Dandana

Real, hearty, and full of meat! Dandana is a summer Uzbek dish—incredibly tasty, filling, and wholesome. It's truly easy to make, so even someone who's never cooked in a cauldron before can pull it off.

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Lamb ribs

1.5

Onion

800

Zucchini

800

Tomatoes

Potatoes

Bell pepper

Corn

Garlic

Hot chili pepper

Cumin

Table salt

Fresh herbs

Ground black pepper

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 28 % 5 g

Fats 22 % 4 g

Carbohydrates 50 % 9 g

89 kcal

GI: 67 / 0 / 33

Cooking method

Step 1:

Before you start cooking, prep the ingredients. Cut all the vegetables into large chunks, and curl the lamb ribs around into a so-called "crown."
Step 2:

Stand the lamb up in the center of the cauldron.
Step 3:

Pack the onion in around the ribs.
Step 4:

Next add the tomatoes, then season with salt, ground black pepper, and cumin.
Step 5:

Layer the zucchini on top of the tomatoes.
Step 6:

Add the garlic, whole.
Step 7:

The corn goes in alongside the zucchini.
Step 8:

After the corn, add a layer of potatoes, then season with spices again.
Step 9:

Add the bell peppers, whole.
Step 10:

To finish filling the cauldron, lay bunches of fresh herbs on top, as much as you like.
Step 11:

Pour in about half a liter (2 cups) of water and cover with a lid.
Step 12:

Set it over low heat to simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 13:

Once the time is up, the dish is ready. Don't forget to serve the broth on the side.

This is an old, half-forgotten recipe that fits right in with today's cooking. It's a seasonal dish, and it's cheapest to make in summer, when corn, peppers, and tomatoes are at their lowest prices—and practically free if you've got your own vegetable garden. It's a beautiful, colorful, vitamin-packed dish, very much like basma, but with the vegetables cut differently and, of course, the striking crown of ribs that makes the cooking unforgettable for anyone watching. The vegetables are interchangeable, so add your own twist—eggplant or carrots, for example. If you don't have cumin on hand, swap in khmeli-suneli or utskho-suneli. And don't feel you have to cook it in any one place: a cauldron outdoors or a tandoor oven is great, but it adapts just fine to a regular gas stovetop. As you cook, keep in mind the result you're after. For firmer vegetables that aren't falling apart, an hour and a half is plenty. If you want more broth and liquid, go for two to two and a half hours!