To make plov, a cook first heats oil in the kazan until it is very hot, then fries the meat and vegetables until they are beautifully browned. Next, water is poured in and the mixture simmers until the meat is tender. Finally, rinsed rice is layered on top and steam-cooked until each grain is fluffy and separate. The whole process can take a couple of hours.
Plov is found across all of Central Asia — from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan — but every country and every family has their own version. Turkmen plov often uses lamb from the famous Karakul sheep and adds whole heads of garlic tucked into the rice, which become soft and sweet as they cook.
Traditionally, plov is served from the kazan directly onto a big communal plate placed in the centre of the table. Everyone gathers round and eats together. In some parts of Turkmenistan it is eaten with the right hand, rolling the rice into small balls before popping them into your mouth — a skill that takes practice.
A skilled plov cook is highly respected. At big celebrations like weddings, a single kazan might feed 100 people or more. The cook watches the rice carefully, listening to the sound of the steam and adjusting the heat — it is as much an art as a science.