Eat the Match: Uzbekistan vs Colombia

Plov and Bandeja paisa.

Group K · Mexico City · June 17, 2026 · Iris

Uzbekistan: Plov (Uzbek rice pilaf)

Uzbek plov is the Central Asian pilaf taken to its fullest expression — mutton or beef, carrots, onion, garlic, and spices cooked with rice in a kazan (heavy rounded iron pot) over an open flame. The technique is precise: the meat and carrots are cooked first in rendered fat, then water is added, then the rice is spread on top and never stirred, cooking by steam absorption. The result is rice in which every grain is separate and saturated with meat fat and spice. Plov is the dish of weddings, of celebrations, of generosity — in Uzbekistan it is served from the kazan into communal plates and eaten with hands.

Ingredients

• 600g lamb shoulder or beef chuck, cut into 3cm pieces
• 150ml neutral oil or rendered lamb fat
• 2 large white onions, sliced into half-moons
• 4 large carrots, julienned into matchsticks (yellow carrots if available)
• 1 whole head of garlic, outer papery layers removed but intact
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 400g long-grain rice (preferably devzira rice or basmati), rinsed
• 700ml boiling water
• salt

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (Dutch oven) over high heat until very hot. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until deeply browned — almost caramelized. Add the meat and brown on all sides.
2. Add the carrots in an even layer without stirring. After 5 minutes, stir everything together and cook 3 more minutes. Add the spices and salt, stir. Place the whole garlic head in the center.
3. Spread the rinsed rice evenly over the top — do not stir. Pour the boiling water gently over the back of a spoon so it distributes without disturbing the rice layers. The water should just cover the rice. Cover tightly and cook over very low heat for 25 minutes. Do not open the lid. Rest 10 minutes, then fold everything together gently. Remove the garlic head (the cloves will be soft and spreadable) and serve.

Colombia: Bandeja paisa

The bandeja paisa is Colombia's most iconic meal — a massive tray containing red beans, white rice, minced beef (carne molida), chicharrón (crispy pork belly), fried egg, sweet plantains, avocado, and arepas. It is the meal of the Antioquia region and it is not a small portion. It is an occasion.

Ingredients

• For the red beans:
• 400g dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 100g bacon or pork belly, cubed
• ½ white onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt
• Other components:
• 400g white rice, steamed
• 400g ground beef, seasoned and browned with onion, garlic, cumin, tomato
• 200g pork belly, cut into strips and fried until very crispy (chicharrón)
• 4 eggs, fried
• 2 ripe plantains, sliced and fried in oil until golden
• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• 4 corn arepas (cornmeal cakes — combine 200g masa harina with 240ml warm water and 1 tsp salt, form into rounds, cook in a dry pan 5 minutes per side)

Method

1. Cook beans: simmer the soaked beans with bacon, onion, garlic, and cumin until very tender, about 1 hour, seasoning at the end. Cook all other components separately.
2. To serve: divide everything across four large plates or trays — rice, beans with their broth, ground beef, chicharrón, fried egg, plantains, avocado slices, and an arepa. This is the whole meal.