— Written in collaboration with Dr. Zulfiya Tursunova, Aziza Eiffe, and Gerry Lor
We’re back for Part 2 of Food Storytelling Collective’s “Cooking for Peace” Recipe series! This recipe is for Dimlama, a traditional dish from Uzbekistan. It was shared by Aziza Eiffe, who is a proud mother of two kids and the youngest is one month old. She loves hiking and is a big foodie exploring different cultures.
Scroll down for directions to cook this Uzbek stew made from meat, potatoes, onions, and other vegetables. Vegetables often include cabbage, eggplants, sweet peppers, garlic and herbs such as dill and condiments. Want to watch the full event and learn some stories about Uzbekistan too? Check it out here:
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lbs of diced beef
- 3 finely sliced medium onions
- 2 sliced medium-sized carrots
- 8-10 medium sized diced potatoes
- 1 small cabbage
- 4 peeled and sliced tomatoes
- 3 medium or 2 large bell peppers, sliced into pieces
- 8-10 garlic cloves
- 1 1/4 Tbsp salt, pepper, cumin seed, dill, and parsley
Directions
- Cut meat into large pieces and place them in layers in a tightly sealed pot to simmer slowly in their own juices.
- Spread 1/3 of the sliced onions on the bottom.
- Select half of the diced meat (use the fattiest pieces for this step). Spread them over the onions with the fatty sides facing down.
- Spread the next 1/3 of the onions on top.
- Add 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper, and cumin, dill, and any additional desired seasoning.
- Spread the carrots on top and spread half of the tomatoes on top.
- Salt the layer. Add pepper and cumin seed
- Add bell pepper on top.
- Add the remaining meat and onions on top.
- Add another layer of salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Add the potatoes and the rest of the tomatoes on top.
- Add another garlic clove and salt.
- Cover the top with cabbage leaves so there is no room for steam to escape.
- Cover the cauldron with a lid. Simmer on low heat. After 5 minutes, increase to medium heat. The liquid from the onions and meat will begin to evaporate, and the steam will heat higher layers producing more liquid; the liquid flows down and the process is repeated.
- After 15-20 minutes, you will hear a boiling sound at the bottom and the lid will be hot
- Stew the dish for two hours.
- Serve the dish in large plates with high sides. The consistency should look like stew.
This series is organized by the Food Storytelling Collective, which is here to inspire conversations on traditional dishes and their rich legacies. Together, we’ll learn how to make traditional dishes, learn more about our food systems, and celebrate the resilience of different communities through family stories. This project is run by Dr. Zulfiya Tursunova, associate professor at Guilford College, and is sponsored by NCAAT. You can reach her via email at tursunovaz@guilford.edu if you have any questions.
