Oshi Palav

Oshi palav is a pilaf made with rice, vegetables, meat and spices in Tajikistan. Its many variations are prepared for ordinary meals as well as celebrations and communal gatherings. Groups of men or women cook it at home or in teahouses, sometimes while singing or playing music.^[1]

Cooking skills pass between generations within families and from masters to apprentices. At a dinner marking an apprentice’s mastery, the teacher receives a skullcap and traditional clothing, while the apprentice receives a skimmer. The meal and its associated social practices were inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2016.^[1]