RECIPE: Afghan Long Grain Rice

This is another recipe from The Best of Afghan Cooking by Zarghuna S. Adel. I've made it multiple times now and the resultant grains are longer than any other rice I've prepared.  Zarghuna recommends Baghlan brand, which is a sela (parboiled) basmati grown in Pakistan.  

According to AI, in the past, Pakistani sela basmati often had fewer pesticide residues than Indian sela basmati, but that has changed recently with Indian rice having fewer pesticide residues; so...I buy ORGANIC Aahu Barah Sela Basmati from Kalamala in CA.  In 2025 Pakistan banned many of the chemicals used to grow rice so their rice should be cleaner going forward.  Parboiling (sela) does not remove pesticide residue.

Afghan Long Grain Rice 

Serves 4 

The cooking process is long, but not difficult.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Basmati long grain rice (Zarghuna recommends Baghlan brand, which is sela basmati)
• 2 t. himalayan pink salt
• 2 t. cumin seeds (optional, Afghan cumin is available here and here)
• 1/2 t. ground cardamom (optional) 
• 1/4 c. oil (I used ghee*)

This is the brand Zarghuna recommends.  The brown bag is "creamy golden" grains, which is more flavorful.  There is another variety in a white bag which is whiter grains but less flavorful.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse the rice under running water, rubbing it together to remove extra starch, until the water runs clear.  I use a large fine mesh stainless sieve.  I used a colander once and the holes were too big!  

Soak the rice for about 4 hours (I leave the rice in the sieve but position it over a bowl and fill the bowl with clean water.)   I have soaked it overnight and it was fine.

In a 4-quart pot bring 6 cups of water to rapid boil over high heat (I have used a 3-quart pot successfully).  Drain the rice (lift the sieve out of the water) and slide it gently into the boiling water.  Stir and wait for a re-boil.  Reduce the heat slightly and boil uncovered for 3-5 minutes or until the rice grain is tender to the bite.  I cook ours for 5 minutes.  Four minutes was too al-dente for us.

While the rice is cooking, dissolve the salt in 1 cup water. 

Drain the rice in a sieve (I use the same sieve, which is heatproof) then rinse lightly with cool water to remove excess starch.  (Admission: I always forget to rinse it!)

Return the empty pot to the cooktop and add the ghee.     

Transfer the rice back to the pot and stir to coat with ghee.  Optional: sprinkle with the cumin and cardamom.  

Pour the salt water evenly around the top of the rice. Mix well.  Pile the rice up in the middle of the pot to form a dome.  With a skewer make a few holes through to the bottom of the rice (I use the handle of my wooden spoon).  

Place two layers of cloth towels over the pot and secure with the lid, then fold the towels up over the lid.  If you have a gas or coil cooktop, secure the ends well!  You don't want them to catch fire.

Wrap the pot lid in dishtowels.  Secure ends well to prevent fire!

 

Steam on high for about 5 minutes until steam escapes through the towels, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. (If you have a 360 Cookware pot - you won't need the towels.  Steam for 5 minutes, spin the lid to create a seal, then cut the heat and wait 20 minutes.)  Stir and serve.  

 

NOTE: The original recipe has you adding the fat, but not stirring it into the rice, so it pools in the bottom of the pan.  We prefer it spread it throughout.  

*Ghee is not typically used in Afghanistan, but the oil that is used, sunflower oil, is not healthy, so please don't use it. Ghee makes it not technically Afghan, but for TRULY authentic, you would use broad-fat-tail-sheep fat which isn't available here.  

I do not always use the spices.  Sometimes I serve the rice plain.  In the photo below, I added cumin and black mustard seeds, and served it over Dal, with coriander chutney: