Category Archive

Afghan dishes are rich in calories and perfectly suited to the dry and cold weather of this rugged terrain. Kabuli Pulao is the national dish of Afghanistan and is very popular in south Asia and throughout the Middle East.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon butter
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cups basmati rice
3 cups mutton broth (or vegetable broth if preferred)
2 1/2 pounds cubed lamb meat
2 teaspoons whole cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom pods
2″ cinnamon piece
1/4 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Salt to taste
5 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

Melt the butter in a skillet. Sauté the carrots and raisins until the carrot is soft, then set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the same skillet and fry the onions until translucent.

Add rice and mutton (or vegetable) broth and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is partially cooked.

In a separate pan, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil and fry the cumin, cardamom, cinammon, and peppercorns, then add lamb pieces. Add salt to taste and cook for 5-6 minutes.

In a greased baking dish, arrange the lamb pieces in the center and cover with partially cooked rice. Sprinkle the cooked carrots and raisins on top.

Preheat an oven on 250 degrees F. and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve hot in a large flat dish.

Heat scale: mild

Chicken is not an everyday dish in Afghanistan, as few are raised, and they are only served at very special meals. Parts can be used, or an entire chicken.

Ingredients

2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, stems removed, sliced into rings
4 pounds chicken, cut up
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups cooked rice
2 medium onions, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon shortening
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 medium carrots, cooked and thinly sliced
4 ounces seedless raisins

Instructions

Place the chicken and chopped onion a large pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least an hour, until tender. Remove the chicken, allow it to cool, strain, and reserve the stock. Remove the meat from the bones and use only the larger pieces.

To prepare the sauce, brown the sliced onions in the shortening, remove from heat, then add the cardamom, cumin, and chile, and mash with the onions to form a puree. Add about 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Combine the rice, stock sauce and chicken.  Place in a greased casserole, put the carrots on top in a pattern, then spread the raisins over the top.  Cover and cook in a moderate oven, 325 degrees F., for about 30 minutes. If the dish looks dry, add more stock. When finished, gently mix the carrots and raisins with the rice and chicken.

Heat scale: medium