Nadiya Hussain’s kabuli pulao with qorma-e-sabzi: ‘Joy in every single mouthful’

“I had this very dish at a tiny restaurant that serves authentic Afghani food,” says Nadiya Hussain, whose new cookbook Rooza, explores recipes for Ramadan from 30 different countries.

“When I go to a restaurant that I have never eaten at before and where the cuisine is new to me, I always ask the waiting staff what they recommend, and this was it. I love rice in all its forms and this recipe perfectly captures the essence of the Kabuli pulao from what I can remember. Lightly scented rice served with spinach and a sweet and savoury carrot topping. Joy in every single mouthful.”

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the pulao:

150g ghee

4 cloves

3 bay leaves

1 large cinnamon stick

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 tbsp garlic paste

2 tbsp salt

500g diced boneless lamb

3 tbsp garam masala

100ml hot water

500g basmati rice

650ml boiling water

For the qorma-e-sabzi:

3 tbsp oil

1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

1 lemon, juice only

1kg frozen spinach

2tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground black pepper

Small handful of fresh coriander

Small handful of fresh dill

For the carrot topping:

2 carrots, grated

50g raisins

40g almonds, toasted

3 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp honey

Method:

1. Start by making the pulao. To a large pan add all the ghee and, over a high heat, allow the ghee to melt. Add the cloves, bay leaves and stick of cinnamon and let the whole spices sizzle in the melting ghee.

2. Add the sliced onions and cook till they are really soft and golden. Now add your garlic paste and salt and cook through for a few minutes.

3. Get the lamb cubes in with the garam masala and cook till the meat is brown. Pour in the 100 millilitres hot water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook till there is no more liquid left and there is a golden-brown mixture coating the meat. Wash the basmati rice till the water runs clear. This will take a few washes, but it’s important to remove as much starch as possible. Drain the rice and add to the meat. On a high heat, mix the rice with the meat and onions, mixing and scraping the base for about five minutes to remove any rice that may be sticking.

4. Pour in the boiling water and, over a high heat, mix and allow the whole thing to come to a boil till almost all the liquid has dried off and you can see every grain of rice. As soon as you get to that point, lower the heat completely and put the lid on. Leave to steam for about 30 minutes.

5. While the pulao cooks, let’s make the qorma-e-sabzi. Pour the oil into a medium non-stick pan and bring to a high heat. Add the sliced spring onions with the salt and cook for a few minutes.

6. As soon as the spring onions are soft, add the lemon juice and the frozen spinach. Water should release from the frozen spinach – keep cooking till most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the ground coriander and black pepper and cook till completely dry and there is no excess liquid in the base when you are stirring. Take it off the heat as soon as it is ready and stir in the fresh coriander and dill.

7. Make the quick carrot topping by putting the grated carrots in a bowl with the raisins and toasted almonds. Mix well. Put the vinegar and honey in a bowl and mix. Drizzle all over the carrots and stir through.

8. Take the rice off the heat and serve on a platter or in the pan with the carrot mixture sprinkled over and the qorma–e–sabzi alongside.

‘Rooza’ by Nadiya Hussain (Penguin Michael Joseph, £25).