Fergana Plov and Valley Food: What to Eat in Kokand and Namangan

The Fergana Valley is the heart of Uzbek farming. It has fertile soil, plenty of water from mountain rivers and close-knit, hospitable neighbourhoods where any celebration draws a hundred guests. No wonder the valley's food is considered among the most filling and vibrant in the country. If Tashkent plov is urban and Samarkand plov refined, Fergana plov is rich and generous. Here is what to try in Fergana, Kokand, Namangan and the valley's other towns.

Fergana plov: dark and aromatic

The defining feature of valley plov is how the zirvak, the base of meat, onions and carrots, is made.

• Cottonseed oil. The valley has historically grown a lot of cotton, and unrefined cottonseed oil became the foundation of local cooking. It is heated in the cauldron until its sharp smell disappears, and only then does cooking begin.
• Deep browning. The meat and onions are fried longer than in other regions, until a deep brown. That is why the plov comes out darker and richer in flavour.
• Devzira rice. The Fergana Valley is known for devzira, a variety with pinkish grains and a red stripe along each one. Devzira absorbs oil well but stays loose-grained, and it is one of the most prized rice varieties for plov in the country.
• Serving. The rice and zirvak are usually mixed when served, with the meat placed on top.

The valley has countless local variations: every neighbourhood and every oshpaz considers their recipe the best. Plov is eaten at weddings, memorial gatherings and holidays, and of course in teahouses in the first half of the day.

Kokand sweets

Kokand, the former capital of a khanate, is known as a city of master confectioners. Here you should try:

• Halva in several kinds, including traditional flour-and-sugar halva and sesame halva. Kokand halva is a popular gift.
• Navat, crystallised sugar served with tea.
• Nisholda, a white whipped sweet made in spring and during Ramadan.
• Dried fruit and nuts: apricots, raisins, almonds and whole dried apricots with the stone in.

The best place to shop is Kokand's central market. Prices are approximate and depend on the season, so bargain politely.

Namangan baking

Namangan is famous for its baking and bread-making skills. Things to try:

• Patir, an enriched flatbread baked in the tandoor with added fat. It is soft and fragrant.
• Layered flatbreads and all sorts of pastries with meat and onion.
• Samsa from the tandoor, with crisp pastry.

Namangan baking is perfect for the road: people take it on long journeys, and warm patir in a car smells so good it is hard to hold out until the end of the trip.

What else to try in the valley

• Kazan kabob, meat and potatoes fried in a cauldron until golden.
• Mastava, a thick rice soup with meat and vegetables, served with soured milk.
• Kuk samsa, pastries filled with spring greens.
• Katyk and suzma, soured milk products eaten with almost every dish here.
• Fruit: in summer and autumn the valley is overflowing with apricots, cherries, grapes, melons and pomegranates.

Where to try it

It is almost impossible to eat badly in the valley. Some pointers:

• teahouses by the bazaars, serving plov, kebabs and flatbread from early morning;
• roadside places on the highways between towns; drivers know the best ones;
• guesthouses, where you can ask for home-made plov;
• central markets for fruit, sweets and baking.

Getting there

From Tashkent the road to the valley crosses the Kamchik Pass. Fergana is about 320 km away, a five to six hour drive. Namangan is about 290 km, around five hours. The pass is beautiful but can be difficult in winter because of snow, so travel in daylight.

Shared rides are published every day on Yo'ldosh on the Tashkent to Fergana and Tashkent to Namangan routes. Drivers know the pass well and often stop at trusted roadside teahouses, so you can try local plov on the way. You book your seat in the app, and drivers have verified profiles. More details are on the for passengers page.

The Fergana Valley is a hard place to leave hungry. Plov cooked in cottonseed oil, Kokand halva, Namangan patir for the road, and you will understand why Uzbeks call this the most generous land in the country.

Cover photo: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.