear a space in the middle and pour in the rice, making sure there is enough water to cover it. Cover the rice with the meat and vegetables and boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

6. Lower the heat and cook for about 20 minutes more, until the rice is done and no water is left. Serve hot.

4Eating and variations

Polo is one of the dishes traditionally eaten with bare hands. To balance its oiliness it is commonly served with salad, or with cold vermicelli noodles and raw vegetables. It is often served with pickled vegetables, including carrots, onions and tomatoes. There are dozens of kinds of polo.