Qabeli palaw (, , often wrongly transcribed as Kabuli pulao, ) is a variety of pilaf made in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. The core ingredients are steamed rice mixed with caramelized carrots and raisins as well as marinated meat. Qabeli palaw is commonly garnished with almonds and pistachios. Saffron may be added to either the rice, the sauce or the garnishes. Varieties of Qabeli palaw have spread from Afghanistan to different parts of Western and Central Asia and Pakistan.

Origin

Albeit frequently misnamed "Kabuli palaw" due to erronous transcriptions of the Persian "qabeli", the dish did not originate in Kabul. A more likely place of origin for Qabeli palaw is Northern Afghanistan, specifically the border region with Uzbekistan. A variation of Qabeli palaw made by Uzbeks within Afghanistan is also referred to as "Uzbaki palaw". The Uzbaki version differs from traditional Afghan palaw preparation in that it doesn't steam the rice (''sof'' method), but instead boils the rice until all liquid has been absorbed (''dampokht'' method). To add to the naming confusion Afghan émigrés in Dubai and Istanbul marketed this dish as Bukhari rice, again hinting at a possible origin within the Afghanistan and Uzbekistan border region. As Bukhari rice dishes have gained popularity in the Persian Gulf region, those local preparations often differ greatly from authentic Qabeli palaw.

Etymology and History

"Qabeli" in Persian usage means "qualified; able; competent, worthy or deserving". The name appears to have been applied early on to a complex pilaf dish in Persian-language contexts, with the first written Qabeli pilaf recipes appearing during the Safavid period in Ali Bavarchi's 1521 manuscript "The Manual" (''Kār-nāma''). This work currently constitutes the oldest cookbook in Persian. In Chapter 11(''Bāb-e Yāzdahom: Dar Sefat-e Qabuli Palaw va Rešte Palaw va Jovak Palaw va Mānand-e Ān''), three Qabeli palaw variations are described, showing early use of key ingredients still charcteristic of modern versions. Beyond that, earlier recipes incorporated a host of additional ingredients that have been dropped from the contemporary dish, possibly underscoring Qabeli Palaw’s implied ability to harmonize a rich variety of flavors."

Spelling

Beyond the persistent mistranslation of the eponymous adverb "Qabeli" as "Kabuli"—a mistake arising despite the distinct first letters of "qabel" and "Kabul" in both Persian and English—another common misspelling stems from the romanization of "palaw" as "pulao". Palaw dishes form a specific and longstanding tradition of rice preparation in Afghanistan, likely dating back as far as

Bactria Bactria (; Bactrian language, Bactrian: , ), or Bactriana, was an ancient Iranian peoples, Iranian civilization in Central Asia based in the area south of the Oxus River (modern Amu Darya) and north of the mountains of the Hindu Kush, an area ...

n times. In terms of linguistics "palaw" exemplifies the pronunciation of the word "pilaf" in Classical Persian پلاو wherein the sharp

diphthong A diphthong ( ), also known as a gliding vowel or a vowel glide, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of ...

"aw" or /äw/ is preserved. Pulao () instead refers to a distinct subgroup of pilaf as made on the Indian subcontinent and reflects a differing pronunciation as shaped by local language.

Serving

Qabeli palaw is considered a festive and important dish due to the emphasis on quality of the ingredients, as well as being a widely known dish of Afghan cuisine. The dish may be served as a main course, accompanied by traditional side dishes or prepared as part of a banquet.

References

External links