Afghan Qabili Pilau (Kabuli Pulao/Pulav/Palao/Pilaf)

Hi, I have arrived again. Knowing that people hardly read my blog, my love for food keeps me pulling back to my blog.  So here I am again, with yet another phenomenon in food.

Qabili Pilau

Today I am set to cook "Qabili Pilau". Does it sound Familiar to you guys? Yes it does indeed because "Qabili Pilau" has turned into “KABULI PULAV” india.

It would not have mattered to me much if we have not changed the recipe of this dish. However we did. We started adding chilly and chillier and more chilly to level it to our famous spicy Indian palate. And the result- “Qabili Pilau” got lost in transition and became Spicy Kabuli Pulav.

I am going to take you guys to Afghanistan and gonna cook the authentic Qabili Pilau that could be described as Afghanistan's National Dish. Ideally it’s served with Qorma (not Korma) or vegetable dish but it can be served on its own as a meal.

Ingredients

4 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Big Onion, diced
900 Grams Lamb
4 tsp. Char Masala (*Afghani Garam Masala, {read the footnote})
Salt and pepper
2 Carrots
100 gm. Raisins
500 gm. Basmati rice
1/2 Tsp. Saffron 

 

Method 
Rinse the Basmati Rice several times in cold water until it remains clear. Add fresh water and leave the rice to soak for at least 30 mins, preferably longer.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot (I use pressure cooker) and fry the onions until golden brown. Remove it from the oil and Add lamb with salt and pepper. Brown well on all sides in the oil. Add water. Mix well, cover and cook on a slow flame until the lamb is tender. Grind the fried onion to a pulp, add them in a meat broth and stir well. Keep it in a warm place

Raisins and Carrots

while the meat is cooking, wash and peel the carrots and cut into pieces the size of matchsticks. Fry them in olive oil until they become soft.  If they are really tough add some eater but make sure all the water should evaporate. After they become soft, remove from oil. Add raisins to the oil and fry until they swell up. Remove from the oil and set aside.

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Parboil for 2-3 minutes before draining the rice in a large sieve. 

Put the rice in a large casserole and sprinkle with char masala and saffron.

Take the meat stock and pour it over the rice a stir only once. Then place the meat on the side of the casserole and the carrots and raisins on the other. Cover with tightly fitting lid and place it in a preheated oven at 300 F for about 35 mins or leave it tightly covered pan on the top of the stove for the same length of time.

To serve remove the carrots and raisin and set to one side. Remove the meat and set to one side. Take about quarter of the rice and put on a large dish. Top with the meat, then cover with he remaining rice. Garnish the top of the rice with raisins and carrots. 

*Char Masala

Char Masala

A similar concept to gram masala of India and the five spices of china. Four mainly combined spices are cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and black cardamom seeds. 

TOP TIP

Use Lamb if you cannot get it then settle for Goat but never use chicken

make your own char masala