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Jiz biz is fast, fiery Central Asian cooking at its simplest. Cubes of lamb, heart, kidney and liver are thrown into a kazan of smoking-hot rendered tail fat, and the dish is named after the sound they make: a loud, crackling jiz-biz. Onions and crushed cumin go in at the end, and it is eaten straight from the pan with torn flatbread.
In Tajikistan and neighboring Uzbekistan, jiz biz is traditionally cooked on the day a sheep is slaughtered for a celebration, when the offal is at its freshest. At home it works just as well with lamb shoulder alone, and it is on the table in under an hour.
Put the diced tail fat in a kazan, wok or heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the fat has melted out and the pieces are golden and crisp. Lift out the cracklings with a slotted spoon and set them aside. If you are not using tail fat, simply heat the oil.
Turn the heat up to high. When the fat is shimmering, add the lamb cubes together with the heart and kidneys. Spread them out in one layer and leave them for a minute before stirring, so they sizzle and brown rather than steam. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes until well browned. Cook in two batches if your pan is small.
Add the liver and fry for only 3 to 4 minutes, until it is browned outside and just pink inside. Liver turns tough and grainy if it is overcooked.
Add the onion half rings and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until they soften and pick up some color but still have a little bite.
Rub the cumin seeds between your palms over the pan to release their aroma. Add the black pepper, chili flakes if using, salt and the reserved cracklings. Toss everything together for 1 minute, then take the pan off the heat, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Pile the jiz biz onto a platter and scatter over fresh cilantro or dill. Serve straight away with torn non bread and a simple salad of sliced tomatoes and onion, which cuts through the richness of the fat.
Jiz biz is a Central Asian dish of lamb and lamb offal fried quickly in rendered tail fat with onions and cumin. It is popular in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, where it is often made right after a sheep is slaughtered, using the freshest parts first.
The name is onomatopoeic. It imitates the loud sizzling sound the meat makes when it hits the very hot fat in the kazan.
Yes. Many home cooks use only lamb shoulder or leg. Replace the offal with the same weight of extra lamb and follow the recipe as written. The dish will be milder but still rich and flavorful.
Tail fat gives jiz biz its traditional flavor, but it can be hard to find. Use vegetable oil, ghee or trimmed lamb fat instead. Add a few extra minutes of searing to get good browning on the meat.
A kazan, the heavy round-bottomed pot used across Central Asia, is traditional. A wok or a large cast-iron skillet works just as well at home, as long as it can get very hot.
Jiz biz is served hot with non flatbread and a fresh salad of sliced tomatoes and onions. Green tea is the usual drink alongside it.
