Kabuli palau

Psssst…… there’s some delicious chicken hidden under that rice.

Kabuli palau, Kabuli palaw, Qabili pulao, Qabili palaw, pilav. = Afghanistan’s National Dish.

This was the main course for the Afghan inspired Global Feast this month. It’s rich. It’s flavorful. It’s full of texture and balance. It’s sly, with some secret chicken hiding under that rice. I loved making this dish. If there’s a dish that will teach you how to cook chicken and rice, this is IT! The techniques were so simple, and I was surprised at how deep the flavor was considering how few ingredients are in it. I found this Kabuli Palau recipe on Afghan Culture Unveiled, the same site I used for the sweet potato bolanis (recipe coming soon!)

First, the onions are browned in oil. Then the chicken is added and cooked until the onion almost dissolves into a sauce. That sauce is poured over al dente rice (are you sold yet?), and baked in the oven with the chicken, and a pocket of carrots and raisins sauteed in sugar. Wow. OK, ok, so the process takes a few hours, but so worth it in the end. A wonderful main course for our first Global Feast!

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Kabuli palau
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Prep time 1 hour
Cook time 1 hour
Total time 2 hours
Qabili Palau, also known as Kabuli Palau, is the quintessential Afghan dish served at parties, weddings and celebrations. Qabili is a gorgeous blend of rice, chicken, carrots, raisins and nuts for a crunch.
Serves: 5
Ingredients

• 1½ cups basmati rice
• 5 large chicken thighs
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 5 tsp. salt, divided
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
• ¾ cup black raisins
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 cups water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Immerse rice in a bowl of water and drain in a colander. Repeat this step 3 times.
3. Wash and dry the chicken. Set aside.
4. Choose a sauté pan that is at least a couple inches deep and large enough to fit all the chicken. Pour ¼ cup of the oil in the pan and sauté the onions over high heat, stirring quickly, until brown (5-10 minutes). Don't burn them. Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with 3 tsp. of the salt. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, turning from time to time so all sides turn golden brown. The onion will start to caramelize and turn into a thick sauce. Add ¼ cup of the chicken broth, and continue stirring to keep the chicken from burning. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add another ¼ cup of, bring it to a boil, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should turn a dark brown.
5. In a large frying pan add ½ cup of water and bring to a boil, add the carrots and cook until tender and a deep orange hue, 5 to 7 minutes. Keep a close eye on this to make sure you do not overcook them. Once the carrots are done, drain any leftover liquid out of the pan. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, raisins, almonds and sugar to the carrots. Stir quickly over medium-high heat and keep stirring for about 3 minutes. The raisins will look plump; the carrots will take on a nice sweet flavor. Remove from heat and package the carrots into a sealed aluminum foil pouch about the size of a small paperback novel.
6. Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and set aside. Stir the cumin, cardamom and black pepper into the broth. Continue to cook on low for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken.
7. Meanwhile, measure 6 cups of water and the remaining 2 tsp. of salt into a large Dutch oven or pot (see our Palau post for photos) with a fitted lid. Bring it to a boil. Add the rice to the water and boil until it is al dente (nearly cooked, though still slightly crunchy). This will take just a few minutes depending on the rice you use. You will have to taste it to check for doneness. Do not overcook it.
8. Immediately strain the rice through a colander. Put the rice back into its cooking pot and add the broth. Mix well. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Set the aluminum package of carrots on top of the rice. This will keep the carrots warm and deepen the flavors without mixing with the rice yet.
9. Bake the rice for 15 minutes in 500 degrees then drop the temperature down to 250 degrees. Cook for another 20 minutes.
10. Arrange the chicken pieces on a large platter, cover with the rice. Sprinkle the carrots, raisins, and almonds on the rice.

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For more photos and recipes, check out Global Feasts: Afghanistan.

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