A festive plov cooked in a kazan: golden carrots, tender lamb, chickpeas and fluffy devzira rice.
Rinse the rice in several changes of water until it runs clear, then soak it in warm salted water for an hour.
Heat the oil in a kazan until it just starts to smoke. Brown the lamb in large pieces.
Add the onion in half-rings and fry until golden, then add the carrots cut into matchsticks. After 3–4 minutes, stir gently and cook until the carrots soften.
Pour in hot water to 1–2 cm above the contents and add the chickpeas, cumin, barberries, chillies and salt. Simmer this zirvak over low heat for 40 minutes.
Spread the rice in an even layer without stirring. Top up with boiling water to 1.5 cm above the rice and cook over high heat until the water is absorbed.
Gather the rice into a mound, push the garlic heads into the centre and poke a few holes down to the bottom. Cover and steam for 25–30 minutes over the lowest heat.
Stir the plov and turn it out onto a lagan platter: rice underneath, with the meat, garlic and chickpeas on top.
