Recipe 1/50 : Afghanistan : Qabili Palau

Here I'm with my cooking challenge. For who are wondering what this challenge is about, please visit here
Today's country is Afghanistan and I made the national dish of Afghan,Qabili Palau, also known as Kabuli Palau. This is one of the essential dish served at most pf parties and celebrations. This dish is baked in oven with fried raisins and carrots. I used chicken for this, but can be substituted by your choice of meat. While cooking this dish, one thing that was running in my mind was, how can this dish taste good since its doesn't use any spices unlike the Indian cooking. But, at end I had to accept that every country has their own way of adding spices which makes the dish one the best of all. 

Ingredients
1. 3 cups Basmati rice
2. 5 skinless chicken thighs, cut into desired size
3. 3-4 skinless chicken legs
4. 2 yellow onions, chopped finely
5. ½ cup plus 2 tbsp.  olive oil , divided
6. salt to taste
7. 1 cup chicken broth
8. 3 large carrots, peeled
9. 1 cup black raisins
10. ½ cup almonds 
11. 3 tbsp. sugar
12. ¾ cup water
13. 2 tsp. ground cumin
14. 1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom
15. ground pepper to taste
16. 12 cups water
Method

Preheat the oven to 450F

In a saute pan, pour 1/2 cup oil and saute the onions,until brown. Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle salt to taste.Cook the chicken over medium heat, turning from time to time to see all sides turn golden brown. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and continue stirring. Once the liquid had been absorbed, add another 1/4 cup of broth,cumin, cardamom and pepper powder and bring it to boil. Cover with the lid and simmer till chicken gets cooked. The sauce should turn to dark brown. Adjust salt to taste.

While chiken is cooking, cut the carrots into long matchsticks size and thickness. In a large frying pan add water and bring to a boil, add the carrot and cook until tender. Once carrots are done,drain any liquid. Add 2 tbsp oil,raising almonds and sugar to carrots. Stir quickly over medium hear.Remove from heat and set aside.

Measure 12 cups of water and 2 tsp salt into a large pot with a fitted lid. Bring it to a boil. Add the rice to water and boil till its 80% cooked. Do not overcook it.

Strain the rice through a colander. Put the rice in the baking dish, add the cooked chicken. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of rice. set the carrots mxiture on top . 

Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and bake the rice for 20-25 minutes.

Remove the dish from oven, mix well and Serve hot!!!