Kabuli Pulao is an Afghan rice dish made by cooking lamb with a delightful blend of spices. The lamb is then piled high on the rice and served with carrots, raisins, and toasted almonds.
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When I tell you that this is one of the very best recipes on The Foreign Fork and also one of my favorite dishes in the entire world, I’m not lying. This meal is delicious and my family still talks about it about once a week.
It’s certainly a time-consuming dish, but I promise it is so worth the effort.
Recipe Origins
Kabuli Pulao is commonly served at weddings and celebrations in Afghanistan.
Many say that the dish began in the Upper Class families of Afghanistan who could afford to add delicacies such as raisins and nuts to their meals. Over time, however, this dish has become more commonplace, and it is now considered the national dish of Afghanistan.
There is a joke in Afghanistan that a woman cannot get married unless she has perfected her Kabuli Pulao recipe. Don’t worry, readers. After making this dish, you’ll be the perfect marriage prospect for any partner 😉
Why Make this Recipe
- Delicious: As I said above, this is one of the BEST dishes in the world… I truly, truly mean that. Try experimenting with it at home!
- “Travel” to Afghanistan: Afghanistan has kind people, interesting culture, and delicious food. But unfortunately, it is a difficult time to visit or experience the country at all. For now, I’m going to have to settle for cooking Afghan food at home.
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Lamb: Lamb can be tough to find. Try calling ahead to your local middle eastern store to see if they carry it. I also put in a call to my local butcher, and they were able to debone a lamb leg for me and turn it into cubed pieces, which worked perfectly.
- Garam Masala: You can buy this spice blend at the store in your spice aisle or make it at home.
- Carrots: I cheat and buy a pack of matchstick-cut carrots. You can cut them by hand if you prefer, but using the store bought bag cuts SO much time off of the recipe.
- Raisins: I would recommend normal-sized raisins as opposed to jumbo.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Onion
Heat 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan.
Add the onion and fry over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until translucent and golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Lamb
Add the lamb to the pan with the remaining ghee and fry over high heat until browned, stirring often. Sprinkle with spices and 1 tsp of salt.
Stir over heat for 1 minute, add 1 ½ cups water, then return onion to the pan. Cover and simmer for one hour.
Step 3: Prep the Toppings
While the meat is cooking, add ¼ cup ghee to a frying pan and lightly brown/toast sliced almonds. Remove from pan, leaving ghee behind.
Add carrots to the frying pan and fry over medium heat until lightly colored, stirring often.
Add raisins and continue to fry, stirring until raisins become plump. Sprinkle carrot and raisin mixture with sugar and set aside.
Step 4: Cook the Rice
Wash and strain the rice. Bring 6 cups (1.5 litres, 51 oz) of water to a boil with 1 tbsp salt. Add rice, return to a boil, and boil for 6 minutes. Strain.
Step 5: Steam and Combine
Remove the cooked lamb and ½ cup (4 fl oz. or 125 ml) of liquid. Stir the rice and the remaining 1 tsp salt into the juices still remaining in the pan.
Make 3 or 4 holes in the rice with the end of a wooden spoon. Place lamb mixture over half of rice and carrots/raisin mixture over the other half of rice. Pour reserved meat juices over the top.
Place two paper towels over the pan and cover tightly with a lid. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes more. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy
Pile the lamb into the center of a platter and top with carrots and raisin mixture. Fluff up rice grains with a fork and mound the rice around the meat in the middle. Sprinkle with reserved almonds and serve.
Expert Tips
- I made this recipe according to the recipe instructions, but sometimes I wish that it had more meat. Feel free to use another pound of meat for a higher meat to rice ratio.
- You don’t have to rinse your rice before cooking, but I’d recommend it.
- To serve, you typically pile the meat into the center of the mound of rice. You can even cover it up with another layer of rice on top so that you can’t see it from the serving platter before serving.
- Serve this with Boolawnee as an appetizer and Halwau-E Aurd-E Sujee for dessert.
Recipe FAQs
Many Afghans will tell you that adding raisins and carrots is absolutely paramount to this dish, and I agree! Kabuli Pulao is not Kabuli Pulao without raisins!
The good thing about raisins in this dish is that they camouflage so well into the rice. Instead of sticking out, they complement the dish without calling too much attention to themselves. If you’re on the edge, I’d encourage you to add them.
If you have a picky eater, I’d recommend cooking the raisins and carrots on the side but not adding them to the serving platter. That way, each eater can scoop carrots and rice into their bowls if desired.
Some Afghans will tell you that they don’t eat the raisins when making this dish, so don’t feel TOO bad if you choose not to eat them.
Love raisins in savory dishes? Try this Cuban Picadillo Recipe which also has raisins.
Lamb is definitely the most popular meat choice for this recipe. While I’ll admit that it’s an expensive cut, if you can afford it, I would encourage you to splurge.
The lamb is so tender and delicious when cooked this way, and, in my opinion, it is totally worth the investment!
If you’d prefer a more affordable option, some Kabuli Pulao recipes are made with chicken instead.
You may also see this recipe referred to as Kabuli Pulaw or Qabuli Pulao.
PS: You may not know this, but this was actually the first recipe I EVER made on my site. With all other updated recipes, I remove old photos and the old article, but in this case, I feel like it’s wrong to do so. I want to keep my old work around just so I can see how far I’ve come. For a trip down memory lane, scroll below the recipe card for a silly article and old photos 🙂
Did you like this recipe? Don’t forget to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
- Afghan Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce
- Armenian Rice with Vermicelli
- Muhammar: Sweet Rice from Bahrain
- Algerian Sweet Lamb
- India: History, Background, Culture and Food
If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!
And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.
Kabuli Pulao (Spiced Lamb Pilaf)
Equipment
- Large Saucepan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil , (or 2 oz)
- 2 sweet, yellow onions, chopped
- 1 lb 2 oz boneless lamb, cut into 2 cm cubes, (or 500 grams)
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp salt
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds, not roasted or salted, (or 40 grams or 1 ½ oz)
- 1 ½ cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup seedless raisins, (4 oz or 125 g)
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups basmati rice, (or 14 oz or 400g)
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbps ghee or olive oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan.
- Add 2 chopped yellow onions and fry over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until translucent and golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 lb 2 oz cubed boneless lamb to the pan with the remaining ghee and fry over high heat until browned, stirring often. Sprinkle with spices (½ tsp garam masala, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper) and 1 tsp of salt.
- Stir over heat for 1 minute, add 1 ½ cups water, then return onion to the pan. Cover and simmer for one hour.
- While the meat is cooking, add ¼ cup ghee to a frying pan and lightly brown/toast ⅓ cup sliced almonds. Remove from pan, leaving ghee behind.
- Add 1 ½ cups carrots to the frying pan and fry over medium heat until lightly colored, stirring often.
- Add 1 cup raisins and continue to fry, stirring until raisins become plump. Sprinkle carrot and raisin mixture with 2 tsp granulated sugar and set aside.
- Wash and strain rice. Bring 6 cups water(1.5 litres, 51 oz) to a boil with 1 tbsp salt. Add rice, return to a boil, and boil for 6 minutes. Strain.
- Remove the cooked lamb and ½ cup (4 fl oz. or 125 ml) of liquid. Stir the rice and the remaining 1 tsp salt into the juices still remaining in the pan.
- Make 3 or 4 holes in the rice with the end of a wooden spoon. Place lamb mixture over half of rice and carrots/raisin mixture over the other half of rice. Pour reserved meat juices over the top.
- Place two paper towels over pan and cover tightly with a lid. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes more. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.
- Pile the lamb into the center of a platter and top with carrots and raisin mixture. Fluff up rice grains with a fork and mound the rice around the meat in the middle. Sprinkle with reserved almonds and serve.
Notes
- Lamb: Lamb can be tough to find. Try calling ahead to your local middle eastern store to see if they carry it. I also put in a call to my local butcher, and they were able to debone a lamb leg for me and turn it into cubed pieces, which worked perfectly.
- Garam Masala: You can buy this spice blend at the store in your spice aisle or make it at home.
- Carrots: I cheat and buy a back of matchstick-cut carrots. You can cut them by hand if you prefer, but using the store bought bag cuts SO much time off of the recipe.
- Raisins: I would recommend normal-sized raisins as opposed to jumbo.
- I made this recipe according to the recipe instructions, but sometimes I wish that it had more meat. Feel free to use another pound of meat for a higher meat to rice ratio.
- You don’t have to rinse your rice before cooking, but I’d recommend it.
- To serve, you typically pile the meat into the center of the mound of rice. You can even cover it up with another layer of rice on top so that you can’t see it from the serving platter before serving.
- Serve this with Boolawnee as an appetizer and Halwau-E Aurd-E Sujee for dessert.
Nutrition
I’ve been planning on and dreaming about this kabuli pulao for at least two months, and it did NOT disappoint.
When I conceived the idea for The Foreign Fork, I was in the middle of a 5 month trip to Europe. Taking 13 hour bus rides across Eastern Europe and living in the cheapest hostels you can find on HostelWorld doesn’t really allow for much money/space/time to be cooking 5 course meals from other countries.
But I was still so excited about my idea, so before I went to bed every night, I would plan the menus for my first couple of countries. Would you believe that I’ve been planning on and dreaming about this Kabuli Pulao for at least two months? The thought of putting raisins in my rice was so out of my comfort zone that I couldn’t wait to try it.
It did NOT disappoint.
Lucy Williams says
If you want the lamb to get done quicker, you could use an instant pot or a pressure cooker. Happy cooking 😆
The Foreign Fork says
Great tip, thank you!
Myra says
I made this recipe for a birthday celebration with an Afghan family. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. It is on the sweet side, but I loved it and so did everyone else. I did use chicken as the lamb at the halal market was just too expensive, but the chicken turned out nice too.
The Foreign Fork says
I’m so glad you liked it Myra! Yes it is definitely a sweet rice dish 🙂 I will have to try it with chicken one day! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Kanyi says
Nice job rephotographing the images. My mouth is watering right now 😆
The Foreign Fork says
Thank you!! Glad you like them! <3
D.U. says
Yes. It’s delicious. I make the Buharian version. This is almost identical to Uzbekistan’s plov. The Uzbek dish has no raisins nor cinnamon. And it cooks much faster. I think mine is cooks in about 2 hours. And the meat, onions, and spices go on the bottom, then carrots, and then rice on top. After 20 minutes, the rice is flipped over, spoon full by spoonful, and you check the water level with the wooden spoon. The longest labor is cutting matchstick carrots by hand. However, real Uzbeks use a mandolin slicer these days and large Asian carrots. Instead of paper towels, they use a tea towel to trap in moisture, but you have to wrap it upwards or it would catch fire.
Alexandria Drzazgowski says
Oh this sounds interesting! I would definitely like if this one cooked a little bit faster too; The hardest part about making this recipe is just waiting for it to be done already! Haha. I’m lucky because in my grocery store they sell matchstick carrots pre-cut… But a mandolin slicer is a great work-around as well.