Kabuli pulao
قابلی پلاو
Lamb or beef under spiced rice, carrots and raisins — Afghanistan's celebration pilaf.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: قابلی پلاو.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Kabuli (Qabili) pulao is the Afghan banquet rice: meat simmered, rice cooked in the broth with cumin and cardamom, topped with julienned carrots and raisins fried in oil or ghee, and often almonds or pistachios. The rice should be long, separate, and stained gold. It is Friday and wedding food. Simmer lamb or beef until tender; keep the broth. Parboil long-grain rice, then finish it in the seasoned broth with cumin and cardamom so the grains stay separate and take on a gold tint from oil or a pinch of colouring if your house uses it. Fry julienned carrots and raisins in ghee or oil until the carrot softens and the raisins swell. Almonds or pistachios on top. The rice should not be sticky. The meat sits in or under the pile.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Brown lamb and onion in ghee. Add water, salt, cumin, cardamom. Simmer 60 minutes until tender. Lift the meat.
70 minStep 2
Fry carrots in ghee until sweet, add raisins 1 minute. Parboil rice 5 minutes, then finish in the lamb broth, covered, 15 minutes.
25 minStep 3
Pile rice, nestle meat, crown with carrots, raisins and almonds. Rest 10.
10 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 October.
Substitutions
Lamb → Beef chuck
Common. Same pot.
Tips
- A pinch of sugar on the carrots helps them glaze.
- Do not stir the finished rice.
History & culture
The national celebration plate. Every house has a carrot-to-raisin ratio. Serve with a simple salad and yoghurt. Afghan banquet and Friday rice. Every house has a carrot-to-raisin ratio and a nut policy. Serve with a simple salad and yoghurt. It is wedding food and guest food. A home pot will be smaller than a catering tray and should still smell of cumin and caramelised carrot.
Central Asian pilaf meeting Afghan carrots and raisins. Kabul in the name is geography and prestige. Central Asian pilaf meeting Afghan sweet carrot and raisin garnish. Kabul in the name is geography and prestige, not a claim that only Kabul cooks it. You are making broth-cooked rice with a fried garnish. That is qabili / kabuli pulao, not a generic biryani and not a sweet rice pudding.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Kabuli pulao take?
1 hr 55 min all in — 25 min prep, 1 hr 30 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Tree nuts. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free.
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Lamb → Beef chuck. Common. Same pot.
Any tips from this recipe?
A pinch of sugar on the carrots helps them glaze. Do not stir the finished rice.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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