Kabuli Pulao - Afghan Rice with Meat and Carrots with homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

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   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Meat Browned in the Rice Pot

1. 4
   Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, soak 30 minutes and drain.

   Colander

   💡Rinsing removes the starch from the surface of the grains: the rice comes out fluffy and separate, not sticky.

   💡Soaking shortens the cooking, and the grains cook evenly.
2. 5
   Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

   StoveLarge pot
3. 6
   Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 7
   Add the lamb and brown on all sides.

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5. 8
   Add the carrot and fry 5 minutes, stirring.

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6. 9
   Add the turmeric, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and stir.

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7. 10
   Add the water and bring to a boil.

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To assemble

1. 11
   Add the rice and the raisins to the stock in the pot, bring to a boil and stir once.

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2. 12
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 20–25 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
3. 13
   Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

   💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
4. 14
   Gently fluff with a fork and serve.