In Samarkand, plov is a lunchtime event. Late in the morning, cooks stand over huge black cauldrons (kazan) the width of a car tyre, layering golden carrots, lamb and rice over a fire. By early afternoon the best places have sold out, and anyone who arrives late eats somewhere else.
Plov (called osh in Uzbek) is Uzbekistan’s national dish: rice cooked in a cauldron with lamb or beef, sweet yellow and orange carrots, onions, cumin and whole garlic, often with chickpeas, raisins or quail eggs. Samarkand is famous for its layered style, served with the rice, carrots and meat stacked rather than mixed. Uzbekistan is a Muslim-majority country, so plov is halal by default. In 2026 a plate costs roughly UZS 35,000–75,000, and many plov houses serve only until early afternoon.
This guide covers how plov is made, regional styles, when and where to eat it in Samarkand, table customs, prices and Uzbek phrases.
A dish at the heart of Uzbek life
Plov is cooked for weddings, funerals, births and Friday lunch. At big celebrations, men gather at dawn for nahor oshi, a morning plov served to hundreds of guests.
UNESCO added Uzbekistan’s palov culture and tradition to its intangible cultural heritage list in 2016.
How plov is cooked
- Oil (traditionally cottonseed oil, sometimes with lamb fat) is heated in a cast-iron kazan.
- Onions and meat are fried until brown.
- Julienned carrots go in, with cumin, and cook down into the zirvak, the flavour base.
- Whole heads of garlic, chickpeas or barberries are added.
- Washed rice is spread on top in an even layer and water is added just to cover.
- The pot is covered and the rice steams until tender.
- For Samarkand style, the plov is served in layers, not stirred.
Regional styles
| Style | What makes it different |
|---|---|
| Samarkand | Layered, not mixed: rice at the bottom, then carrots, then meat on top; lighter in colour |
| Tashkent | Everything mixed together, often with quail eggs and horse-meat sausage (kazy) |
| Bukhara | Some versions are cooked in a cloth bag or with dried fruit |
| Fergana Valley | Rich, with lots of oil and yellow carrots |
Halal note: Uzbekistan is a Muslim-majority country and meat in plov houses is halal as standard. Tashkent-style plov is sometimes served with kazy, a horse-meat sausage; many scholars permit horse meat, while the Hanafi school, followed by most Uzbeks, traditionally regards it as disliked (makruh). Ask for your plate without it if you prefer. See our halal food travel guide.
When and where to eat plov in Samarkand
- Go between about 11am and 2pm. Plov is a lunch dish, and many plov centres close once the kazan is empty.
- Plov centres (osh markazi) – large halls serving nothing but plov, salads, bread and tea; the most authentic experience.
- Near Siab Bazaar – Samarkand’s main market, next to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, with food stalls and plov nearby.
- Guesthouses – many family guesthouses cook plov for guests on request.
Some plov centres do not have menus; you simply order a portion.
What comes with it
- Achichuk – a fresh salad of tomato and thinly sliced onion that cuts the richness.
- Non – round Uzbek bread, baked in a tandoor; see our Uzbek bread guide.
- Green tea – served in small bowls (piala) throughout the meal.
- Pickles and yoghurt – at some places.
Table customs
- Bread is treated with respect: never place it upside down or throw it away.
- The host pours tea into a bowl and back into the pot two or three times to mix it before serving.
- A half-full tea bowl is a sign of respect: it means the host wants to refill it for you.
- Plov is often eaten from a shared platter; eat from the side in front of you.
What it costs (2026)
| Order | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Plate of plov at a plov centre | About UZS 35,000–75,000 |
| Achichuk salad | About UZS 10,000–20,000 |
| Non (bread) | About UZS 3,000–8,000 |
| Pot of green tea | About UZS 5,000–15,000 |
Plan your trip with the Uzbekistan food budget calculator.
Uzbek phrases
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bir porsiya osh, iltimos | One portion of plov, please |
| Qazisiz | Without kazy (horse sausage) |
| Choy | Tea |
| Qancha? | How much? |
| Rahmat | Thank you |
| Juda mazali! | Very tasty! |
Frequently asked questions
What is Uzbek plov?
Rice cooked in a cauldron with lamb or beef, carrots, onions, cumin and garlic; Uzbekistan’s national dish.
Is plov in Uzbekistan halal?
Yes, meat is halal as standard. Tashkent-style plov may include horse-meat sausage; ask for it without if you prefer.
When is plov served?
Mainly at lunch, roughly 11am to 2pm. Many plov centres close when they sell out.
What is special about Samarkand plov?
It is served in layers, with rice, carrots and meat stacked rather than mixed.
More from Uzbekistan and Central Asia: samsa, Central Asian bazaars and plov in Baku. See all Uzbekistan food guides.
Sources
- Uzbekistan Travel – official tourism site.
- UNESCO: Palov culture and tradition and Pilaf.
