Qabili Pilau

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 lb basmati rice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs lamb or 1 chicken
• 1 cup water
• 2 large carrots
• 1 cup seedless raisin
• 2 teaspoons char masala or 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron (optional)
• 2 1/2 pints water
• salt and pepper
• 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1. Brown 1 medium diced onion in oil. Fry until the onion is fairly dark. Add 1 lb lamb cut into 1"-2" cubes and brown lightly.
2. Add 2 cups of water, 1 teaspoons Salt and 1 to 1 1/2 tsp each (cinnamon, ground cumin and ground cardamom) Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about an hour.
3. Remove meat from the juice and set juice aside. Cut 3 carrots into match stick size pieces. Saute carrots and 1 tsp sugar in about 1/4 cup of oil. Cook until they are lightly browned. Remove from oil Add 1 cup of raisins (I prefer golden sultanas) to the oil and cook until they swell up.
4. Boil the meat juice and add 2 cups basmati (very long grained) rice, 1 1/2 tsp salt and enough boiling water to come 2 inches over the rice. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, but not mushy.
5. Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together. Place in a large oven-proof casserole, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about a half hour--or up to an hour. To serve--place on platter, making sure the carrots and raisins show on top.

onion, basmati rice, vegetable oil, lamb, water, carrots, seedless raisin, char masala, saffron, water, salt, cinnamon, cardamom

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/qabili-pilau-415807 (may not work)