Plov
Client
Free work as part of my Magnum photography course in Bukhara, Uzbekistan
I, too, am back in school every now and then. Because – as the old saying goes: You never stop learning. And so I'm taking a photography course in Uzbekistan with the renowned photo agency Magnum to see what I can still learn from the best. I'm sitting in the "schoolroom" (a room in the art museum in Bukhara), when suddenly Abdou, one of the four course instructors, tugs on my sleeve. "Peter, come immediately. Take your camera with you. Do you have a wide-angle lens on it?" Yes, I do. A 21 mm fixed focal length. There's no time to bring a second lens or change it. I dash after Abdou, and after a short walk, we're standing in a backyard where a group of men are preparing two pots of the Uzbek national dish:
Plov
Some background information
Some wisdom from Wikipedia: "Plov, also known as pilaf, pilav, pilau, or palau, is originally an oriental rice dish. It is traditionally made from long-grain rice, onions, broth, and possibly meat, fish, or vegetables. In Central Asia, a stew is first cooked for Plov. At the end of the cooking time, rice is sprinkled over it, and the whole thing is covered with a little water, boiled, and then steamed. The stew contains meat, onions, and carrots, as well as other vegetables and sometimes dried fruit. Plov is traditionally cooked by men and is both an everyday dish and a festive meal. In Uzbekistan, Plov is prepared for weddings by a Plov master in a huge pot."
That's exactly how I saw and photographed it, including tasting the wonderful Plov, along with some high-proof liquids offered by the Plov master himself. After preparation, the two giant pots were wrapped in plastic wrap, loaded onto a small truck, and off they went, the precious cargo to a wedding reception.
A huge thank you to Abdou, who introduced me to the Plov chefs and also took a few making-of pictures:
