Kabuli Pulao (Afghani Rice) Recipe
Afghanistan's national dish made easy with a pressure cooker. Tender boneless beef, fragrant basmati rice cooked in a rich meat broth, and topped with caramelized carrots and plump raisins.
Ingredients
- 1 kg boneless beef cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2.5 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes
- 3 cups carrots julienned into thin matchstick strips
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- ¾ cup cooking oil ½ cup for the meat, ¼ cup for carrots and raisins
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- ⅓ cup black raisins chop if large
- 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin powder freshly ground preferred
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp salt or to taste
- 6 to 7 cups water
Instructions
- Pressure cook the beef: Heat ½ cup oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onion until golden brown. Add the beef, whole cumin seeds, and 1 tbsp salt. Fry for about 10 minutes until the moisture from the meat dries up completely. Pour in 6–7 cups of water, seal the lid, and pressure cook for about 20 minutes until the meat is fork-tender.
- Fry the carrots: In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the julienned carrots and 1 tbsp sugar. Sauté for about 5 minutes until glossy and tender-crisp. Remove and set aside.
- Fry the raisins: In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Fry the golden and black raisins over medium heat for about 2 minutes until they plump up and turn glossy. Watch them closely — they burn FAST. Remove and set aside with the carrots.
- Separate the meat from the broth: Open the pressure cooker and lift out the tender meat. Keep the broth (Yakhni) in the pot.
- Cook the rice in the broth: Drain the soaked rice and add it to the hot broth. If the liquid doesn't sit about an inch above the rice, top up with warm water. Taste the broth and adjust salt NOW. Cook uncovered on medium-high heat until most of the water evaporates and small holes form on the surface of the rice.
- Layer, sprinkle cumin, and steam (Dum): Sprinkle 1 tbsp cumin powder evenly over the rice WITHOUT stirring. Arrange the cooked beef, fried carrots, and fried raisins on top. Cover the pot tightly — use foil or a kitchen towel to seal if the lid is loose. Steam on the lowest heat for 10 minutes. DO NOT open the lid.
- Fluff and serve: Gently fluff the rice with a fork, being careful not to break the grains. Turn out onto a large platter with the carrots, raisins, and beef arranged on top.
Notes
- ALWAYS soak rice at least 30 minutes for fluffy, separate grains.
- For bone-in lamb or mutton, increase pressure cooking time to 30–40 minutes.
- For chicken, reduce pressure cooking time to 8–10 minutes.
- Seal the lid tightly for Dum. Use a kitchen towel or foil if the lid is loose.
- ALWAYS follow your pressure cooker's manual for safe operation.
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