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Chinese

Uyghur polo (lamb and carrot pilaf)

Non-vegetarian

پولۇ · polu

Rice steamed over a rich base of lamb, sweet carrots and onions fried in plenty of oil, so each grain is glossy and full of flavour. The centrepiece of Uyghur hospitality.

Uyghur polo (lamb and carrot pilaf) is a Chinese rice dish from China, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes and made with lamb shoulder, carrot and long-grain white rice. It serves 5 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Plate of Uyghur polo, rice pilaf with lamb and carrots
Photo: Yuet Man Lee / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
10 min
Total
1 h 45 min
Serves
5
Level
Intermediate
Calories
800

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb well on all sides.

    Meat searing in a hot pan
    How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Add the onion (opens in a new tab) and fry until golden, then add the carrots (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab) and salt and cook until the carrots soften.

    • 10 min
    • medium heat
    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the water, cover and simmer until the lamb is nearly tender.

    • 35 min
    • low heat

  4. Step 4

    Drain the rice and spread it evenly over the meat without stirring; scatter over the raisins (opens in a new tab). Add boiling water if needed so it just covers the rice.

    • 3 min

  5. Step 5

    Cook uncovered over medium heat until the water is absorbed at the surface, then poke a few holes to the bottom, cover tightly and steam on the lowest heat.

    • 22 min
    • low heat

  6. Step 6

    Rest 10 minutes, then mix gently and pile onto a platter with the lamb on top.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Xinjiang, China · Commonly attributedThe Uyghur member of the Central Asian pilaf family that includes Uzbek plov.Also popular in KazakhstanMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Main courses
Cooking method
Stewed, Steamed
Taste
savoury, sweet, rich
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Lamb shoulder · Carrot · Long-grain white rice · Onion · Cumin
Techniques
Deep-frying · Boiling · Simmering · Steaming · Stewing

Allergens

  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom raisins

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

800 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 460 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbohydrate 38%
  • Fat 49%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy800 kcal174 kcal
Protein26.3 g5.7 g
Carbohydrate76.1 g16.6 g
Net carbohydrate71.8 g15.6 g
Sugars5.8 g1.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre4.3 g0.9 g
Fat43.1 g9.4 g
Saturated fat13.1 g2.9 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol72 mg16 mg
Sodium1086 mg236 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.6 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
765 mg
Calcium
89 mg
Iron
5.3 mg
Magnesium
59 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
852 µg
Vitamin C
8 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
2.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: raisins.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Don't stir once the rice goes in — it should steam in a layer above the meat.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring the rice once it goes into the pot — it breaks the grains and stops it steaming evenly.
  • Adding too much water; it should only just cover the rice.

Serve with

  • Serve with a sharp salad of tomato, onion and chilli.

Food safety

  • Cool leftover rice and lamb within 1 hour and refrigerate; reheat once only, until piping hot.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat covered with a splash of water.

Variations

  • Uzbek plov (Uzbekistan): The close Central Asian relative, often with chickpeas and whole garlic heads.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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