If you can say one thing about Tajik culture, it’s that people prioritise making time for others. Walk through a city and people are sitting on benches, chatting and relaxing. Show up at a stranger’s door and your hosts will welcome you with not only warm smiles but also a table laden with food and endless amounts of tea.

“In many big, industrial cities in Europe, people are so busy that they have no time for sharing anything – time, food or even just talking with each other,” said Munira Shahidi, a Tajik professor in Dushanbe who has lived in the UK. “They’re always running from place to place. We’re saying you can be very busy, but you should not forget to share your time and space with others.”

No dish is a better example of this generosity of spirit than oshi palav (pronounced ‘peel-OW’), often anglicised as ‘rice pilaf’. A slow-cooked mix of rice, vegetables and usually meat, oshi palav holds a special place in Tajik culture. It’s the main dish at celebrations and festivals, and ‘osh’, as it often is called, is said to bring families together, secure friendships, solve arguments – and may even have helped end civil war.