Qabuli Palaw (Afghanistan)

Name: Qabuli Palaw (Afghanistan)
Cook time: PTM
Yield: Feeds 4 serving(s)

Feeds 4

Qabuli Palaw is a delicious and vibrant Afghan rice dish that highlights the country’s rich culinary traditions. Often seen as Afghanistan’s national dish, it’s made with perfectly cooked long-grain basmati rice and topped with tender pieces of meat—usually lamb or chicken.
A big thank you to Elaaha from Afghanaidhq! Food plays a vital role in every culture, and right now, Afghanistan is facing a severe food shortage. Visit their website to learn more about how you can support their efforts!

Stock (Yakhni)

1kg mutton, bone in

2 cloves garlic

1 onion (sliced)

Salt

Rice (Palaw)

3 glasses of Sella rice, soaked in room temperature water for 2 hours before cooking

Char Masla (a blend of cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and cumin)

Oil and salt

Carrot topping

4 medium sized carrots, julienne cut

1 big handful red raisins

1 big handful nuts (I use almonds and pistachios) soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and then blanched and slivered.

Sugar

Step 1

Add all the ingredients for the Stock (Yakhni) to a pot and cover with enough water to submerge all the meat. Bring to a boil and then cover until the meat is tender. I use a pressure cooker and cook the meat for 30 minutes.

Step 2

In the meantime, heat 3-4 tbsp. of oil in a pan and add the carrots. Fry them on medium heat for around 5 minutes. Add the raisins to the pan and mix with carrots but turn off the heat quickly. Add the almonds and pistachios afterwards and mix.

Step 3

Remove the carrots mixture from the pan into a bowl, add 2 tbsp. of sugar, and mix all.

Step 4

Boil water in a heavy based pot, add the rice, and briefly stir to make sure it does not stick together. Check after 3-4 minutes, and if the rice corns are soft on the outside and still firm inside, it means the rice is pre-cooked. Turn off the heat and drain the rice in a colander. Add the rice back to the pot.

Step 5

In another pot, bring 2 glasses of water to boil, and add the oil which was used for frying the carrots. I also add a few tbsp. of the stock (Yakhni).

Step 6

Fry 2 tbsp. of sugar with 1 tbsp. of oil in another pan, until it turns dark brown. Take it off the heat, and let it cool down for 5 minutes. Then, add 0.5 glass of water, turn the heat back on until the caramelised sugar is dissolved with the water.

Step 7

Add the caramelised sugar mixture to the pan in step 5 (the mixture of water and oil) and add 1 tbsp. of salt. Then, pour this liquid on rice. The rice should not be submerged because you should be able to poke four or five holes through to the bottom of the pot using the handle of a spoon. Then, pour Char Masala into those holes.

Step 8

Top the rice with the meat from Yakhni and the carrots mixture. Meat and the carrot mixture should not be layered but placed next to each other.

Step 9

Set the pot over high heat, cover it, and let it cook until the water evaporates.

Step 10

Now, cover the top of the pot with a towel, and put a tight-fitting lid on top of it. This keeps condensed steam from dripping back onto the rice. Then let it cook on very low heat for 15 minutes.

Step 11

Remove the pot from the heat, and let it rest for an additional 15 minutes.

Step 12

After that, remove the meat and carrot mixture form the pot, and put them in separate plates.

Step 13

Gently mix the rice using a wooden spoon so it mixes with Char Masala.

Step 14

Spread the rice on a large serving dish, add a layer of meat, then cover it back with another layer of rice. Finally, garnish with the mixture of carrots, raisins, almonds and pistachios!