Qabili Pilau Recipes

AFGHANI KABLI PULAO

Steps:

• Soak the rice in cool water for 5 minutes. Rinse until water runs clear.
• Place 4 cardamom pods on a cutting board and lightly crush using the flat side of a knife; transfer to a pressure cooker. Add halved onion, garlic head, 4 cloves, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin seed, salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, paprika, and coriander seeds. Pour in water to cover.
• Seal pressure cooker lid and turn heat to high. Cook until pressure cooker whistles once, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Wait for 2 more whistles, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes.
• Strain broth into a bowl. Clean out the pressure cooker and heat it over medium heat. Add oil and chopped onion; cook and stir until softened and browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add carrots; cook until soft, about 3 minutes more. Add raisins, almonds, and strained rice. Add remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seed, and remaining clove.
• Crush remaining cardamom seed to a powder and add to the pressure cooker. Mix to combine; pour in enough broth to cover the rice.
• Increase heat to high and seal the pressure cooker. Cook until the first whistle, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Let rest for 7 minutes; release the pressure naturally, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked rice to a serving dish immediately to prevent overcooking.

QABILI PILAU

Steps:

• Brown 1 medium diced onion in oil. Fry until the onion is fairly dark. Add 1 lb lamb cut into 1"-2" cubes and brown lightly.
• Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoons Salt and 1 to 1 ½ tsp each (cinnamon, ground cumin and ground cardamom) Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about an hour.
• Remove meat from the juice and set juice aside. Cut 3 carrots into match stick size pieces. Sauté carrots and 1 tsp sugar in about 1/4 cup of oil. Cook until they are lightly browned. Remove from oil Add 1 cup of raisins (I prefer golden sultanas) to the oil and cook until they swell up.
• Boil the meat juice and add 2 cups basmati (very long grained) rice, 1 ½ tsp salt and enough boiling water to come 2 inches over the rice. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not mushy.
• Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together. Place in a large oven-proof casserole, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about a half hour--or up to an hour. To serve--place on platter, making sure the carrots and raisins show on top.