July: Kabuli Pulao
Serves 6-8
Estimated time for preparation and cooking: 1 hour and 30 minutes
This hearty chicken and rice dish was a hit for young people at our Brent youth club! It also includes a classic Afghan addition to its rice – raisins! The young man who cooked and shared the dish during the session explained how he adapted to cooking food in UK for himself.
Ingredients
Tomatoes
1 onion
3 cloves garlic (some for mincing + full cloves)
1 medium carrot
2 bird’s eye green chillies
10-12 chicken drumsticks
Salt
Cumin seeds
2.5 cups long grain rice
75g Raisins
Sugar
Recipe
1) Preparing your ingredients
a) Cut half of the tomatoes into quarters, and dice the other half of the tomatoes.
b) Finely dice the onion.
c) Mince the garlic.
d) Julienne (cut into short, thin strips) the carrot.
e) Dice the green chillies.
2) In one saucepan, add garlic to hot oil
a) When the garlic is cooked, add the chicken with some salt and cover with the lid.
b) Once the chicken begins to brown, add the quartered tomatoes and green chillies. Cook on a low to medium heat until cooked through (about 15-20 minutes).
3) In another large saucepan
a) Sauté the diced onion in hot oil.
b) When the onions start to brown, add the diced tomatoes and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
c) Add 4 cups of water to the mixture, along with cumin seeds and salt.
d) When the water turns red and is boiling, add the rice and cover with the lid.
4) In a small saucepan
a) Add carrots to boiling hot water
b) When the carrots have softened (often after 5 minutes), add the raisins and a sprinkling of sugar.
c) Leave to soften, while occasionally mixing, for 15 minutes.
5) Plate up!
a) Add the carrots and raisins on top of the cooked rice in the large saucepan and spread to cover the rice.
b) Seal the saucepan by covering with clean cloths, your lid, and a heavy weight.
c) Leave to cook on a low to medium heat for 15 minutes.
d) Serve with a side salad and bread.