Vegetarian Qaubili Pilauafghanistan Recipes

VEGETARIAN QAUBILI PILAU(AFGHANISTAN)

Steps:

• Fry the onions in about a tbls. of oil(I use olive) until golden brown in a skillet or saucepan. Add the salt and spices (except for the saffron).
• Add the rice, lentils, saffron and 5-5 1/2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer until rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes(lentils will be tender also).
• Just before serving cut the carrots into thin sticks. Saute them in 1-2 teaspoons oil with sugar until tender. Remove from oil and reduce the heat. Add the raisins to the oil and fry until they are swollen. Remove from the oil. Finally add the almonds to the oil(adding a little more if necessary) and brown taking care that they don't burn.
• Serve the rice topped with the almonds, carrots and raisins.

QABILI PILAU

Steps:

• Brown 1 medium diced onion in oil. Fry until the onion is fairly dark. Add 1 lb lamb cut into 1"-2" cubes and brown lightly.
• Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoons Salt and 1 to 1 ½ tsp each (cinnamon, ground cumin and ground cardamom) Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about an hour.
• Remove meat from the juice and set juice aside. Cut 3 carrots into match stick size pieces. Sauté carrots and 1 tsp sugar in about 1/4 cup of oil. Cook until they are lightly browned. Remove from oil Add 1 cup of raisins (I prefer golden sultanas) to the oil and cook until they swell up.
• Boil the meat juice and add 2 cups basmati (very long grained) rice, 1 ½ tsp salt and enough boiling water to come 2 inches over the rice. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not mushy.
• Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together. Place in a large oven-proof casserole, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about a half hour--or up to an hour. To serve--place on platter, making sure the carrots and raisins show on top.