Actually I made this for the first time last night and I am going to walk you through the process on how to make this yummy pulao. Afghani food is very nice and flavorful witout the use of too many chilies. This is eaten from Peshawar, Pakistan all the way up in to all over Afghanistan.
I boiled 1 kg or lb of chicken that you see in the picture. If you want you can also use the same amount for goat, beef, lamb and veal. Just to get a decent stock make sure the skin and the bones are in the chicken. For the lamb and goat it has to be on the bone also and for veal and beef it doesn’t matter or 1 whole Cornish hen which gets braised on stovetop on low for 1 hour to hour and a half.
While meat is cooking start your prep work 1 half bag of baby carrots or 4 big carrots cleaned and julienned. Cut each carrot in half first and then slice the half of each carrot lengthwise. they should look like match sticks. Cut 1 onion or shallot in to half moon slices. Rinse 1 cup of basmati rice until the water is clear and set aside.
Along with the meat of choice in a pot you would also need 1 qt or 1 liter of water. When this is boiling add 3 pinches of pink salt or 1 bullion cube, 3 dashes of maggi or knorr aroma. In mortar and pestle add 2 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 pinch each of black peppercorns, cumin seeds to grind in to a coarse powder and add to the boiling meat. add 1 tiny pinch of saffron, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 small piece of ginger washed, peeled and crushed in mortar and pestle and added to pot of boiling meat. Easy does it on the saffron because it is expensive, Cook this for 30 minutes or until done. For beef, veal, lamb, and goat it is up to 60 minutes with the flame on low.
Check your meat to see if it is done and make sure it is still in tact and remove the pieces of meat on to a plate or a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to a wok or cast iron skillet and let it get hot. Add the onion or shallot and fry until it is golden then with a skimmer take the fried onion and add it to the broth. Add the washed basmati rice and gently add it in to the broth. Add 2 handfuls of raisins in with the boiling rice. Turn flame down from high to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, add 1/4 cup of olive oil, fry the meat a little to give it a little and place it back on a plate or a bowl. Add the julienned carrots and 1 handful of raisins and cook until the carrots are a little soft and add 1/4 cup of agave nectar in the carrot oil and raisins.
Check rice to see if it is cooked and if there is no stock left behind. If there is a tiny bit then there is no problem the main thing is the rice is tender and not overcooked and mushy. Add the carrot mixture first and gently fold in with the rice. Lay the pieces of cooked meat on top of the rice mixture and sprinkle 1 pinch each of paprika and mint all over the place and place the lid back on top for another 20 minutes.
Serve with plain desi yogurt. This is a yummy dish sure to please the whole entire family. Enjoy.
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