Plov with lamb meatballs and prunes

Plov with lamb meatballs and prunes

Main dishes

A traditional Azerbaijani plov, featuring small lamb meatballs, chestnuts, and sour plums with saffron. A flavorful and generous dish.

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Qır-qır plov is a variation of plov, a traditional Azerbaijani dish, where the meat is served in small, bite-sized meatballs. The tart plums and saffron give the dish a very fragrant flavor.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time40 min
  • Cook time50 min
  • Total1 hr 30 min
  • DifficultyHard
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodCooking under a lid
  • Estimated cost$10.37 $2.59 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
  • Gluten-free

Ingredients

4 people
  • $3.02
  • $0.29
  • $0.37
  • $0.21
  • $0.55
  • $0.84
  • $0.00
  • $5.09

Prices from US supermarkets for 4 of 8 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Prepare cooked rice, then color it with a small amount of saffron juice. ≈ 3 min
  2. Cut the meat, remove the bones, then pulse it in a food processor with the onion. ≈ 8 min
  3. Salt, pepper, and add the cinnamon, then mix well. ≈ 4 min
  4. Form small meatballs with the filling and brown them in a frying pan with butter.
  5. Add a little broth, the partially cooked chestnuts, the washed prunes, and a splash of saffron juice.
  6. Cover and let it cook, allowing it to steam in its own juices.
  7. When serving, add the chopped cilantro. ≈ 2 min
  8. Form a small mound of rice in the plate. ≈ 2 min
  9. Serve the meatballs with their sauce. ≈ 2 min

The bill

Plov with lamb meatballs and prunes

  • 150 g of lamb$3.02
  • 100 g of rice$0.29
  • 40 g of melted butter$0.37
  • 1 onion$0.21
  • 50 g of chestnuts$0.55
  • 12 grams of cilantro$0.84
  • 0.2 grams of cinnamon$0.00
  • saffron (a few stigmas)$5.09

Total$10.37

that's $2.59 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Before you start

Ingredients

  • 150 g of lamb
  • 100 g of rice
  • 40 g of melted butter
  • 1 onion
  • 15 dried, sour cherry plums (alça)
  • 50 g of chestnuts
  • 12 grams of cilantro
  • 0.2 grams of cinnamon
  • salt, hot pepper, to taste
  • saffron (a few stigmas)

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