Slow-Roasted Lamb with Kabuli Palaw | 🥩🇦🇫 An Incredible Afghan-Style Feast

Slow-Roasted Lamb with Kabuli Palaw-Style Rice & Quick-Pickled Lime 🥩 For the lamb 2 small lamb forequarters, with the shoulder and foreleg attached 2 large onions 8 garlic cloves ~30 g fresh ginger 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 5 green cardamom pods ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground turmeric 2 tbsp ghee A little water, as needed for the paste 150 ml water or unsalted chicken stock Salt 🍚 For the Kabuli Palaw-style rice 500 g basmati rice Strained cooking juices from the lamb Enough water to bring the total liquid to approximately 750 ml 1 large onion 2 carrots, cut into thin matchsticks 80 g raisins 40–50 g pistachios 1½ tsp cumin seeds 4–5 green cardamom pods 1 small cinnamon stick A generous pinch of saffron 2 tbsp ghee or rendered fat from the lamb Salt, to taste 🌶️ For the quick-pickled lime & chilli 2 limes 2–3 green chillies ~15 g fresh ginger ½ tsp salt ½ tsp sugar ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp coriander seeds ½ tsp mustard seeds, if available 2 tbsp neutral oil Juice of an additional ½ lime, if needed 🔪 Method: Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and seeds from the cardamom pods in a dry pan until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and roughly grind. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, toasted spices, ground cinnamon, turmeric and ghee to a food processor. Add a little water to help everything blend, then process into a thick, smooth paste. Make several 2–3 cm deep cuts in the thickest parts of the lamb. Generously coat the meat with the spice paste, working it well into the cuts. Wrap each piece tightly in baking paper, followed by several layers of aluminium foil. Roast at 150°C / 300°F using conventional top and bottom heat for approximately 3–3½ hours, until the meat is very tender but still holds together on the bone. Unwrap the lamb and collect all the cooking juices from the parcels. Strain the liquid and remove most of the remaining onion and spice paste from the surface of the meat. Season the strained cooking juices with salt, then generously brush some of the liquid over the lamb. Increase the oven temperature to 250°C / 480°F and return the lamb to the oven until deeply golden and well browned. Brush it once more with the cooking juices while it browns. Reserve the remaining liquid for the rice. Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly, soak it in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain well. Measure the reserved lamb cooking juices and add enough water to make approximately 750 ml in total. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Heat the ghee or reserved lamb fat in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook the chopped onion until golden, then add the carrots and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Add the cumin, cardamom and cinnamon stick and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the drained rice and gently fry for about 1 minute, then pour in the 750 ml of prepared cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, cover tightly and cook for approximately 12 minutes without stirring. Pour 2–3 tbsp of hot water over the saffron and let it infuse for a few minutes. Turn off the heat, scatter the raisins and pistachios over the rice, then drizzle the saffron water across the surface. Do not stir. Cover again and leave to rest for 10–15 minutes, then gently fluff the rice. Quick-pickled lime & chilli Wash the limes thoroughly and cut them, peel and all, into small 5–8 mm pieces. Thinly slice the green chillies and cut the ginger into very fine matchsticks. Toast the cumin, coriander and mustard seeds briefly in a dry pan, then crush them roughly. Heat the oil in a pan and add the toasted spices. After 15–20 seconds, add the ginger and chillies and cook very briefly. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chopped lime, salt and sugar. Do not cook the lime — it should remain bright and fresh. Leave to pickle for at least 30–60 minutes. Taste before serving. If it needs more acidity, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If the peel makes it too bitter or sharp, balance it with a small additional pinch of sugar. To serve, spread the Kabuli Palaw-style rice generously over a large serving platter and place the deeply roasted lamb on top. Serve the quick-pickled lime and chilli on the side for a sharp, spicy contrast to the rich lamb and fragrant rice. For more CONTENT: 📱Instagram: baltic_foodie 🎥Tik Tok: baltic_foodie 🎬 Facebook: Baltic Foodie My kitchen ESSENTIALS: 🛒E-shop: www.balticfoodie.com For COLLABORATIONS: 📧E-mail: db@balticfoodie.lt