Afghani Pulao or Kabuli Pulao

Kabuli Pulao is commonly served at weddings and celebrations in Afghanistan. It is also called the national dish of Afghanistan.

The crown of Afghan cuisine, Kabuli pulao is often said to have been originally created by the upper-class families of Kabul who could afford to prepare this elaborate meat and rice dish. Over time, pulao had spread across the country and changed its name to qabili pulao, derived from the Dari word qabil, meaning capable or able, as it was considered that only a truly skilled chef could make a good Afghan-style pilaf.

Moreover, an Afghan woman's marriage prospects are said to depend on her ability to make qabili palau. This national dish traditionally consists of steamed long-grained rice mixed with caramelized carrots, raisins, almonds, and chunks of lamb meat, although chicken and beef are also often used.

Its unique flavor comes from char masala, a mixture of spices like cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper.

Once a plate of Kabuli Pulao arrives on a table, diners are often taken aback by the rich aroma and vibrant colors. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but a delicious combination of sweet and savory, soft and crunchy. It is a unique, wholesome and very flavorful version of its parent dish, the humble Pulao or Pilaf in some parts of the world.

Researchers believe that carrots, grapes and dried fruits have been indigenous to the Pashtun belt for over 5000 years. Therefore, it is likely that tribal chiefs had incorporated these ingredients into their traditional dish of meat and rice, to add more sophistication. When Mughal emperor Babur, a connoisseur of Pulao and kebabs, conquered what is now the Indian Subcontinent, he famously complained about the region’s lack of good meat and fruit. To him, meat, dry fruits and flavored rice were the pinnacle of superior food, meant for royalty.

As the people in the Afghan, KP belt became wealthier and food became cheaper, the dish was no longer only meant for the elite. It became an important part of households and community, particularly during times of celebration. Many children grow up with fond memories of eating Pulao with family and friends, whereas many young brides prove their mettle by cooking this dish for their in-laws. It is the centerpiece of every gathering, and any other dish is only present to supplement the Pulao’s flavor.

The four key components of Kabuli Pulao remain the meat, the rice, the broth and the embellishments. While the recipe is straightforward, it takes a considerable amount of skill and patience to combine the correct portions of ingredients, and to slowly let the flavor seep into the original components.

As a vegetarian, I could not eat the authentic version with red meat, so here I made a vegetarian version of it with chickpeas and nutri nuggets. I'm satisfied by its taste and surely it can be a showstopper of any Lunch or Dinner party!

Ingredients:

1- Basmati rice-1 cup (soaked in water for 2 hours)

2- Boiled chickpeas-1/2 cup

3- Nutri nuggets or soya chunks- 16 soaked in water

4- Sliced onion-1 small

5- Onion garlic paste-1/2 cup

6- Carrots matchstick cut-1 cup

7- Dry fruits or nuts- 1/2 cup ( I took cashew, silvered almonds, pistachio aand few raisins)

8- Desi ghee-2 tbsp.

9- Coriander leaves

10- Sliced tomato-5 pieces

11- Red chilli powder- 1 tsp.

12- Coriander powder- 1 tsp.

13- salt

14- Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp.

15- Whole spices for tadka- 2 black cardamom, 4 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 6 blackpeppercorns, 1/2 blade mace, 1" stick cinnamon, bay leaves 2, 1 tsp. black cumin

16- oil- 5 tbsp.

17- Water- 1 & 1/2 cups if cooking in open pot or 1 cup if cooking in pressure cooker

Method:

* Heat ghee in a pot or pan, I cooked in wide pot, fry all the nuts till light pink, keep aside.

* Now add matchstick carrots and add 1 tsp. sugar and fry, I was using orange colored carrots as red is not available here, so I also added red sweet peppers and as these are already sweet, I did not add any sugar.

* Fry them and keep aside.

* Now add rest of the oil into ghee and throw bay leaves.

* Add all the whole spices and then add sliced onion.

* When light brown, add onion garlic paste and powdered spices and salt.

* Cook till oil is separated.

* Add squeezed nuggets and stir.

* Now add boiled chick peas or kabuli chana.

* Add chopped coriander leaves and sliced tomatoes and at this point, add water if you are cooking in open pot like me, otherwise add rice and water together and cook till 1 whistle.

* I added 2 cups of water and covered the lid till it boiled.

* Added rice, stirred and covered the lid along with cloth and cooked for 10 minutes on medium flame.

* Turned off the heat and opened the lid after 5 minutes, spread the toppings of fried nuts, carrots and peppers and closed the lid again.

* Served after 5 minutes.

Turned out so yum!