An Afghan woman's marriage prospects hinges on her ability to make Palau. So, you can imagine how much thought and effort goes into perfecting the Afghan rice dish. Since Qabili Palau, also known as Kabuli Palau is a complicated dish, I thought it’s about time I make a demo video of it. If you like my video, please like it, subscribe to my Youtube channel and share it with friends on social media. I really appreciate your help in helping me share Afghan culture with the world.

The most important part of making Qabili Palau is to keep the rice from breaking while it develops a deep rich brown color in the multi-step cooking process. Most people think we use brown rice, let me tell you, folks, I had not seen brown rice until I was well into my 20's when I started cooking for myself. The white, long-grain rice takes on a rich brown color from the caramelized onions and chicken sauce.

When I was in Kabul a few years ago I learned this recipe from my cousin, Madya-jan, who is an excellent cook. I slightly modified the recipe by using squash, instead of pumpkin, which is readily available all year around, in the United States. I also steam the squash in vegetable broth rather than cooking it in oil, as my cousin did.