Rice steamed over lamb, onion and a heap of carrots in one deep pan, so it comes out glossy with the fat — the dish for guests and celebrations.
What makes it uyghur polo
Lamb, onion and carrot fried in plenty of fat first.
Rice laid on top, not stirred in, and steamed under a lid.
Carrots cut into long matchsticks, in near equal measure to the rice.
Where it comes from
Polo is the Uyghur branch of the pilaf family that runs across Central Asia, from Uzbek plov to the pilafs further west. In Chinese it's zhuāfàn, 'hand-grabbed rice', since it was traditionally eaten with the fingers from a shared dish.
It's cooked for weddings, festivals and guests, and at bazaar stalls in pans a metre across. Yellow carrots are the ones people prefer, and in Turpan raisins often go in too.
How it varies
With raisins and apricots
Dried fruit steamed in with the rice, sweeter and more festive.