Kabuli Pulao is a variety of pulao made in Afghanistan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. It is a variety of Pulao that a person would at least try one time in his/her entire life. It consists of steamed rice mixed with raisins, carrots, and beef or lamb.
There exist different variations depending on the region.
Kabuli Pulao is an Afghan rice dish made by cooking lamb with a delightful blend of spices. The lamb is then piled high on the rice and served with carrots, raisins, and toasted almonds. So, let’s explore Kabuli Pulao: Taste, ingredients & much more. Here you go!
ORIGINS:
Kabuli Pulao is commonly served at weddings and celebrations in Afghanistan and now it is also common in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and also in my city Dera Ismail Khan.
Many say that the dish began in the Upper-Class families of Afghanistan who could afford to add delicacies such as raisins and nuts to their meals.
Over time, however, this dish has become more commonplace, and it is now considered the national dish of Afghanistan.
But not only in Afghanistan, but this dish is also very famous in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some parts of Balochistan.
JOKE ABOUT KABULI PULAO:
There is a joke in Afghanistan that a woman cannot get married unless she has perfected her Kabuli Pulao recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
- The Ingredients of Kabuli Pulao included rice which is necessary for Pulao,
- a Lamb which is very essential and
- also some fatty pieces of meat because the original taste of Kabuli Pula is due to that fatty pieces of meat.
The others included Garam Masala, Carrots, and then most important raisins.
RECIPE:
For making the Kabuli Pulao, first sauteed onions in a pan with a wooden utensil and with 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan and then fry over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the onion’s color becomes translucent and golden brown.
Then add the lamb to the pan with the remaining ghee and fry over high heat until browned, stirring often. Sprinkle with spices and 1 tsp of salt. After that, stir over heat for 1 minute, add 1 ½ cups water, then return the onion to the pan. Cover and simmer for one hour.
While the meat is cooking, add ¼ cup ghee to a frying pan and lightly brown/toast sliced almonds. Remove from pan, leaving ghee behind.
Afterward, add carrots to the frying pan and fry over medium heat until lightly colored, stirring often.
Now, add raisins and continue to fry, stirring until the raisins become plump. Sprinkle carrot and raisin mixture with sugar and set aside.
After doing these, wash and strain the rice. Bring 6 cups (1.5 litres, 51 oz) of water to a boil with 1 tbsp salt. Add rice, return to a boil, and boil for 6 minutes.
Now, remove the cooked lamb and ½ 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 the rice and carrots/raisin mixture over the other half of the rice. Pour reserved meat juices over the top.
Place two paper towels over the 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 which we call “dum”.
SERVING:
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.
BONUS TIPS:
Let’s explore some bonus tips about Kabuli Pulao:
1. Sometimes I wish that it had more meat so feel free to use another pound of meat for a higher meat-to-rice ratio because it will be tastier when the meat is more.
2. To serve, cover the meat with another layer of rice on top so that you can’t see it from the serving platter before serving.
3. Serve this with Boolawnee as an appetizer and Halwau-E Aurd-E Sujee as dessert.
