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Oshi piyozi
Rice and beef stuffed onions
Oshi piyozi (אושי פיאזי): Bukharan-Jewish onion layers stuffed with rice and beef in sweet-sour sauce
Bukharan Jews, whose families came from Samarkand and Bukhara and settled around Jerusalem's Bukharim quarter, Or Yehuda and Holon, make oshi piyozi for Shabbat and holidays: whole onion layers are softened, wrapped round a filling of rice, minced beef and herbs, then braised in tomato with sugar and lemon until meltingly sweet. The onions caramelise at the bottom of the pot while the parcels turn glossy and tender. They are served warm as a main dish with salads. The usual error is undercooking the onion layers before rolling, so they crack; boil them until floppy. Chef's tip: use large, flat sweet onions and separate the layers while they are still hot.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the onions and filling
- 5 large onionspeeled, a cut made from top to root on one side
- 14 oz minced beef
- 4 oz short-grain ricerinsed
- ½ oz parsleychopped
- ⅓ oz dillchopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Bring a large pot of water to the boil and cook 5 large onions for 10–12 minutes, until the outer layers loosen and turn floppy.
12 minStep 2: Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel the layers apart along the cut. Keep the large ones for stuffing and chop the small inner hearts finely.
10 minStep 3: Mix 14 oz minced beef, 4 oz short-grain rice, the chopped onion hearts, ½ oz parsley, ⅓ oz dill, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
Step 4: Put a spoonful of filling into each onion layer and roll it up tightly into a cigar, tucking the filling in. You should have about 24.
Step 5: Pour 3 tbsp vegetable oil into a wide, heavy pot and pack the onion rolls in snugly, seam side down.
Step 6: Whisk 3 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ tsp salt and 2 cups water and pour over. Lay a small plate on top to keep the rolls in place.
2 minStep 7: Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 1 hour, until the rice in the filling is soft, the meat cooked through (160°F) and the sauce reduced and glossy. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.
60 minStep 8: Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more so the bottoms caramelise. Rest for 10 minutes and serve warm.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does oshi piyozi take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of large onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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