Afghani Pulao Mutton and Rice Recipe

The Afghani Pulao Rice Recipe is a traditional rice dish from Afghanistan. It is known for its delightful combination of flavors and aromas, making it a favorite among many. The recipe typically includes rice, meat (such as lamb, chicken, or beef), and a mix of various spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin, which add to its distinctive taste. The preparation of Afghani Pulao Rice Recipe involves cooking the rice and meat together in a broth infused with spices. This cooking method allows the rice to absorb all the rich flavors, resulting in a flavorful and fragrant dish. In addition to its delicious taste, Afghani Pulao Rice Recipe offers some potential health benefits. The dish contains a good balance of carbohydrates from the rice and protein from the meat, making it a satisfying and nutritious meal. The spices used in the recipe, such as cumin and cardamom, may also have some health-promoting properties, such as aiding digestion and providing antioxidants. Ingredients (8 Servings) Rice: 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup matchstick carrots ½ cup raisins ½ cup slivered almonds 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cardamom pod, shell removed and seeds crushed into a powder 2 kbs, mutton, bone in 8 cloves garlic 1 black cardamom pod 8 green cardamom pods 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 tbsp whole black pepper corns 1 tbsp cumin seeds 2 bayleafs 1 large cinnamon stick 2 tbsp salt, or to taste Broth: 1 onion, peeled and halved 1 whole head garlic, loose skins removed 1 cinnamon stick 4 cardamom pods, crushed 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 4 whole cloves 3 ½ cups water, or as needed to cover Instructions 1. Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. a. Heat the pot. b. Add the canola oil. 2. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until the onions become translucent. a. Put in the chopped onion. b. Add the minced garlic. c. Sauté until translucent. 3. Stir in the matchstick carrots, raisins, and slivered almonds, and cook for a few minutes until the carrots start to soften a. Add the matchstick carrots. b. Add the raisins. c. Add the slivered almonds. d. Cook until carrots soften. 4. Add the cumin seed, ground black pepper, crushed cardamom seeds, and whole clove. Stir well to combine the spices with the vegetables. a. Add cumin seed. b. Add ground black pepper. c. Add crushed cardamom seeds. d. Add whole clove. e. Stir well. 5. Add the mutton pieces to the pot and sear them until they are lightly browned on all sides. a. Add mutton pieces. b. Sear until lightly browned. 6. Prepare a spice bundle by tying together the 8 cloves garlic, black cardamom pod, green cardamom pods, coriander seeds, whole black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick in a piece of cheesecloth or a muslin cloth. Add this spice bundle to the pot. a. Tie the spices in cheesecloth. b. Add the spice bundle to the pot. 7. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot. Add salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer until the mutton is tender and cooked through. a. Add enough water to cover. b. Add salt to taste. c. Bring to a boil. d. Reduce heat and cover. e. Simmer until mutton is tender. 8. While the mutton is cooking, prepare the broth. In a separate pot, combine the halved onion, whole head of garlic, crushed cardamom pods, ground black pepper, cumin seed, salt, sugar, paprika, coriander seeds, and whole cloves. a. Combine ingredients in a separate pot. 9. Pour 3 ½ cups of water into the pot with the broth ingredients, or enough to cover them. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. a. Add water to cover. b. Bring to a boil. c. Reduce heat and cover. d. Simmer for 30 minutes. 10. Once the mutton is tender, remove the spice bundle from the pot and discard it. a. Remove the spice bundle. 11. Strain the prepared broth into the pot with the cooked mutton and vegetables. Mix everything gently to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed. a. Strain the broth into the pot. b. Mix gently. 12. Add the rice to the pot and stir it into the mixture. Make sure the rice is evenly distributed. a. Add the rice. b. Stir it into the mixture. 13. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover it, and let the rice cook for about 20-25 minutes or until it absorbs all the liquid and is fully cooked. a. Bring to a boil. b. Reduce heat and cover. c. Cook for 20-25 minutes. 14. Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork to separate the grains and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. a. Fluff the rice with a fork. b. Let it rest.