It’s believed that the word derives from polow, a Persian word for rice cooked with meat — typically chicken or lamb — or fish and an assortment of spices and vegetables. Think of plov and polow as culinary cousins — very similar dishes distinguished by subtle differences in cooking techniques and ingredients. Some refer to plov as pilaf, the broader international term for the dish, while in Azerbaijan and across Central Asia, it’s locally known as ash or osh, respectively.