Uzbek Cuisine

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 carrot diced
1 potato cubed
2 large tomatoes coarsely chopped
(or use can of crushed tomatoes)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
3/4 cup mung beans soaked overnight
(you can cheat with split green peas)
1 cup rice
2 tablespoons coriander (preferably chopped, fresh cilantro)

Heat oil, saute onions until they turn GOLDEN (very important)
Add carrots and potato until they start to BROWN
Mix tomatoes, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper to taste
Add 1 1/2 cups boiling stock or water and boil five minutes
Stir in mung beans
Reduce heat and cover for about 40 minutes until beans are soft
Place remaining 3 cups of water or stock in another pot and stir in rice. Boil rice for two minutes reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. (I will test out just cooking it in a rice cooker and see if that is just as good)

Stir in rice into vegetable mixture, spinkle with coriander or cilantro and serve.

Adapted from The Art of Uzbek Cooking by Lynn Visson

VERY Ochen Vkusno!!