Qabili Palau (Afghan Rice with Lamb, Carrots and Raisins)

About This Recipe

Qabili Palau (also spelled Kabuli Pulao) is universally considered the national dish of Afghanistan and is served at weddings, Eid celebrations, and to honoured guests. The dish is a masterclass in Afghan cooking philosophy: patience, layering and restraint. The lamb is braised until deeply tender in a spiced broth. Long-grain basmati rice is partially cooked separately, then finished in the sealed pot (dum) over the lamb, so the grains steam in the meat juices without ever getting wet. The top of the rice is decorated with sweet julienned carrots caramelised with sugar and raisins plumped in the same liquid — the sweet-savoury interplay is quintessentially Central Asian. When the pot is overturned onto a platter, the lamb appears buried under the decorated rice.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 kgbone-in lamb shoulder(cut into large pieces)
• 500 gbasmati rice(soaked in cold water 30 min)
• 2onions(thinly sliced)
• 4carrots(peeled, cut into thin matchsticks)
• 100 graisins
• 3 tbspsugar
• 4 tbspvegetable oil or ghee
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspground cardamom
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 0.5 tspground black pepper
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 800 mlwater or stock
• 2 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown lamb and onions

   In a large heavy pot, heat oil and brown lamb pieces in batches until deeply coloured all over. Remove. Fry sliced onions in the same oil until golden-brown, 15 min.

2. 2

   Braise lamb

   Return lamb. Add cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, salt and water. Bring to a boil, skim foam, then cover and simmer 60–75 min until lamb is very tender.

3. 3

   Make carrot-raisin topping

   Remove lamb from broth and set aside. In a separate pan, cook carrot matchsticks in a little oil 5 min. Add sugar and stir until caramelised. Add raisins and a ladle of lamb broth. Simmer 5 min until carrots are tender and glazed. Set aside.

4. 4

   Par-cook rice

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain soaked rice and boil 6 min — rice should be 70% cooked, still with a bite. Drain immediately.

   Under-cooking the rice before dum is intentional — it finishes in the sealed pot and the grains stay separate and fluffy.

5. 5

   Dum (seal and steam)

   In the pot with the lamb broth (about 200ml remaining), layer the lamb pieces. Mound the par-cooked rice over the lamb. Scatter carrot-raisin topping over the rice. Poke 4–5 holes through the rice to the bottom with a wooden spoon handle. Wrap the pot lid in a clean tea towel, seal tightly. Cook over the lowest possible heat for 30 min.

6. 6

   Unmould and serve

   Invert a large serving platter over the pot. Quickly flip so the rice mounds onto the platter with the lamb underneath and the carrot-raisin decoration on top. Serve with a simple tomato-onion salad and yogurt.

Variations

• •

  Chicken Qabili: substitute bone-in chicken thighs, reduce braise to 40 min

• •

  Add slivered almonds and pistachios to the carrot-raisin topping for a more celebratory presentation

• •

  Some regional versions add whole spices (cloves, cardamom pods) to the rice layer

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten the day it is made. Leftovers reheat well in a pan with a splash of water, covered, on low heat. Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions