Recipe 19: Afghan Kadu

Since Kate is away for a couple weeks, I thought I'd post the next recipe. From Kabul Restaurant which Cath introduced us to in Philly to Kabul House in Skokie, IL, I've developed a love and craving for Kadu Chalau which is sauteed pumpkin/squash, yogurt sauce with basmati rice with carrots and raisins. I am going to try butternut squash or if they do have some pumpkins, I might have to try making it with those. These were the only recipes I could find. Really looking forward to making Kadu at home. Hope you fall in love with this dish as Cath and I have, if not with this recipe then find this dish at your nearest Afghan restaurant.

Results: I let the Kadu rest overnight. I made the rice the next day. I used cumin instead of the masala. I think I "parboiled" the rice too long because my rice was more soggy than fluffy. I've never been good with making rice unless its cooked in a rice cooker. So I'm definitely going to make this again. Just need to work on trying not to overcook it. This method of cooking the rice in a Le Creuset in the oven was a new way of cooking rice for me. But the kids loved it because it was sweet. Mike and I loved it. A little sprinkle of sumac on the yogurt sauce. Mmmm. Totally like the Kadu from the restaurants. Hope you guys have better luck with the consistency of the rice. I'm looking forward to hearing tips.

Afghan Kadu
Serves 4-6

4 lb fresh pumpkin or squash
1/2 cup of Corn oil

Sweet Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 cup of water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup of sugar (I used 3/4 c.)
8 oz tomato puree
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (using microplane)
2 tablespoons freshly ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups Plain yogurt
Garnish: dry mint leaves, crushed

Peel the pumpkin and cut into 2-3" cubes; set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan that has a lid. Fry the pumpkins on both sides for a couple of minutes until lightly browned.

Mix together ingredients for Sweet Tomato Sauce in a bowl then add to pumpkin mixture in fry pan. Cook uncovered 20-25 minutes over low heat until the pumpkin is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. Mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.

To serve: Spread half the yogurt sauce on a plate and lay the pumpkin on top. Top with remaining yogurt and any cooking juices left over. Sprinkle with dry mint. May be served with basmati rice and naan or pita bread.

Afghan Rice
1 lb (2 ½ cups) long grain rice, preferably basmati
6 T. vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
3/4 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 large carrots, julienned
4 oz raisins
2 t. char masala or cumin
1/4 t. saffron

Rinse the rice several times in cold water until it remains clear. Add fresh water and leave the rice to soak for at least half an hour.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large pan and add the chopped onions. Stir and fry them until brown. Remove from the oil and. Grind the onions to a pulp. Add chicken broth.Wash and peel the carrots and cut into pieces the size of a matchstick. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan and add the carrots. Cook the carrots gently until they are lightly browned and tender. If they are tough it may be necessary to add a little water and simmer until tender. All the water should evaporate. Remove the carrots from the oil, add the raisins, and cook these gently until they begin to swell up. Remove the oil and set aside the carrots. Save any remaining oil for the rice.

Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain the rice and add to the boiling water. Parbroil for 2 to 3 minutes before draining the rice in a large sieve. Put the rice in a large casserole and sprinkle with char masala and saffron. Pour chicken broth over the rice and stir very gently once. Place the carrots and raisins on one side of the casserole. Add any oil left over from cooking the carrots. Cover with a tightly fitted lid and place in a preheated oven at 300 degrees F for about 45 minutes or leave it in a tightly covered pan on top of the stove over a very low heat for the same length of time. To serve, garnish the top of the rice with the carrots and raisins.