A Taste Of Afghanistan: Exploring The Country's Culinary Delights

Afghanistan's cuisine is one of the least well-known in the world, but it offers rich, fragrant flavours to those who take the time to explore it. The country's dishes are often untouched by outside influence, making them a true testament to the authenticity and preservation of traditional cooking styles and ingredients.

Rice, barley, milk, yoghurt and whey are some of the staple ingredients in Afghan cooking, and fruits such as grapes, pomegranates and melons are commonly found in the country. Here is a selection of traditional Afghan dishes:

- Qabili Murg Palau – a rice dish made with chicken and long-grain rice cooked in a brothy sauce.

- Norinj Palau – a delicate pilau made with the peel of bitter or Seville oranges.

- Shami Kebab – a popular variety of kebab often garnished with lemon juice, sliced raw onions, and chutney.

- Dolmeh-e-Kadoo – a colourful, fresh and clever dish of stuffed squash.

- Kishmish Panir – a simple cheese and raisin dish, often served with tea.

- Qorma – a stew or casserole of lamb, spices, cardamom, olive oil and vegetables.

- Shorwa-E-Tarkari – a meat and vegetable soup.

- Aushak – dumplings filled with leeks, onions or chives, served with a creamy garlic yoghurt and a tomato-based meat or lentil sauce.

- Bolani – a traditional flatbread stuffed with spinach, pumpkin, red potato or green lentils and served with a creamy mint and yoghurt dip.

- Gosh-e-Feel – a sweet pastry with a unique shape that has earned it the nickname 'Elephant's Ear'.

Afghan National Dish: Kabuli/Qabili Palaw

Kabuli Palaw, also known as Qabili Palaw, is a mixed rice dish and the national dish of Afghanistan. The dish is made with long-grain rice, such as Basmati, chicken or lamb, carrots, raisins, and eastern spices. It is traditionally topped with chopped almonds or pistachios.

The dish was created by the upper-class families of Kabul who could afford the rich ingredients. Over time, as people in Afghanistan became wealthier, the dish became more common and the name changed to Qabili Palau. The Dari word 'Qabili' means 'well-accomplished', indicating that only a skilled chef can balance the various flavours of this dish.

The most important part of making Qabili Palaw is to keep the rice from breaking while it develops a deep, rich brown colour in the multi-step cooking process. The white, long-grain rice takes on this colour from the caramelised onions and chicken sauce.

Ingredients:

• 5 skinless chicken legs
• 5 skinless chicken thighs
• 3 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into long, thin sticks
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. browning sauce (optional)
• 12 cups water
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 cups rice

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Immerse the rice in a bowl of water and drain in a colander. Repeat this step 3 times.
• Wash and dry the chicken. Set aside.
• Chop the onions in a food processor using the pulse button.
• Choose a sauté pan large enough to fit all the chicken. Pour 1/2 cup of oil into the pan and sauté the onions over high heat, stirring quickly, until brown (this should take around 5-10 minutes).
• Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with 3 tsp. of salt. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, turning so that all sides turn golden brown. The onions will start to caramelise and turn into a thick sauce.
• Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth and continue stirring to prevent the chicken from burning. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add another 1/4 cup of chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should turn a dark brown.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the carrots and place them in a large frying pan with 3/4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender and a deep orange hue (around 5-7 minutes).
• Once the carrots are done, drain any leftover liquid and add the remaining oil, raisins, almonds, and sugar to the carrots. Stir quickly over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. The raisins will plump up and the carrots will take on a sweet flavour. Remove from heat and package the mixture into a sealed aluminium foil pouch.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and set aside. Stir the cumin, cardamom, and black pepper into the broth and continue to cook on low heat for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
• In a large pot, bring the water and remaining salt to a boil. Add the rice and boil until it is 'al dente' (nearly cooked but still slightly crunchy). This will only take a few minutes, depending on the rice used. Be sure not to overcook it.
• Immediately strain the rice through a colander and put it back into the cooking pot. Add the sauce from the chicken and mix well.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice and set the aluminium package of carrots on top. This will keep the carrots warm and deepen the flavours.
• Bake the rice for 15 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, then drop the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for another 20 minutes.
• Arrange the chicken pieces on a large platter, cover with the rice, and sprinkle the carrots, raisins, and almonds on top.

Qabili Palaw is often served with a simple salad and is traditionally placed in the centre of the meal with other foods around it. It is considered a festive and important dish due to the price and quality of the ingredients and its tradition as Afghanistan's national cuisine.

Enjoy!

Afghan Char Masala

To make Afghan Char Masala, you will need a coffee or spice grinder and a jar for storage. The recipe calls for equal parts of each spice: cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, cumin, and black pepper. Grind the spices together until they are finely ground. Store the mixture in an airtight jar; it will keep for 3-4 months.

You can use Afghan Char Masala to season rice or meat dishes. For example, it is an essential ingredient in Afghanistan's national dish, Kabuli pulao. To use it, simply add a teaspoon or two of the spice mix to your dish while cooking.

This spice blend is a great way to add authentic Afghan flavours to your cooking and impress your friends with your homemade spice mix!

Afghan Dumplings: Mantu and Ashak/Aushak

Afghan dumplings, or Aushak, are a popular dish in Afghanistan, served at weddings and parties. They are similar to another type of dumpling called Mantu, which is also popular in Afghanistan. The main difference is that Aushak are filled with vegetables and served with meat sauce, whereas Mantu are filled with meat.

Aushak are usually filled with leeks, onions, or chives, and served with a creamy garlic yoghurt sauce and a hearty tomato-based meat or lentil sauce. They are quite time-consuming to make, so they are often reserved for special occasions.

How to Make Aushak

First, prepare the filling. For this, you will need leeks, scallions or spring onions, and optionally, garlic. Chop and sauté these ingredients until soft, then season with salt and pepper. You can also add spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric for extra flavour.

Next, take your dumpling wrappers (or make your own dough) and place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each wrapper. Wet the edges with water, then fold the wrapper in half and seal by pressing the edges together. You can use a fork to create a pattern along the edges. Place the dumplings on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate until you are ready to cook them.

Now, make the sauce. For a meat sauce, sauté onions and garlic, then add ground meat (traditionally lamb or beef), breaking it into small pieces. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and coriander. Then, add tomato sauce and cook until heated through. For a vegetarian option, you can use lentils and walnuts instead of meat. Simply pulse them in a food processor and add them to the sauce.

Finally, make the yoghurt sauce by mixing yoghurt with garlic, dried mint, and salt.

To cook the dumplings, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Carefully place the dumplings in batches into the water, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the wrappers turn translucent. Remove the dumplings from the water and place them on a plate.

To serve, top the dumplings with the meat or lentil sauce, yoghurt sauce, and fresh mint.

Variations

Although the traditional recipe calls for leeks and chives, you can also fill the dumplings with other vegetables like pumpkin, eggplant, or squash. You can also experiment with different spices and herbs in the filling and sauces to suit your taste.

For a vegan version, simply substitute plain yoghurt with unsweetened non-dairy yoghurt.

Afghan Noodle Soup: Aush

Aush, or Afghan Noodle Soup, is a rich and satisfying comfort food that is said to be second only to Afghanistan's national dish. It is a classic winter dish in Afghan cuisine, often served to those who are unwell. It is a hearty noodle soup, often cooked with Quroot, an iconic Afghan ingredient made from dried yogurt balls.

There are many variations of Aush, with every household having its own recipe. It is typically made with noodles, chickpeas, kidney beans, and ground beef or lamb, served in a savoury broth and topped with a generous dollop of yogurt. Some recipes include spinach, swiss chard, or other greens, and various spices such as coriander, paprika, and turmeric.

To make Aush, start by sautéing onions in olive oil until tender and golden, then add garlic. Next, add the ground meat and cook until browned. Add spices such as coriander, paprika, salt, pepper, and tomato paste, and mix well. In a separate pot, prepare the noodles by boiling them in chicken broth or water for a few minutes. Add the beans to the pot and continue cooking until the noodles are done. To assemble, place noodles and broth in a bowl, top with meat and a spoonful or two of yogurt, and sprinkle with dried mint.

Aush is a delicious and comforting dish, perfect for cold weather. It is a great option for feeding a crowd, and it can be made ahead of time.

Afghan Borani Banjan: Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants (~ 1½ pounds), peeled
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
• Oil for frying, plus more
• 6 cloves pressed garlic, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried mint, for topping
• Naan wedges, for serving
• Greek-style thick yogurt
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Method:

• Slice the eggplants into ½-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and allow the eggplant to sit for 45-60 minutes in a colander in the sink or over a rimmed plate. Then spread eggplants over paper towels and gently press to dry and wipe away most of the salt.
• Add a glug of oil to a sauce pan and sauté all but one of the garlic cloves in the oil until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, turmeric, and black pepper and sauté for another 60 seconds or until the tomato paste is fragrant. Add the can of diced tomatoes, crushed pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup of water and bring to a simmer. When simmering, cover the pot with a lid and lower the heat to low; let cook for 15-17 minutes for the flavors to blend. Check to see if the sauce is thick like a chunky pasta sauce. If it isn’t, remove the lid, kick the heat up to medium and simmer until it thickens.
• Add 2 inches of oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the eggplant in 2-3 batches, flipping halfway until golden brown on both sides, about 7-9 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• In a wide bottom pan, add ¼ of the prepared sauce, top with ⅓ of the eggplant and repeat these layers until all the sauce and all the eggplants are layered. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, turn the heat on to medium-low and allow the eggplants to cook in the sauce for 15 minutes.
• Prepare the yogurt sauce while you wait. Add yogurt and the remaining teaspoon of garlic to a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
• When the eggplant is done, spread ½ cup of the yogurt sauce in your serving dish, top with tomato eggplant mixture, and finely drizzle the remaining yogurt over the eggplants. Sprinkle with dried mint. Serve warm with a drizzle of chili/olive oil if desired with naan bread as an appetizer.

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