Name: Georgian Shila Pilav (Soft Lamb and Rice Pilaf)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 180 g sheep-tail fat, finely diced; 1 kg boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of sinew and cut into 1.5 cm pieces; 450 g yellow onion (about 4 medium), finely chopped; 600 g round-grain rice, rinsed once and drained; 1.65 L boiling water, plus up to 500 ml more to adjust the texture; 3 bay leaves; 25 g garlic (about 5 cloves), finely chopped; 3 g ground cumin; 4 g finely ground black pepper, divided; 12 g fine salt, divided; 0.5 g ground red chili, optional

Wide view of Georgian lamb and rice pilav with bread served alongside.

Yield8 bowls

Serving basisabout 350–400 ml thick pilaf, with 75 g dry rice and 125 g raw lamb per serving

DifficultyModerate; steady stirring and texture checks matter

Dietary classificationGluten-free as written; verify packaged spices for cross-contact

Jump to recipe ↓

The dish

About Georgian Shila Pilav (Soft Lamb and Rice Pilaf)

შილაფლავი · 8 servings · Moderate · 1 hour 50 minutes

Shila pilav (შილაფლავი) is a Georgian lamb-and-rice dish especially associated with Kakheti. Its texture differs from a fluffy pilaf: round-grain rice cooks for a long time until swollen, creamy and beginning to fall apart. The lamb and onion are kept pale rather than browned, so the finished dish stays light in colour.

Sheep-tail fat is a defining part of the documented traditional version. It renders slowly in the pot, then the finely cut lamb and onion soften in that fat. Garlic, bay leaf, cumin and black pepper season the mixture without covering the lamb. Add water gradually if the rice thickens before the meat becomes tender; the goal is a thick, spoonable pilaf, not separate grains.

Shila pilav is now customary at Georgian memorial feasts, where it is traditionally served toward the end of the supra. The origin of that custom is unclear. Other versions use beef, chicken or mushrooms; a Kakhetian cook's published variation also adds wine, caraway, butter and sheep's cheese. This recipe follows the lamb-and-tail-fat profile and keeps those distinct choices out of the pot.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

შილაფლავი · 8 servings · Moderate · 1 hour 50 minutes

Pilaf

180 gsheep-tail fat, finely diced
1 kgboneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of sinew and cut into 1.5 cm pieces
450 gyellow onion (about 4 medium), finely chopped
600 ground-grain rice, rinsed once and drained
1.65 Lboiling water, plus up to 500 ml more to adjust the texture
3bay leaves
25 ggarlic (about 5 cloves), finely chopped

Seasoning

3 gground cumin
4 gfinely ground black pepper, divided
12 gfine salt, divided
0.5 gground red chili, optional

Method

Render the tail fat. Set a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced sheep-tail fat and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until it releases fat and the pieces turn lightly golden. Keep them in the pot and do not let them darken.
Soften the lamb and onion. Add the lamb and 8 g salt. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring often, until the surfaces lose their raw colour but do not brown. Stir in the onion and cook 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent, still pale. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add rice and liquid. Stir in the drained rice and cook for 2 minutes so the grains are coated in fat. Pour in 1.65 L boiling water. Add the bay leaves, cumin and 2 g black pepper; bring the pot back to a simmer.
Cook until the rice nearly melts. Partly cover and maintain a steady gentle simmer for 55–65 minutes, stirring every 5–7 minutes and scraping the bottom. If the mixture becomes thick before the rice and lamb are tender, stir in boiling water in 100 ml increments, up to 500 ml. The rice should be very soft, swollen and starting to break down; the lamb should be fork-tender.
Season and rest. Stir in the remaining 4 g salt, 2 g black pepper and optional chili. Check a larger lamb piece with a food thermometer; it must reach at least 63 °C (145 °F). Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve hot.

Excerpt

Shila pilav is a Georgian lamb pilaf from Kakheti, cooked with round-grain rice until very soft and almost broken down, with sheep-tail fat, onion, garlic and pepper.

Practical guidance

Rinse the round rice once to remove dust, then drain it well; repeated rinsing removes surface starch that helps create the soft, cohesive texture. Do not substitute long-grain rice if you want the characteristic thick result. Keep the lamb and onions pale. If they brown deeply, the dish will be darker and more roasted in flavour.

Stir from the bottom often as the rice softens, especially during the final 20 minutes, when the mixture can catch. If the pilaf tightens before the grains have broken down, add hot water a little at a time. If it is looser than you like at the end, simmer uncovered for a few minutes while stirring. Resting briefly off heat lets the thick mixture settle without turning it into a dry mound.

Serve as soon as it is ready; the rice continues to absorb liquid as it sits. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers (within 1 hour if the room is above 32 °C / 90 °F), keep at or below 4 °C / 40 °F and use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F, stirring in a splash of water to loosen the pilaf. Do not leave the pot at room temperature for a long gathering.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: about 350–400 ml thick pilaf
Energy: approximately 800 kcal
Carbohydrates: 66 g
Protein: 27 g
Fat: 47 g
Fibre: 2 g
Sodium: approximately 700 mg

Allergens and food safety

The pilaf as written contains no major listed allergen. Check spice labels for possible cross-contact. Keep raw lamb refrigerated at or below 4 °C (40 °F), use separate utensils for raw meat, and wash hands and surfaces after handling. Cook the lamb thoroughly in the simmering pilaf; a larger piece must reach at least 63 °C (145 °F), followed by a 3-minute rest. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat them throughout to 74 °C (165 °F).

To serve

Serve the pilaf hot in shallow bowls so its thick, soft texture is easy to scoop.
Offer black pepper at the table for diners who want a sharper finish.