Qabeli Palaw

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Qabeli Palaw (aka Kabuli Pulao) is considered to be the national dish of Afghanistan. It is a variety of pilaf (a type of rice) which is a festive and important dish due to the prize and quality of the ingredients and it is placed in the center of the meal with other foods making the rest of the perimeter. Unmistakable in its appereance with its glistening carrots and large chunks of lamb, Qabeli Palaw is an unforgettable dish for me. This recipe inspired me to try this out and it tasted delicious.

Ingredients:
*Stock (Yakhni)
•1 kg mutton, bone in
•2 cloves garlic
•1 onion(sliced)
•Salt

*Rice(Palaw)
•3 glasses of rice , soaked in room temperature water for 2 hours before cooking.
•Char masala(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 of nuts(almonds and pistachios) soaked in boiling water or 10 minutes and then blanched and silvered
•Sugar
•oil

Instructions:
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. Use a pressure cooker and cook the meat for 30 minutes.
2.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 the pistachios afterwards and mix.
3. Remove the carrots mixture from the pan into a bowl, add 2 tbsp. of sugar, and mix all.
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.
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).
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 caramelized sugar is dissolved with the water.

Akshaya Jeyakumar, 12-D, Indian Community School Kuwait, Senior