Soak the rice in cool water for 30 minutes. Rinse until water runs clear.

Prepare Pulao Masala by grinding together black cardamom, green cardamom, and black cumin seeds. Kee the spice mixture aside for later use in the recipe.

Meanwhile, heat 1/3 cup of oil and add julienne-cut carrots in a cooking pan. Saute on medium heat for a while, till the carrots become tender. Add sugar and cook for a few minutes more. Then add raisins and cook till the raisins begin to swell up. Retrieve the cooked carrots and raisins using a slotted spoon leaving the oil in the pan.

Now add sliced onion in the same pan and cook medium-high in the leftover oil till the onions become golden brown. The darker the onions become, the darker the rice will be.

Add mutton, stir cook until color changes. Then add ginger and garlic paste and stir cook for another 2 minutes. Now add salt, cumin seeds, and the pulao masala you have already prepared and kept aside as per the quantity mentioned above. Optionally, you can also add sliced green chilies and diced tomato. Stir cook for a while.

Add 3 bowls of water to submerge all the meat and bring it to a boil. Cook on low flame for 1 and half hours with the lid on till meat becomes tender.

Now add the soaked basmati rice, salt if needed, and cook on high to medium flame till the water begins to boil and then reduces until there is very little water left in the pot. Stir once or twice in between using a slotted spatula, being careful not to break any rice pieces. See the picture below.

At this point, reduce the heat to the lowest possible, season with whole spice powder, and add the cooked carrots and raisins. Cover with the lid and allow it to steam like this for 10-12 minutes.

To serve, plate the rice on a rice platter, add the chunks of mutton scattered with carrots and raisins on the top.

Your Afghani Polau is ready! Serve with salad and raita!