Kabuli Pulao Afghan Lamb Or Chicken Rice Pilaf Recipes

KABULI PULAO (SPICED LAMB PILAF)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbps ghee or olive oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan.
• Add 2 chopped yellow onions and fry over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until translucent and golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Add 1 lb 2 oz cubed boneless lamb to the pan with the remaining ghee and fry over high heat until browned, stirring often. Sprinkle with spices (1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper) and 1 tsp of salt.
• Stir over heat for 1 minute, add 1 1/2 cups water, then return onion to the pan. Cover and simmer for one hour.
• While the meat is cooking, add 1/4 cup ghee to a frying pan and lightly brown/toast 1/3 cup sliced almonds. Remove from pan, leaving ghee behind.
• Add 1 1/2 cups carrots to the frying pan and fry over medium heat until lightly colored, stirring often.
• Add 1 cup raisins and continue to fry, stirring until raisins become plump. Sprinkle carrot and raisin mixture with 2 tsp granulated sugar and set aside.
• Wash and strain rice. Bring 6 cups water(1.5 litres, 51 oz) to a boil with 1 tbsp salt. Add rice, return to a boil, and boil for 6 minutes. Strain.
• Remove the cooked lamb and 1/2 cup (4 fl oz. or 125 ml) of liquid. Stir the rice and the remaining 1 tsp salt into the juices still remaining in the pan.
• Make 3 or 4 holes in the rice with the end of a wooden spoon. Place lamb mixture over half of rice and carrots/raisin mixture over the other half of rice. Pour reserved meat juices over the top.
• Place two paper towels over pan and cover tightly with a lid. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes more. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.
• Pile the lamb into the center of a platter and top with carrots and raisin mixture. Fluff up rice grains with a fork and mound the rice around the meat in the middle. Sprinkle with reserved almonds and serve.

AFGHANI KABLI PULAO

Steps:

• Soak the rice in cool water for 5 minutes. Rinse until water runs clear.
• Place 4 cardamom pods on a cutting board and lightly crush using the flat side of a knife; transfer to a pressure cooker. Add halved onion, garlic head, 4 cloves, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin seed, salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, paprika, and coriander seeds. Pour in water to cover.
• Seal pressure cooker lid and turn heat to high. Cook until pressure cooker whistles once, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Wait for 2 more whistles, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes.
• Strain broth into a bowl. Clean out the pressure cooker and heat it over medium heat. Add oil and chopped onion; cook and stir until softened and browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add carrots; cook until soft, about 3 minutes more. Add raisins, almonds, and strained rice. Add remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seed, and remaining clove.
• Crush remaining cardamom seed to a powder and add to the pressure cooker. Mix to combine; pour in enough broth to cover the rice.
• Increase heat to high and seal the pressure cooker. Cook until the first whistle, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let rest for 7 minutes; release the pressure naturally, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked rice to a serving dish immediately to prevent overcooking.

CHICKEN KABULI PULAO (AFGHANISTAN)

Steps:

• Place chicken pieces, onions and hot water in a large pot.
• Cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
• Add salt to taste.
• Remove chicken, reserving stock & discard cooked onions.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Heat 2 tbs of the butter over medium high heat and fry chicken pieces containing bones, salting as needed.
• Boil a large amount of water with sea salt and cook the rice in it for exactly 8 minutes. Set aside in a pot until ready to assemble.
• Make stock sauce:
• Brown onions in butter and remove from heat.
• Add cardamom cumin, freshly ground black pepper & saffron liquid and mash with onion to form a paste.
• Add about 1/2 pt of the chicken stock; simmer for 5 minutes and taste for seasoning.
• Combine cooked rice, stock sauce as needed (I don't find it became a sauce so I added the onion paste with some broth as needed to finish cooking the rice) and chicken; place in a buttered casserole. Cover.
• Fry carrot matchsticks in 1/2 tbs butter and add dark raisins to them at the very end.
• Sprinkle partially cooked carrot matchsticks and raisins on top of chicken and rice and cover tightly with aluminum foil or cover.
• Place in oven for 35 minutes.
• Chopped toasted pistachios or slivered almonds may be added over the dish just before serving if so wished.
• There most probably will be left over stock that is very good even as a soup on it's own and probably served that way in an Afghani household.
• Enjoy!

KABULI PULAO (AFGHAN LAMB OR CHICKEN RICE PILAF)

Steps:

• Sauté diced onion in oil until soft and just starting to brown. Add lamb (or chicken) cubes and brown lightly. Add 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom and saffron. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove meat from the skillet and set aside. Reserve pan juices (for later use). In same skillet, sauté carrots and sugar in oil until lightly browned. Remove carrots from pan; set aside.
• In same skillet, add sultanas (or raisins) and cook until they begin to swell and pucker.
• Add pan juices to medium saucepan, let come to a boil. Add rice, 1 tsp salt, and enough boiling water to rise 2 inches above the rice level. Let come to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let rice simmer slowly until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender but not mushy.
• If using optional nut garnishes, sauté pistachios or almonds in a small skillet over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until light golden; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together. Place in a large oven-proof baking dish. Cover and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes (or up to an hour).
• To serve, spoon the meat/rice onto a large serving platter. Garnish with pistachios or almonds (if using). Serve immediately while still hot.