Quabuli Pulao | Kabuli Pulao – National Dish of Afghanistan (Vegetarian)

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Quabuli Pulao | Kabuli Pulao – National Dish of Afghanistan (Vegetarian)

Kabuli Pulao is usually made with steamed rice, topped with the rich gravy. I made the Quabuli Pulao using vegetables, chickpeas, sweet carrots and raisins.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time2

Course: Entree, One Pot Meal, Rice Dishes

Cuisine: Afghan, Asian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 878kcal

Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

pan
bowl
Oven
spatula

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati Rice
2 large Onions Chopped
2 cups Cauliflower Florets
2 small Potato Chopped into ½ inch piece
2 large Carrots 3 medium cut into very thin sticks
½ cup Raisins Preferably black raisins
1-14 oz Chick peas Or 1 cup of presoaked and cooked beans
1 teaspoon Red chili powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala
½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
to taste Salt
1 tablespoon Sugar
6 tablespoon Oil Divided
assorted Assorted nuts Cashews, almonds and pista – ¼ cup
¼ teaspoon Saffron Soaked in 3 tablespoon hot water

Instructions

Wash and soak the rice in cold water for about 30 minutes. In a large pot, boil about 8-10 cups of water. Add enough salt to the water and then part cook the soaked rice for about 8 minutes. The rice would be cooked ¾th and at this stage drain it a colander and let it sit.
In a medium pan, heat about 2 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions until they are dark brown. Drain from the oil and let it cool a bit. Then grind it into a smooth paste adding little water.
In the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil and then fry the raisins until they plump up and start changing color. Drain and keep it in a bowl.
In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon more oil and fry the nuts that you are using. Drain and keep it in a separate bowl.
One last time, in the same pan, add 1 more tablespoon of oil and then fry the carrots with the sugar until they are cooked and appear glazy. Drain it in the same bowl as the raisins.
In the same pan, we will be now making the vegetable gravy. For this add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the cauliflower and potato for 8-10 minutes.
Then add the ground onion paste and the chick peas along with 1 cup of water. Now add the rest of the dry masala powders (turmeric powder, red chili powder and the garam masala) along with the salt needed for the gravy and let it cook until the vegetables are ¾th done.

ASSEMBLY –

Grease a large baking tray (9 x 13) and layer the bottom with the rice. Add the saffron water evenly on top of the rice and mix it gently.
Now add the gravy from the vegetable mixture on to the rice and mix it gently to combine (pic 2 in the collage)
Next layer the vegetables and the chickpeas mixture evenly over the rice.
Top it off with the sweet carrots and raisins.
Cover the dish with an aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 20 -30 minutes. This allows the flavors to combine and the rice and the vegetables to cook entirely.
Garnish with the fried nuts and serve hot! When serving make sure that you dig all the way to the bottom of the pan and take the vegetables and rice evenly.

Nutrition