Qabili Palau Recipe (Afghan Rice with Lamb, Carrots and Raisins)

By moninikole

Ingredients

• 3 cups Afghan rice (Ahu Barah brand)
• 1 1/2 lb chopped lamb, approximately 10 pieces
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
• 5 tsp. salt
• 1 bag shredded carrots
• 1 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 12 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• Garlic to taste, chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse the rice three times, soak in warm water, and then set aside for at least 45 minutes.
In a medium dish, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic, and sauté for around two minutes. Add 1/4 of teaspoon turmeric and salt to taste. Then, add the lamb and continue to stir until brown on each side. Add the 3/4 of water and cover the dish. Cook until the meat is thoroughly brown—this should be in around 20 minutes.
In a separate skillet, add oil to a medium heat. Add carrots and stir fry until slightly browned. Once you have finished frying all the carrots, fry the raisins until they begin to fluff. Set the carrots and raisins aside separately, and sprinkle with a little bit of cardamon powder.
Once the lamb meat has thoroughly cooked, remove the meat from the broth and set aside. Then, add the four spices (cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper) to the broth.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil (around ten cups). Add the basmati rice and cook until it is tender enough to be broken between your fingertips (be careful, though, it'll be hot!) but still feels firm. Then, strain the rice and place in a large baking dish.
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Add the broth from the lamb to the rice and mix gently, making sure that you don't break the rice. Bake for around 20 minutes. Once the rice has cooked, turn the oven to the lowest degree to keep warm until ready to serve. Sprinkle a little bit more of the four spices (cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and black pepper) if desired. Place the lamb meat, carrots, and raisins on the corners of the dish surrounding the rice to keep warm.