As we begin our endeavor to cook an "authentic" meal from every country in the world, our first challenge is the cuisine of Afghanistan. In our area, the local Islamic Center hosts an annual International Food Festival, and we snagged their cookbook at our last visit, where we found this great Afghani Pulao recipe.
We've never made an effort to differentiate the foods of the Middle-East, so this cookbook has been very helpful in identifying variations of different familiar dishes by country or region. While this pulao recipe is vegetarian, we understand that there are many other varieties that incorporate meats and other ingredients. Be sure to let us know what you think about this one.
Yields1 ServingPrep Time15 minsCook Time1 hrTotal Time1 hr 15 mins
Nutrition Facts
0 servings
Serving size
Ingredients
3cupsBasmati Rice
⅓cupOlive Oil
2Large Onions, Finely Chopped
2Medium Carrots, Grated
½cupRaisins
6cupsWater
1tspCloves (We used whole cloves)
1tspCumin Seeds (We used ground cumin)
1tspBlack Pepper
Salt To Taste
Equipment
Large Stock Pot
Frying Pan/Skillet
Grater
Chef's Knife
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Casserole Dish
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in large pot. Fry chopped onions until light brown. Add water, salt, pepper, cloves and simmer until tender. In a separate pan, cook grated carrots in oil until brown. Add raisins to carrots and fry until plump. Drain and set aside.
2
Parboil rice in water, salt, pepper, and clove mixture (boil until al dente, do not cook completely) and drain. Place rice into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle cumin seeds on top. Layer half the carrot and raisin mixture over the rice. Cover the pan tightly and place in a hot oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the carrot and raisin mixture on top and serve.
Ingredients
Ingredients
3cupsBasmati Rice
⅓cupOlive Oil
2Large Onions, Finely Chopped
2Medium Carrots, Grated
½cupRaisins
6cupsWater
1tspCloves (We used whole cloves)
1tspCumin Seeds (We used ground cumin)
1tspBlack Pepper
Salt To Taste
Equipment
Large Stock Pot
Frying Pan/Skillet
Grater
Chef's Knife
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Casserole Dish
Directions
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in large pot. Fry chopped onions until light brown. Add water, salt, pepper, cloves and simmer until tender. In a separate pan, cook grated carrots in oil until brown. Add raisins to carrots and fry until plump. Drain and set aside.
2
Parboil rice in water, salt, pepper, and clove mixture (boil until al dente, do not cook completely) and drain. Place rice into a large casserole dish. Sprinkle cumin seeds on top. Layer half the carrot and raisin mixture over the rice. Cover the pan tightly and place in a hot oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the carrot and raisin mixture on top and serve.