Eat of the Week: Afghan tender lamb under a heaping pile of rice

I love learning about national dishes, like Malaysia's nasi lemak served at Phat Eatery. When you're not familiar with a cuisine, it seems like a good place to start. That was my strategy when I visited Afghan Village recently, in the Gulfton area of Houston.

Qabuli palau (also spelled kabuli pulao and kabuli palaw), featured at the top of the restaurant's menu, is the national dish of Afghanistan and often at the center of the table during celebrations. A variety of pilaf, it consists of lamb and rice dotted with raisins and carrot strips, flavored by various spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper.

At Afghan Village, qabuli palau comes to your table as a heaping plate of rice. Explore a little with your fork, and you'll find a whole leg of lamb under there, from which you gently peel off chunks of tender meat for the perfect bite. A tomato-based sauce with a swirl of yogurt comes on the side.

What else?

The U.S. requires refugee sponsors to provide "culturally appropriate" meals to new arrivals. When Afghan refugees come to Houston—like thousands have in the last year since the government fell—they are served food from Afghan Village. Owner Omer Yousafzai himself was a refugee 20 years ago, and now partners with resettlement nonprofits that helped him back in the day, distributing halal meals to new residents from his restaurant.

Afghan Village

Find it: 6413 Hillcroft Ave., Houston, TX 77081; (713) 808-9005
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.