Description
Now that we’ve demystified shola, this recipe, which is typically served only at weddings and special occasions, can become a regular part of your rotation when you have a little more time. The long, slow cooking may be intimidating, but most of it is hands-off time, allowing you to do other things while the dish cooks. And the end result is meat that melts into the rice while the flavors of the spices in both come alive on your tongue.
Ingredients
1 cup mung beans
2 cups short-grain rice
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb leg, or other lamb stew meat, cut into small cubes
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 cups water
4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons dill
2 to 4 hot chilies (depending on how hot you like it)
2 teaspoons Char Masala (page 000)
Instructions
- Wash and soak the mung beans. Thoroughly wash the mung beans, removing any small rocks and debris. Cover them with water and let them soak for 30 minutes.
- Wash the rice. Add the rice to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and run your hands through the rice to release the starch. You will notice the water is very cloudy. Strain the water from the rice. Repeat this process at least seven times (because seven is a lucky number). The final time, the water should be clear. Rinsing the rice removes the starch and gives us those beautiful individual grains. Never cook rice before rinsing it.
- Soak the rice. Once you have finished washing the rice, refill the bowl with enough water to cover the rice and let it soak for at least 40 minutes. I’ve left rice soaking overnight and it’s been fine. However, you will need to watch the cooking time because the longer it soaks, the more water is absorbed, and the less time it needs to parboil in the cooking process. Soaking the rice gives you those luscious, plump grains characteristic of Afghan rice dishes.
- Prepare the meat. Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the onions, stirring vigorously, until they start to brown. Remove about half of the onions and oil to another saucepan and set aside. You will use this to garnish the finished dish.
- Add 4 of the peeled and crushed garlic cloves and the tomato paste to the onions, and cook until the tomato paste turns a deep red. This will take about 2 minutes. Then add the meat, stirring it until it’s evenly coated in the tomato paste and onion mixture. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes start to break down, stirring to help them along, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mung beans, water, 2 teaspoons of the salt, the black pepper, and the dill to the meat and mung beans. Stir and let the meat and beans come up to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and breaks apart with a fork.
- Add the rice. Once the meat is cooked, drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the meat and mung beans. Stir in the chilies, the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, and char masala. Bring the pot back up to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a turbaned lid, and steam the rice and meat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, but be gentle so you don’t break up the rice grains too much.
- Finish the oil, onion, and garlic. Add the remaining 2 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic to the oil and onion you set aside. Place the saucepan back on the heat and let the garlic slightly brown. Take it off the heat.
- Plate the Shola. After 30 minutes, uncover the rice and stir gently, making sure the meat, mung beans, and rice are mixed well. Transfer the rice and meat to a platter and spread it out, making a small well in the center. Add the fried onion and garlic oil into this well.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1.5 hours
- Category: Rice
