Chuchvara for a dinner party — went down extremely well

I made Chuchvara for eight guests who had varying familiarity with the cuisine. Every single person asked for the recipe. The richly meaty and caraway-forward profile was the main talking point — no one had quite experienced cottonseed oil used that way before.

plov rice pilaf is considered the cornerstone of Uzbek hospitality and is cooked by men for important occasions. I explained the a Samarkand chaikhana teahouse context as I served it which helped people appreciate it fully. ayran was what I offered alongside and it worked perfectly. Excellent dinner party dish — impressive without being inaccessible.