Ukrainian Plov

I live for this dish! The whole process of making this Plov takes me back to being a little girl in my mom's kitchen. When she used to make this dish, I would run into the kitchen and when she wasn't looking I would steal a spoonful of rice and run back to the living room. This dish is so warm and comforting. It's a perfect meal on a cold winter night.

In my enameled cart iron pot, I heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil. To that I add half a bag of matchstick carrots and 1 large diced onion. I let that caramelize for about 15 minutes. Then I move the mixture to the side of the pot and add 1 pound of beef chuck cubes. I let the beef brown for a few minutes. When the beef is done browning I add my spices. I add; 1 rounded tablespoon of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, one tablespoon of Osem chicken powder, and 1.5 cups of water. I cut the top off a head of garlic and peel back the extra skin. Then place the garlic on top of the beef and vegetable mixture to cook. I cover the pot and let everything simmer together until the meat is tender. For beef chuck it takes about 2 hours. I take the garlic out after an hour and a half. After the meat is tender, I add 1 cup of rice, and 2 cups of water. Then cover the pot again and let everything simmer on a low heat until the rice is cooked. About 20 minutes.

I like to squeeze the garlic out on top of the finished dish, and stir everything together. It gives it such a nice depth of flavor. I love roasted garlic!

**My mom used to make her plov with spare ribs**