A fragrant Afghan rice speciality combining tender chicken, warm spices, sweet carrots, raisins, and crunchy almonds.
Afghan Qabili Pulao is a celebratory rice dish known for its delicate spices and contrasting sweet and savoury flavours. In this version, chicken is cooked with onions, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom before being simmered in chicken stock to create a rich, aromatic cooking liquid.
The basmati rice absorbs the seasoned stock, while a topping of sweetened carrots, raisins, and almonds adds colour, sweetness, and texture. The finished dish brings together tender chicken, fluffy rice, and a distinctive combination of warm spices and dried fruit.
Ingredients
750 g basmati rice (4 cups), soaked for 30 minutes
1 kg chicken
3 tbsp oil
2 onions, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
4 cardamom pods
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 carrots, cut into thin strips
½ cup raisins
¼ cup almonds
2 tbsp sugar
5½ cups chicken stock
Method
Prepare the Rice: Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Cook the Chicken with Spices: Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onions until softened. Add the ginger, garlic, chicken, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring to coat the chicken evenly with the spices.
Simmer the Chicken: Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for approximately 25 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it and reserve the broth for cooking the rice.
Prepare the Carrot and Raisin Topping: In a separate pan, fry the carrot strips with the sugar until softened. Add the raisins and mix gently, allowing the ingredients to develop a sweet flavour.
Cook the Rice: Add the drained rice to the reserved chicken broth and cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Return the chicken to the pot and steam together for another 5 minutes.
Garnish and Serve: Arrange the cooked chicken with the rice. Top with the sweetened carrots, raisins, and almonds, distributing them evenly before serving.
Serve
Serve hot with cucumber yogurt, Afghan salad, mint chutney, and fresh lemon. The cool yogurt and fresh accompaniments balance the warm spices and sweetness of the rice.