Kabuli Pulao is a dish Afghans simply cannot live without. Known as the national dish of Afghanistan, it is named after Kabul, the country’s capital. No celebration or family gathering feels complete without this flavorful and aromatic rice dish.
While Kabuli Pulao isn’t difficult to make, it does involve a few important steps to get it just right.
Watch a short video on how to make Kabuli pulao recipe
One of the key components is char masala—a fragrant spice blend used specifically in Afghan rice recipes. It includes a mix of black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and cumin.
The second step is to prepare the meat stock using your choice of meat such as veal, lamb, or chicken. The meat is cooked slowly and with care to ensure it becomes soft, tender, and full of flavor. This rich stock forms the base of the Kabuli Pulao and gives the rice its signature taste.
The third step in making authentic Kabuli Pulao is preparing the sweet topping by frying carrot sticks and raisins. You can use pre-cut carrot sticks from the grocery store or slice them fresh at home. If cutting them yourself, be sure the pieces are not too thin, or they may burn during frying.
Fry the carrots in hot oil until they turn a rich, deep orange color. Then, lightly fry the raisins until they become soft and plump. This sweet and savory topping adds both flavor and visual appeal to your traditional Afghan rice dish.
TThe fourth step in making Kabuli Pulao is to caramelize sugar. This simple technique gives the rice its signature golden-brown color and adds a hint of sweetness that balances the savory flavors. Gently heat sugar in oil until it melts and darkens into a rich caramel before adding it to the rice or stock.
The final step is to boil the basmati rice and cook the dish using the dum method. Before boiling, basmati rice should be thoroughly washed and soaked in water. The longer the rice soaks, the better the texture and aroma. Some cooks prefer to soak it overnight in the fridge, while others do it in the morning and let it sit until it’s time to cook.
Once the rice is boiled and the meat, carrot, and raisin toppings are ready, everything is layered and steamed together. This final step allows the flavors to come together and gives Kabuli Pulao its iconic taste and aroma.
Kabuli Pulao is served in layers, with the meat stuffed in the middle and the raisins, carrots, and optionally slivered almonds and pistachios on top. It is usually accompanied by a fresh and delicious salad, meatballs (Kofta Afghani recipe), and spinach stew.
Equipment needed to make this delicious recipe
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kabuli pulao recipe
Course: MainCuisine: AfghanDifficulty: None8
servings30
minutes1
hour30
minutes2
hoursKabuli Pulao is one of the dishes Afghans cannot live without. It is Afghanistan’s national dish, named after Kabul, the capital of the country. No celebration or family gathering is complete without this delicious and comforting meal.
Ingredients
- Char Masala: Spice Mix for kabuli pulao recipe
- Meat Stock
2 onions, chopped
1 kg Veal
1 tsp black pepper (grounded)
1 tsp char masala
1/2 tsp cardamom (ground)
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
- Frying raisins and carrots
Raisins, 1 cup
- Caramelize sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
- Boiling and cooking (DUM)
3 cups washed and soaked rice
Caramelized sugar
cooked meat
fried carrots
fried raisins
1 cup almonds
1 cup pistachios
1/2 tsp char masala on cooked veal
1/2 tsp sugar on carrots
1/2 tsp cardamom on carrots
1 tsp black pepper on rice
Directions
- How you make Char Masala
- Gather Your Spices:
Cinnamon
Cloves
Black Cardamom
Green Cardamom
Cumin
Grind the Spices:
In a coffee grinder, add equal amounts of each spice.
Grind coarsely.
Store the Blend:
Pour the ground spices into a jar and use it whenever you make Kabuli Pulao. - How you make the meat stock
- Heat the Oil:
Heat vegetable oil in a pot and add chopped onions.
Fry until dark brown to give a nice color to the rice.
Cook the Meat:
Add the meat and fry until it changes color.
After 7-10 minutes, add water, ground black pepper, char masala, ground cardamom, and salt.
Simmer the Meat:
Cover the pot with a lid and cook on high for a few minutes, then on low flame until the meat is soft and tender.
Remove the cooked meat from the pot and set it aside in a bowl. - Frying raisins and carrots
- Fry the Raisins:
Heat vegetable oil in a pan.
Add raisins and fry until they are plump.
Fry the Carrots:
Using the same oil, fry carrot sticks (found ready-made in some grocery stores, or you can prepare them at home). When chopping, ensure they are not too thin to prevent burning during frying.
Fry until the carrots achieve a deep orange color. - Caramelized Sugar
- In a pot over medium flame, add sugar and wait until it is caramelized.
Add water (ensure air vents are on during this step).
Pour the caramelized sugar into a bowl and set it aside. - Boiling and cooking (DUM)
- Boil the Rice:
Boil water and add pre-washed basmati rice. (The longer you soak basmati rice before boiling, the better. Some people soak it the night before and leave it in the fridge, or soak it first thing in the morning and leave it aside until it is time to cook.)
Boil the rice until it has soft and long grains, then drain the water.
Assemble and Cook:
Heat a pan on high heat and add vegetable oil, boiled rice, and caramelized sugar for coloring. Mix well.
Add the cooked meat on top of the rice.
Sprinkle some char masala over the meat and cover it with a bit of rice.
Add fried carrots and raisins on top of the rice.
Sprinkle some sugar and cardamom over the carrots for aroma.
Wrap almonds and pistachios in a clear, thin plastic bag and place it on top of the rice. This will make it easier to retrieve later.
Add ground black pepper on top of the rice.
Make holes in the rice with the back of a spatula. This helps the water to evaporate and makes the rice tender and delicious.
Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and place it on the pot.
Cook on high for 5 minutes. Once you see steam coming out of the towel, reduce the temperature immediately. You can also listen for a “rice popping sound” before lowering the temperature.
Lower the flame and let it cook (dum) on low for at least 25 minutes.
Serve:
Serve the Kabuli Pulao in layers on a flat dish: rice, carrots, raisins, and finally almonds and pistachios, with the meat layered in between.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Equipment needed: Spice grinder
- Equipment needed: Non-stick Pan
- Equipment needed: Pot
- Equipment needed: Pot with strainer