This ethereal mixture of rice and lamb, redolent of sweet and warming spices, is the national dish of Afghanistan. Kabuli pulao takes its name from Kabul, the capital of that land-locked Central Asian nation.
Kabuli pulao is special occasion food in Afghanistan. “Pulao” is a type of rice dish made with a special, two-stepped cooking process for the rice that is unmatched in yielding separate, fluffy grains with excellent texture.
Ingredients
- Lamb or Beef – 750 Gram, cut in large pieces (lightly salted)
- Beef/Lamb broth – 1 cup
- Basmati rice – 3 cups (500 Gram)
- Onion – 2 large, diced
- Saffron – ½ tsp
- Cumin powder – ½ tbsp
- Salt – 2 tsp
- Carrots – 3, julienned (sliced) thin vertical slices
- Black raisins – 1 cup
- Almonds – ½ cup, blanched
- Pistachios – ½ cup, blanched
- Cooking oil – ½ cup (250 ml)
- Tomato- 3 medium size
- Water – 2½ cups (boiled)
Afghani Pulao Recipe
- Soak rice in water in a bowl and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy large skillet or pressure cooker and fry onions until golden brown. Add meat pieces to the fried onion and cook until light brown on both sides.
- Add saffron and tomatos fry the meat until the oil separates and rises to the top.
- Add water (boiled) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered until meat is tender. Add more water if required.
- In a separate pan, sauté carrots, in a small quantity of oil, add sugar and fry until softened. Remove from pan and keep aside.
- Add a little oil to the pan and sauté raisins until they swell up. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Next fry the almonds and pistachios to a golden brown and set aside.
- When meat is cooked, Lower the heat and add rice, salt and water/beef broth cover the pan (pressure cooker) cook until rice absorb water. once the water dries up to about 70% of its original quantity, then cover the pan (pressure cooker) Let the Pulao stand for about 15-20 minutes on medium/low heat. We call this brewing time.
- When ready to serve, transfer the rice on serving plate, top with meat in the center surrounded by carrots on all sides, sprinkle with raisins and nuts.
Serve hot with salad and appetizers.
