Afghan Rice Recipes

Afghan cuisine — Kabuli pulao, mantu, bolani — fragrant, spiced dishes from the crossroads of Asia — brings its own distinctive techniques and seasonings to every ingredient it touches. When Afghan cooks work with rice, they reach for its own regional aromatics, fats and signature spice blends, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are simmering, boiling, steaming and caramelising.

The everyday grain for half the planet — a neutral base that soaks up the flavours around it, from pilafs to fried rice. In this collection it's most often cooked with fine sea salt, ground cardamom, raisins, slivered almonds, carrots and turmeric. The dishes here span afghan classics ready in as little as 30 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.