Dimlama and Kazan Kabob: What to Order When You've Had Enough Plov
Vegetables and meat slow-cooked under a lid, lamb fried with potatoes and other kazan dishes Uzbeks eat at home, plus how to find them on a cafe menu.
After a few days in Uzbekistan many travellers admit it: plov is wonderful, but they crave something different. The good news is that Uzbek cuisine is far broader. The kazan used for plov also produces dozens of other dishes: stewed, fried and slow-cooked. Many are considered home food and rarely appear in tourist restaurants, but they are easy to find in ordinary canteens and teahouses. Here is what to look for.
Dimlama: everything under the lid
Dimlama is perhaps the most home-style Uzbek dish. Meat and vegetables are layered in a kazan and slow-cooked under a tight lid in their own juices, with almost no water.
A typical make-up, layered from the bottom up:
- meat (lamb or beef) with tail fat or oil;
- onion rings;
- carrot, potato, bell pepper, aubergine;
- tomatoes, garlic, sometimes quince;
- on top, large cabbage leaves that cover everything like a lid.
Dimlama cooks for 1.5–2 hours over low heat. The vegetables release their juices, the meat becomes tender, and the result is something between a stew and a soup. In summer and autumn, when vegetables are ripe and cheap, dimlama is at its best.
On the menu: "dimlama" or "dumlama". It is served by the portion in a deep plate, sometimes in a small kazan.
Kazan kabob: fried meat with potatoes
Kazan kabob is large pieces of lamb, often on the bone, and potatoes fried in a kazan until golden. The meat is first browned in tail fat or oil, then onion and potatoes are added, sometimes a little water, and it is finished under the lid.
The result is hearty and fragrant with crispy edges. It comes with raw onion, herbs and flatbread. Kazan kabob is often cooked for weddings and celebrations, and in a cafe it is a dish for a group: you order it for the table and share.
On the menu: "qozon kabob" or "kazan kabob". It is often sold by weight, so ask how much to order per person.
Other kazan dishes
Qovurma (qovurdoq)
Finely chopped meat fried with onion until crisp, sometimes with potatoes. It is also made with offal: liver, heart and kidneys. Quick, rich and very filling.
Tandir gosht
Strictly speaking not from a kazan: this is lamb roasted in a sealed tandoor on branches or hooks. The meat cooks for several hours and becomes very tender. Tandir gosht is usually sold until lunchtime and runs out quickly.
Jarkop
Meat stewed with potatoes and onion in a rich sauce. It resembles a home-style pot roast and is often cooked in canteens.
Mampar and other dough dishes
Mampar is a thick dish with pieces of dough, meat and vegetables, close to lagman. A good option when you want something between a soup and a main course.
How to read a canteen menu
In simple Uzbek canteens the menu is often short, written on the wall or given verbally. A few tips:
- Ask "bugun nima bor?", meaning "what is there today?". Many dishes are not cooked every day.
- Look into the pots: canteens often keep them in view, and you can just point.
- Portions are large; bread is ordered separately.
- With stews, order a fresh vegetable salad and green tea.
Kazan dishes are usually priced about the same as plov, while kazan kabob and tandir gosht cost more because of the amount of lamb. Go by the menu and ask about weight if a dish is sold by the kilo.
What to order when
| Situation | What to choose |
|---|---|
| You want something light with vegetables | dimlama |
| You are starving after a journey | kazan kabob or qovurma |
| Lunch before noon | tandir gosht, before it runs out |
| It's cold and you want something hot | jarkop or mampar |
Where to look: canteens around Tashkent
Central Tashkent has plenty of restaurants with European and Uzbek menus, but the most home-style dimlama and kazan kabob are often found in district canteens and satellite towns. A good example is Yangiyul, a town about 25–30 km from the capital, 30–40 minutes by car. Canteens near the bazaar and at the town entrances cook simple, filling food at prices below Tashkent's, and in season the bazaar sells vegetables straight from local gardens.
A half-day trip to Yangiyul is easy to arrange. If you do not want to take a taxi, find a shared ride on Yo'ldosh: book a seat with a verified driver at a convenient time. It is cheaper than a taxi and there is no waiting for a minibus. Options are on the Tashkent — Yangiyul page.
In short
- Dimlama: meat and vegetables slow-cooked in layers under a lid. Light and seasonal.
- Kazan kabob: lamb fried with potatoes, a dish to share.
- Qovurma, jarkop, tandir gosht and mampar are four more reasons to take a break from plov.
- Look for the most home-style versions in simple canteens and small towns like Yangiyul.
Want to get out of the capital? See the Tashkent — Yangiyul page or the full list of routes.
Cover photo: Bobyrr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
