Samarkand will hold the Pilaf Festival on April 27 with the purpose of popularization of national traditions and the main dish of the Uzbek cuisine, the State Tourism Committee said.

Chefs from different parts of the country were invited for the Festival to enable Festival visitors to taste the variety of kinds of pilaf.

Chefs will offer master classes and will share secrets.

Uzbek proverb says: “A poor man is eating plov, a rich man eats only plov”.

Another Uzbek proverb says: “If one has to die – let it be from Uzbek pilav”.

The best rice for Uzbek pilaf is devzira – ancient local variety of rice, created by centuries of folk selection. From historical records it is known that in the X – XI centuries, in the era of the Samanids in the court feasts pilaf from devzira rice was used. This rice is cultivated in the Fergana Valley, mainly on private land of farmers, since it is considered to be unproductive fodder and unfit for cultivation on large plantations. However, low yields of devzira offset by choice quality of Uzbek pilaf. Its oblong ribbed grains of pink color have high water-absorbing properties. They contain less starch, but superior to other varieties in the number of vitamin B2 and choline.

The Uzbek pilaf in  Tashkent, Samarkand, Ferghana, Kashkadarya, Bukhara and Khorezm is different; and the experienced connoisseur of the Uzbek ethnic cuisine with closed eyes will determine what type of Uzbek pilaf is. In addition, there are different Uzbek plov recipes by appointment: wedding pilaff is considered to be the most luxurious, festive pilaff is a little less grand, and simple pilaff is served at the table in a very ordinary day. These Uzbek pilafs differ not only in cooking technology, but also ingredients.