Plov and Samsa Cooking Class in Tashkent: Cook and eat your creations

Make plov and samsa from scratch, then sit down to eat them

A four-hour cooking class in Tashkent where you prepare plov (rice, meat, carrots, onions and spices) and samsa (baked pastry triangles with meat filling) under professional instruction. You handle the knife work, frying, steaming and baking yourself. The guide walks you through each step in English or Russian. Vegetarian options are available, and the class suits ages 12 and up.

The experience

The class starts with plov, the rice dish at the center of Uzbek cooking. You'll cut onions, carrots and meat (or skip the meat if you prefer), clean the rice, then fry and steam everything in the right order. While the plov cooks, there's a natural pause. That's when you move to samsa. You roll out dough, spread ghee across it, roll it tight, divide it into portions and chill them. Then you stuff each piece with minced meat and bake it in the oven. The guide and their team are there to show you the technique and make sure it turns out well.

Once the samsa is baked and the plov is ready, you eat both dishes together. Everything you need (rice, meat, carrots, onions, garlic, cumin, raisins, sunflower oil, dough, ghee) is provided. The guide speaks English or Russian, so you follow along in whichever language works for you. The whole thing takes four hours, and by the end you've made two complete dishes and learned how they're actually prepared.

What’s included

• Professional instruction in cooking traditional Uzbek dishes.
• all necessary ingredients for plov and samsa.
• hands-on participation in cutting, frying, steaming and baking.
• the plov and samsa you prepare.
• a live guide in English or Russian.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00 and 11:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Asli Travel

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Russian, so you follow the instruction comfortably in your language. If you speak neither, this class won't work. If you do, the four-hour hands-on format means you'll actually learn the technique, not just watch it.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What exactly do I cook during the class?

You prepare plov, a rice dish cooked with meat, carrots, onions and spices, and samsa, which are baked pastry triangles filled with minced meat. You do the cutting, frying, rolling, stuffing and baking yourself under the guide's instruction.

Can I do this class if I'm vegetarian?

Yes. The class offers a vegetarian option, so you can make plov without meat and samsa with a vegetarian filling instead.

How long does the class run?

The class lasts four hours. You spend time on plov preparation and cooking, then move to samsa while the plov steams, and finish by eating both dishes together.

Is this class suitable for children?

Yes, the class is open to ages 12 and up. Children participate in the cooking process alongside adults with the guide's help.