Uzbek traditional rice now on UNESCO heritage list

Uzbek Turks' traditional food, "plov" (rice), has been added to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Uzbeks, who settled in Ceylanpınar, a district in the southeastern city of Şanlıurfa, after moving from Afghanistan 30 years ago, are celebrating the news.

Uzbeks, who used to live in Baghlan and Pul-e Khumri in Afghanistan and were brought to Ceylanpınar after Russia invaded their countries in 1986, are trying to maintain their culture.

Uzbeks are now celebrating the inclusion of Uzbek plov, which is their ancestral, irreplaceable traditional food, onto UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Hacı Abdurrauf, a resident of the Uzbek neighborhood, said they greeted the news with delight.

Emphasizing that plov is one of their most famous Uzbek foods, Abdurrauf said it is particularly popular at wedding ceremonies or condolence ceremonies and is generally offered to guests.

"We cook it with carrots, dried grapes and meat in big caldrons. It is very tasty," he said.

Baki Çetiner also said that Uzbek plov dates back to centuries and emphasized that they want to convey this ancestral heritage to future generations. "It is easily digestible and doesn't contain sugar. Therefore, even people with diabetes can eat it. Also, Uzbek plov is our traditional food all by itself. Even if we cook different types of traditional food for our guests, it never substitutes for Uzbek plov. It is an essential element of our cuisine. When we don't offer Uzbek plov to our guests, we feel like we aren't hosting our guests well enough," he said.

The first known recipe for Uzbek plov is believed to have been created by the medical expert and philosopher Ibn Sina (Avicenna), who was born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Considered one of the most delicious foods in Uzbek cuisine, Uzbek plov has more than 100 types, based on the region, the way it is cooked and the ingredients.

It is mainly cooked with rice, onion, carrot and meat. Some people also add quince, dried grapes and various vegetables.

Uzbek plov was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in its meeting in Ethiopia.

The first known recipe for Uzbek plov is believed to have been created by the medical expert and philosopher Ibn Sina (Avicenna), who was born in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Considered one of the most delicious foods in Uzbek cuisine, Uzbek plov has more than 100 types, based on the region, the way it is cooked and the ingredients.