Kabuli Palaw

Kabuli palaw, also spelled Qabili palaw or Kabuli pulao, is a pilaf dish generally regarded as Afghanistan's national dish, though despite its English name it did not originate in the city of Kabul but most likely near the northern Afghan border with Uzbekistan. It is made from steamed rice mixed with caramelized carrots and raisins and topped with marinated meat, almonds and pistachios, with saffron sometimes added to the rice, sauce or garnish; Afghan cooks traditionally use a steaming method called sof, while related Uzbek preparations use a boiling method called dampokht. The dish is considered festive and important, with special emphasis placed on ingredient quality, and it is served as a main course, alongside traditional sides, or as part of formal banquets, with related versions known across Central Asia, Western Asia and Pakistan, including a Saudi Arabian variant called Bukhari rice, named for the Uzbek city of Bukhara.