Kabuli Pilau

Kabuli Pilau is a national dish for Afghanistan and is part of the Golden Jubilee Series



Ingredients
1 large onion (chopped fine)
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 Ib Lamb on the bone (2 inch pieces)
6 cloves garlic minced
2 cups Basmati Rice
3 medium tomatoes; blanched and peeled
2 tspn cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
Garnish:
2 large carrots; cut into matchsticks
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup water

Method

1. Fry the onions (in a large enough saucepan for the cooked rice), until almost caramelised, remove and set aside.
2. Brown the meat and garlic in the same oil, and add 3 ½ cups of water, boil until the meat is cooked, remove the meat and set aside
3. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour
4. Grind the fried onions with the tomatoes and add to the meat stock, bring to boil, simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the cumin seeds, garam masala and rice and simmer for 10 minutes, stir in the meat cook for a further 10 minutes or until there is no liquid visible,
6. While the rice is cooking, fry the carrots for 10 minutes, drain the oil, add raisins and water and cook for a further 10 minutes
7. Place the pilau in a larger platter and garnish with the carrots and raisins.

World-wide Ismaili Cooking

I always thought of Ismailis as from India, Pakistan and East Africa, I never gave a thought to all the murids in Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, China, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Tibet and South Africa. Now of course we also live in Europe, North America Australia and New Zealand.
I am sure I have missed a few countries!
To celebrate MHI's Golden Jubilee, I am going to start a series of recipes eatern by Ismailis all over the world, showing the diversity of our people. I have already started this series with:

• Makdous - Syrian Pickled Aubergines

• Afghani Kabuli Pilau, Lamb Pilau garnished with carrot matchsticks and raisins

• Baba Ghanoush Roasted aubergine dip
• Syrian Fattoush Salad; green salad with toasted pitta bread pieces
• Aleppo Muhammara dip: Roasted peppers, walnut and pomegranate dip
• Afghani Gormeh Sabzi; a green herb stew
• Hummus bi tahini; chickpea dip
• Machi Paka; Coconutty Fish stew, EastAfrican Ismaili

To come:

• Syrian Bantinjan bil Laban, Fried aubergine in a garlic yoghurt sauce.
• Syrian Maklubit Betinjan, Lamb and aubergine with rice
• Tunisian Maraqat al-Safarjal, Lamb and Quince stew
  

you will have to be patient, as I will only blog tried and tested (tasted) recipes!

Makdous - Syrian Pickled Aubergines

My recent visit to Syria made me realise that one of the original Ismaili Cuisine was Syrian, in Salamiya I ate these delicious whole aubergine pickle for breakfast!

Ingredients

8 small round aubergines;
3 cloves garlic; crushed
half cup walnuts; roughly crushed
2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon crushed red chillis
olive oil

Method

1. Cut most of the stem of the aubergeins and steam for 20 minutes or until soft.
2. Cool, cut the aubergine lengthways to about 1/2 inch from the stem, without splitting into two
3. Drain the aubergines in a colander with a weighted plate on top for 2-3 hours
4. Mean while mix the garlic, walnuts, salt and chillis.
5. Stuff the mixture into each aubergine, and place into a glass jar stem side up. Cover jar and leave at room temperature
6. Pour olive oil to cover the jar, seal jar, refridgerate. Pickle should be ready to eat in 7-10 days.