Uzbek plov
Palov · Osh · Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Lamb, carrots and rice cooked in a giant pot that can feed a thousand people on a wedding morning.
Know before you go
- Never put non bread upside down or on the ground (it is considered sacred)
- don't pass or take food with your left hand
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
Legend
Did Alexander bring plov?
Folk stories say Alexander the Great brought pilaf to the ancient Sogdian city of Samarkand, while others say his soldiers took the Bactrian and Sogdian way of making pilaf back to Macedonia. The archaeologist John Boardman considers all these stories later embellishments.
Source: Wikipedia: Pilaf
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Plov (palov / osh) is Uzbekistan's national dish, made from rice, chunks of lamb, shredded carrot and onion. Unlike pilafs elsewhere, the rice in Uzbek plov is not steamed but slowly cooked in a rich stock of meat and vegetables called zirvak. At festivals and weddings, plov masters (oshpaz) cook it over open fires in huge cauldrons, each feeding up to a thousand people; weddings often serve guests 'morning plov' between 6 and 9 a.m. Samarkand-style plov often uses a mix of sunflower, cottonseed, sesame and linseed oil. Legend says Alexander the Great brought plov to Samarkand, but archaeologists see this as folk legend.
Local customs
People sit around and eat from one big platter, with green tea, non bread and a tomato-and-onion salad
Religion & beliefs
The population is mainly Muslim, and most restaurants are halal.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
Uzbekistan: change money only at official outlets
- Change money at official exchange points, and get cash in big cities before heading to smaller places
- Changing money on the black market
Black-market currency exchange is illegal.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice
Uzbekistan: always carry your passport
- Carry your original passport at all times
- Leaving your passport at the hotel
The law requires you to carry it; police check often, and you may be fined or arrested if you don't.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- Never put non bread upside down or on the ground (it is considered sacred)
- don't pass or take food with your left hand
Locals appreciate DO
Uzbeks appreciate guests who accept an invitation to share plov and praise the cook.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Go to a plov centre before noon when it's freshest
- they close when the cauldrons are empty. Prices and opening hours are set by each restaurant
- popular old places often have queues, so go outside peak mealtimes.