Behi palov (Pilaf with quinces)

Hi there everyone!!! Hope everything is just fine and positive on your side:)  Life is full of joy, happiness and fun, just  we have to SEE it, wish to everyone find the way:)  Open your hearts and accept everything-be grateful! I understood that, being grateful is one of the most important secrets to happiness...

So, I am grateful that, today I finally find some time to post a recipe for you guys:)

So today's special is pilaf with quinces:) As soon as they are available in the markets, I get them to cook this dish for my loved ones! Pilaf with quinces has special and unique taste, besides it is very useful for health, especially if you have some problem with your lungs as cough and colds. If you wish to make it vegetarian dish, you can always cook it without meat, just skip the meat part and continue the rest. So the recipe:

Ingredients:

150 ml of clarified butter

400 grams of meat, cut in medium chunks (ribs will go fine)

2 big onions, cleaned and sliced

3-4 big carrots, peeled and cut in thin long strips or flaked (as I like)

3-4 fresh and ripe, but not soft quinces

2,5 cups of rice, (I used basmati, if you're using another type of rice, you can put a little more, as basmati tends to double/triple in size)

Tablespoon of ground coriander

Teaspoon of black cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Heat up butter, then put in meat, fry on a medium heat until beautiful light brown color. Put in all of the flaked/cut in thin strips carrot and onion. Set the fire on low. Put quinces at top of vegetables and cover the lid. (it helps to soften the quinces, so you won't hurt your hand while cutting them)

Let it cook for 20 min. Then open up the lid, take out quinces and cut them in half or quarter, if they are big.

Again put them back on top of the vegetables and cover the lid. Let them cook for about an hour.(Check up every 20 min,  slightly moving the bottom, sometimes, if the carrot is not juicy and fresh enough, it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan, in that case,add in some water-about half cup and continue cooking)

After an hour, carefully take out quinces out of the pot. Add in some salt, spices and finely mix everything. Put quinces back. Layer the rice (finely washed for at least three times) on top of meat and vegetables evenly, helping yourself with a spoon. Carefully add in water to cover the rice for about an inch, set the fire on high and let all the water completely evaporate. Check for saltiness. At the end, carefully mix only the top of the rice with a spoon. Set the fire on low (lowest you have), cover the lid and cook for about 15 min.

Open up the lid, again mix only the rice and put the lid back. Cook for another 15 min or more until rice is finely cooked.
When your pilaf is done, take out quinces and all the meat chunks, finely mix everything. Serve your pilaf and enjoy:)
As always it goes good with "Achchiq chuchuk" -salad with tomatoes and onions, yey!
Yoqimli ishtaha!!!