Afghan Culture Unveiled

Afghan-Inspired Spicy Chili Sauce

 
By Humaira

Recently Katie and I were asked to taste test the authenticity of Afghan food from a vendor claiming to sell authentic Afghan food.  By the end of the meal we were both stuffed and wondered how restaurant critics do this all the time.  Do they lose the joy of eating since it becomes work? Ok, I diverge here.

To be honest with you, most Afghans can tell what's authentic and what's not, despite the fact there is great influence on Afghan’s current cooking by its neighboring countries.  After all, Afghans have been refugees in India, Pakistan and Iran for 33 year of war in our own country.  Afghan food is rarely spicy; a good Afghan cook  seasons  to create balanced flavors and delicious tastes.  But, like any country, not everyone who cooks does so with a skilled hand (and this is an Afghan speaking). 

Sometimes we get critical comments from readers on our blog.  It seems negative feedback comes largely from Afghans who claim our recipes are not authentic and an insult to Afghan cuisine.  I assure you that our food is authentic, with the caveat that it is based on how my family cooks, and how we like to eat our food.  

Jeja (my mom) has a reputation for being an excellent cook within the Bay Area Afghan community.  We wouldn’t dare share anything that wouldn’t pass muster with her.  Katie and I are sharing our home cooked recipes for your Western kitchen.  Our recipes have been tested many times by Afghans and non Afghans.  We always retain the delicious flavors of Afghan food but simplify the cooking so it is accessible to experienced and novice cooks.  

Recently, two pints of padron peppers arrived in my CSA vegetable box.  It is a small and relatively mild pepper that I turned into my version of an Afghan chili sauce, a condiment commonly served with kebabs or as an accompaniment to other Afghan side dishes.  I don’t particularly like super spicy foods, but I love a little zing of pepper alongside milder dishes.  This sauce is designed to brighten the flavors of rice, meat or Qorma dishes without overpowering the food.  So use sparingly.

 

Afghan Inspired Spicy Chili Sauce

2 pints padron chilis (around 22 peppers), ends off and seeds removed

3 cloves peeled garlic

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts

½ cup white vinegar

Put the peppers, garlic, salt, black pepper, walnuts, and vinegar in the food processor and use the pulse button to grind the peppers and mix the ingredients.   Pulse a couple of times, wipe the sides, check the consistency and pulse more.  The sauce looks best and ends up with a pleasing crunch if you don’t over blend it.  If you prefer things really spicy, use a hotter chili like jalapenos. 

Serve in a small bowl and use a small amount to eat with whatever you are making for dinner.

Serves around 8

Cool as a Cucumber...a Dip for Summer Entertaining

  

By Humaira

 

  

As a fifth grader in Kabul I had an allowance of one Afghani per day to buy a snack.  Contrary to popular misconception, the Afghani doesn’t refer to a person, but to Afghanistan’s currency.  One Afghani was worth about 10 cents at the time.

All my friends would use their allowance to buy special treats from the school canteen, but I would stop at the vegetable store on the way to school to purchase the largest cucumber I could afford.  With school in session from March through November, the crunchy cucumbers with the small seeds had a cooling effect on me through the hot summer months -- I so looked forward to recess.  In retrospect I must have been a strange child to pick a cucumber over candy, but I won’t go into self analysis in this posting.

Persian cucumbers remind me of the wonderful cucumbers I used to covet as a child.  They are thin, small and reliably crunchy.  Peeled and cut into slivers they can be a great snack, a fine addition to a veggie platter and a healthy part of a sack lunch.   My kids love them. 

 

Previously I could only find Persian cucumbers at Afghan or Persian grocery stores, but now Trader Joe’s and some larger grocery stores carry them.  Here is a recipe for an Afghan appetizer I created and brought to a friend’s party.  There are few appetizers in the Afghan cuisine.  I serve this one with pita chips.  It also makes a nice side dish. 

 

   

Yogurt, Cucumber and Mint Dip 

 

  

1 cup plain yogurt

2 Persian cucumbers, roughly chopped  

½ tsp. Kosher salt

½ tsp. dried mind or 2 tsp. fresh mint

Pinch of dried, ground garlic

 

  

  

Mix all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir thoroughly.   Serve with pita chips, sambosas or bolani. 

 

 

Fresh Cherries with Savory Yogurt

By Humaira

Cherry season always makes me think of Afghanistan where the cherries are unbeatable.  Today my daugther Sofia and I had a great time with my new cherry pitter.  I couldn't believe how easy it was to make this recipe with this handy gadget.  I was a minimalist with my kitchen but just in the past month along with the cherry pitter,  I also purchased a rice maker and a bread maker from Good Will.  They were so cheap, I had to have them.  I can't explain my kitchen gadgets buying craze, perhaps it is countering my effort to edit my wardrobe.

This recipe is kind of an unusual one, and includes my three favorite ingredients:  yogurt, cherries and garlic.  I know many people may cringe at the thought of mixing garlic with cherries and yogurt, but it's really delicious. Since cherry season is upon us I thought I would share this recipe.

I like to serve Garlicky Yogurt with Cherries as an appetizer or a side dish with chicken and lamb kebabs.  I make it with dried garlic which lends a subtle flavor; it is less biting than raw garlic.  This also makes a satisfying snack that is a nice alternative to parfaits or sugary yogurts.  Using full-fat yogurt is richer and tastier, but I usually make it with non-fat for health reasons.  Enjoy.

Garlicky Yogurt and Cherries 

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1 pinch dried ground garlic

1/4 tsp. salt ( more if you like the sweet & salty flavors)

1 cup whole raw cherries, pitted and halved

1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint (optional)

  

 

Mix the yogurt, garlic, and salt in a bowl and stir until the yogurt is creamy.  Add the cherries and mix until the cherries are coated with yogurt and distributed evenly around the bowl.  The sauce will turn pink.  Scatter the mint over the top.

 

Makes 2 cups.

The Not So Afghan Birthday Bash

 
Me, birthday boy Waheed, my sister Nabila and my brother Tamim

By Humaira

A couple of weeks ago my sister Nabila had a birthday party for my brother Waheed, which signified an important and unmentionable age.  So, my various siblings, nieces and nephews flocked to West Hollywood for this memorable occasion.  I offered to pitch in with drinks and appetizers, but after hearing the rather elaborate menu Nabila had planned, I realized my help would be insignificant.

Nabila is one of the most talented people I know. You could say she is the Martha Stewart of our family:  an excellent cook, accomplished artist, designer and seamstress.  She is not into traditional Afghan cooking.  She always puts her own spin on everything, which usually has fabulous results, but sometimes drives my mom, Jeja (a traditionalist) a little crazy.  With our expanding, global world, and the fact that so many Afghans have lived in multiple places, like our family has, there is bound to be some intermingling of tastes, spices and creative ideas.

This birthday party was truly a global one with guests’ representing all nationalities:  Swiss, Iranian, German/French, and Afghans.  Nabila put out quite an amazing spread with Kitchree Quroot,  Borani Banjan, Qorma e Murgh with Challaw, and a delicious mixed green salad with fruit. 

Interestingly, the hit of the party was a cream cheese appetizer made with pineapple, green onions, cumin and cilantro.  It’s not particularly Afghan, more multicultural, like so many of Nabila’s winning creations.  So, it is in the spirit of globalization that I share this non-Afghan appetizer made by an Afghan for you to make for your next party.

 

 

 

Nabila's Afghan Cream Cheese Spread

 

8 oounces cream cheese

1/3 cup mashed unsweetened pineapple

 ¼ cup finely chopped green onions (around 4 onions)

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

¼ teaspoon cumin

Dash of salt and pepper to taste

Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. This should take an hour.

In a large bowl mix the cream cheese with all of the other ingredients  until thoroughly combined.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Roll the mixture into a large ball, place on a pretty serving plate, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.  Serve with crackers or unsalted pretzel chips.

Additional options you may want to try:

~1/3 cup of chopped roasted walnuts or pecans

~1/3 cup of finely chopped apples instead of pineapple

~¼ cup of raisins

~Or mix 1 tablespoon of each:  dried cilantro, dill and mint in a plate.  Cover the cheese ball with the dried herb mixture until all sides, top and bottom are covered then refrigerate.  The dried herbs add an additional dimension of great flavor.

Sweet Potato Afghan Turnovers: Bolani

 

By Katie

Bolani is Afghan unleavened bread stuffed with any number of fillings, typically potatoes, or gandana (akin to leeks).  Not quite turnover, not quite crepe, or quesadilla, it’s in a category all its own, and completely worth knowing about.

The De Afghanan Kebab House, a hole-in-the wall along the strip known as “Little Kabul” in Fremont, makes the best bolani we know.   Watching the cooks roll out, fill and brown the big, beautiful bolani is worth a road trip.  You can also find bolani sold by the folks at East West Gourmet Foods, who set up shop at many of the Bay Area farmers’ markets and sell at Whole Foods. 

We’ve taken some liberties with the recipe here.  Making the bolani dough from scratch requires elbow grease, along with an investment of time many of us don’t have.   Using tortillas is a doable short cut.  The sweet potatoes are also a departure from the norm.  The sweet, tender flesh of the potatoes marry well with cilantro and scallions. 

Bolani are best hot out of the sauté pan, when they are still brown and crispy.  Serve them cut in half as an appetizer or tucked in a lunchbox along with a spoonful of yogurt.

Sweet Potato and Cilantro Turnover:  Bolani

1 pound sweet potatoes

 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions, white and light green parts 

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons water

6 6-inch flour tortillas

Plain yogurt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven until very tender.  The time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes.

Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the flesh and put it into a medium bowl.  Discard the skin.  Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the sweet potatoes along with the cilantro, scallions, and salt.  Mash with a fork until thoroughly combined.   You can make this ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until ready to use. 

In a small dish, mix together the flour and water to make a paste.  Set a tortilla on your work surface and spread ¼ cup of the potato mixture on the tortilla, leaving a half-inch border around the rim.  Using your finger spread a small amount of the paste around the edge of half of the tortilla.  Fold the tortilla over, encasing the potatoes into a half circle.  Press the two sides of the tortillas together firmly to form a tight seal. 

Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Brown the bolani, two at a time, until golden on both sides.  The bolani should sizzle when they hit the pan.   Lay cooked bolani on a paper towel.  These are best served warm but are tasty at room temperature.  

Serve with plain yogurt.

 

 

 

Unexpected Valentine's Day Present: Cardamom Almond Brittle

 

 

By Humaira  

 

Last Sunday the girls and I went to Jeja's (my mom) house bearing Valetine's gifts for what we thought was an early celebration.  The girls gave Jeja her flowers, chocolate and a bottle of perfume and wished her happy Valentine's day.  Jeja looked confused, then she went to her garage and brought out two large zip loc bags of yellow and red sultana rasisins and gave them to me.  I asked her what is this?  Her response "It's for whatever you gave me gifts for".  

 

I was really surprised that Jeja had no idea about the significance of Valentine's day in the US after 32 years of living here.  It goes to show how insular of a life older immigrants can lead and why their connection to their mother country is so strong .  Valentine's day is not celebrated in Afghanistan but we wanted to share this recipe with you so this year you can surprise your sweetheart with the unexpected sweet our almond britttle instead of the predictable box of chocolate.  I think men can really impress the love of their lives by giving this recipe a try but don't forget to throw in a  piece of jewelry too.

  

This almond brittle features the subtle yet distinct flavor of cardamom along with several options to play with the seasonings.  The biggest challenge with this recipe is to get it into the gift bag or box before you’ve gobbled it all up.  The crunchy sweet Afghan combo is highly addictive. 

 

 

  

 

 

Cardamom Almond Brittle

Khasta e Shereen

 

 

  

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

1 lb. unsalted roasted almonds*

1 1/2 teasspoon ground cardamom

 

 

  

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.   Spread the almonds in a single layer on the baking sheet, grouping them all together with no spaces between the nuts.  

 

  Heat the sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly.  The sugar will eventually turn to liquid.  Continue to cook, stirring all the while, until the sugar is golden brown.  Add the cardamom and cook a little longer until it reaches a deep amber color and smooth texture.  The whole process of caramelizing the sugar will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

 

 

  

Drizzle the sugar in a thin stream evenly over the top of the almonds, covering them all.  Cool completely.  Break up the almonds with your fingers into two-bite pieces.  Store in a jar with a tight lid or package for gifts.

 

 

  

*if you buy raw almonds, toast them in a 325 degree oven for 10 minutes before doing the recipe

 

 

  

Options:

 

  

You can use a number of ingredients to lend different flavors to your nuts.  In place of cardamom (the traditional Afghan flavor) try the following:

  

n  Stir 1/3 cup cocoa nibs into the melted sugar in place of the cardamom

n  Add ½ teaspoon ground cayenne or ground black pepper to the melted sugar in place of the cardamom

n  Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel over the top of the caramelized sugar after you’ve poured it on the almonds.  The salt will be delicious with or without the cardamom.

 

  

For more holiday gift giving ideas, Afghan and otherwise, check out the recipes here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toasted Turmeric Cashew Nuts

By Humaira

I remember when I was pregnant with my first daughter, my brother Tamim and I went for a long walk at the end of which we were both starving.  We wandered into a corner market and he immediately reached for a Snicker's (his favorite) and was quite satiated.  I, on the other hand, scanned the aisles for almonds, or walnuts, or perhaps even a banana, to no avail.  I finally walked away with a tired-looking cheese stick from the back of the cooler.  My brother marveled at my willpower.  I had to admit to him that it wasn’t willpower at all. 

When I’m hungry, I want real food, something I attribute to having been raised in Afghanistan where there was little in the way of processed food.  Snacks in our house consisted of nuts, raisins, cucumber, fresh fruit, and on occasion, a lightly sweetened Afghan bread (roht) which we ate with tea. 
My poor daughters dream of a day when they come home from school to the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies like they see at some friends’ houses.  Instead they get a bowl of walnuts with dried mulberries.  Their response, “Why can’t we ever have something normal?”

I’m happy to report that this is something that my daughter Sofia actually does like.  She considers them an acceptable snack.  I came up with the recipe as something to serve with cocktails for a party Katie and I hosted.  It is very flavorful, not at all greasy or spicy.    It’s my favorite snack!

 

Toasted Turmeric Cashews

 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt (adjust to your taste)
1 pound unsalted, dry-roasted cashews

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add oil, turmeric and salt; quickly stir to make a paste.  Immediately add the cashews and stir-fry for 1 minute, turning the cashews in the pan to coat with the spices but don’t burn them.  Pour into a colander.  Shake the colander for 1 minute to eliminate extra spices; you may need to brush off extra coating of turmeric.  Let cool and store in a jar with a tight lid.

Note:  Trader Joe’s has well priced and really fresh cashews.

Afghan Spice Blend

By Katie

As the non-Afghan in this blogging duo I feel a particular responsibility to get my Afghan food facts straight.   Humaira reviews all of my posts before they go live to make sure I don’t embarrass us both with some glaring misstep in my recipes (“No Katie, an Afghan would never use brown rice in her challaw”). 

Humaira and I both strive to have our recipes be as authentic as possible.  As self-appointed ambassadors for Afghan cooking, we’ve collectively wondered how much room there is to “play” with ingredients.  It’s a little tricky.  Luckily, Afghan food is not a cuisine of extremes.  There aren’t a lot of unusual ingredients, strange tastes or searing spiciness.  But I do find myself wanting to tinker with recipes and ratios to suit my own American tastes.

For example, in Afghanistan when you are served kofta (seasoned ground beef or lamb), the amount of oil used is a measure of the cook’s generosity.  So when a host sets kofta swimming in fat in front of you, it’s a sort of honor.  But I use a lighter hand with the olive oil bottle.  To me, it’s more appealing, healthier and more balanced. 

Also, I’m a nut for dark leafy greens.  Much to my kids' chagrin, I manage to work kale, chard and beet greens into all manner of dishes throughout fall and winter.  My favorite Afghan recipes are no exception.  I’m particularly fond of melting chard into aush, a tasty Afghan soup.  It’s not something you’d see back in Afghanistan and I’ve wondered if this renders my aush an interloper.  But isn’t that the beauty of home cooking, the freedom to make each dish your own?

So, I was comforted when I attended a panel discussion of Central Asian chefs called “Spice Route Meets California Cuisine.”  The three presenters, Sri Gopinathan, chef of Campton Place, Hoss Zare, of Fly Trap, and Afreen Wahab, an academician, all agreed that bringing old world foods to new world cultures does sometimes mean making changes.  

Interestingly the panelists pointed out that even within India, the country’s famous spice blend garam masala varies not just by region or even by village, but by cook.  There is no “right” way to make it.  Each housewife crafts her own version according to her personal taste.

Afghans have their own “garam masala” I suppose.  It’s the spice mixture used in palau,  Afghanistan’s classic chicken and rice dish.  And every Afghan cook does it her own way.  Ours has just a few ingredients:  cumin, cardamom, and black pepper.  My American twist on the combination is to use it as a spice rub for chicken, lamb or beef.   This is hardly authentic, but wholly delicious. 

 

Palau Spice Mixture

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 ½ tsp. ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the spices.  Use in palau (see recipe under main dishes) or as a spice rub for grilled lamb, beef  or chicken along with a sprinkling of salt.

 
Seasonings used in palau, clockwise from top left:  black pepper, salt, cumin, and cardamom

Spicy, Crunchy Chickpeas: A Favorite Afghan Snack

By Katie

A bowl of almonds and walnuts in the shell along with a nut cracker next to it was a permanent fixture on our living room coffee table when I was growing up.  I had forgotten about this until recently when I went to Humaira's house and she set out a bowl of shelled walnuts.  She told me her mother, Jeja had cracked them herself.  The image of Jeja, sitting at home, working her way through a bag full of nuts for her children and grandchildren was heartwarming, to say the least.  A labor of love, no doubt, by a woman who doesn't necessarily always know how to express her affection.  The walnuts were in a different category altogether from what I might find in the bins at my local market:  unblemished, with a sheen to the walnut skins, sweet, completely lacking any need for adornment.

This got me to thinking about one of my favorite Afghan rituals:  hot tea with nibbles.  In Afghanistan, green or black tea, gently scented with cardamom, is served practically around the clock.  Little dishes of snacky things are set out to enjoy with the tea:  freshly cracked nuts, dried apricots, fat golden raisins, candied almonds called noql, spicy chickpeas, and so on.  The spicy chickpeas are particularly addictive and a snack that works, to my decidedly American palate, just as well with a cold drink as a cup of tea.  You can make them start to finish in a matter of minutes; the key is having your ingredients ready before you begin. 

 

Spicy Afghan Chickpeas

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. ground paprika

1 tbsp. ground chili powder

2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 lb. skinless, unsalted, dry-roasted chickpeas

Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add oil, paprika, chili powder and salt and quickly stir to make a paste.  Immediately add chickpeas and stir-fry for 1 minute, turning the chickpeas in the pan to coat with the spices.  Pour into a colander.  Shake the colander for 1 minute to eliminate extra spices.  Let cool and store in a jar with a tight lid. 

*You can find dry roasted chickpeas in Middle Eastern and Indian Markets

 

Bolani: Afghan Potato and Scallion Turnover

By Humaira

Bolani e kachaloo, unleavened bread stuffed with potato, scallions and cilantro is one of my favorite Afghan snacks.  It’s in complete opposition to Mr. Atkins’ dietary rules:  starch on the outside, starch on the inside.  Maybe that is what makes it so delicious.  Bolani can also be filled with other delicious stuffing:  Chinese green onions (gandana) , spinach,  lentils, butternut squash or whatever you like. 

 

Afghans make bolani for special occasion such as birthday parties, engagement parties or holidays.  Nowadays most Afghans in the East Bay order their bolani from the many local Afghan restaurants.  The most popular source  is Fremont’s beloved hole in the wall De Afghanan restaurant which is reminiscent of kebab houses in Kabul.  Some of my non-Afghan friends have discovered bolani sold by the folks at East West Gourmet Foods who set up shop at many of the Bay Area farmers markets. 

 

 On a field trip to Little Kabul last spring, Katie and I watched in awe as the cook at De Afghanan brought out a piece of bolani dough the size of a large pizza, spread a generous amount of potato mixture on it and then browned it as we watched.  Somehow the two of us managed to eat most of this flavorful bread, along with a huge order of chicken kebab.  In the Afghan community the De Afghanan version of bolani is now lovingly called Fremont style.  

 

Although in Afghanistan everyone makes their own dough, over the years my mom Jeja and her fellow Afghan ladies have developed short cuts to making bolani .  They use a bread dough bought from Costco or flour tortillas, the latter of which we think is the best and easiest way to go.  For this post I’m sharing both a recipe for the homemade dough and also the method using tortillas.   I have to confess once they were cooked it was hard to distinguish one from the other.  Both tasted great. 

We like to make bolani as an appetizer, an elegant addition to a dinner instead of bread, a yummy sandwich alternative in our kids’ lunch boxes or a quick snack to reheat in the toaster. 

Bolani:  Afghan Potato and Scallion Turnover

Bolani e Kachaloo

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup water room temperature

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. russet potatoes (about 2 medium-size potatoes)

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup finely chopped scallions white and green parts
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions:
Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.  Slowly add the water and the teaspoon of oil and mix the dough together, kneading it a little until it forms a ball.  If the dough is too dry to come together, add more water, a tablespoon at a time.  Once the dough is formed, knead it for 10 minutes on a lightly floured cutting board.  If you are impatient like us, set the timer so you won’t reduce the kneading time.  Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a cloth and let it rest for one hour.

In the meantime , boil the potatoes until soft in the center when pierced with a small knife.  Remove from the water and when cool enough to handle, slip the skins off the potatoes.  Put the potatoes, cilantro, scallions, 2 tbsp. of the olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and mash together with your hands or a potato masher until thoroughly combined.  Some lumps are ok.  You can also make this the night before and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

Take a small amount of dough the size of a small apple and roll into a smooth ball.  Spread some flour on the wood board and roll out the dough using a rolling pin.  Continue to flatten the dough until it takes a round shape, is as thin as a tortilla, and about 10-12  inches across.  The thinner the dough the better.  If you have trouble rolling the dough to the shape you want, use a lid from a pot to trace a perfect round shape. 

Spread ¼ cup of potato mixture on one side of the dough, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the rim.  Fold the other half over and press the dough together with your finger to form a seal. 

Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in a medium-size sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Brown the bolani, two at a time, until golden on both sides.  The bolani should sizzle when they hit the pan.   Lay cooked bolani on a paper towel. Add more oil to your pan if your oil starts to reduce. These are best served warm but are tasty at room temperature. 

 

Serve with plain yogurt

 

Short Cut:

If you don’t want to make the dough use flour tortillas instead, it always turns out well and saves time.

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. water

6 6-inch flour tortillas

 

In a small dish, mix together the flour and water to make a paste.  Set a tortilla on your work surface and spread ¼ cup of the potato mixture on the tortilla, leaving a half-inch border around the rim.  Using your finger spread a small amount of the paste around the edge of half of the tortilla.  Fold the tortilla over, encasing the potatoes into a half circle.  Press the two sides of the tortillas together firmly to form a tight seal.  Brown the bolani following the instructions in the recipe above. 

 

 Bolani cut out with potato mixture

 

 
Folded over and pressed together 

 

Using a tortilla you leave a wider edge for the paste which will hold the tortilla closed. 

 

Tortilla Bolani ready for cooking. 

 

 

 

Cheese & Raisins (kishmish paneer)

posted by Humaira

 

Ever since leaving Afghanistan 30 years ago, I would think back to the summer days in Paghman where my family would go for Friday outings to escape the Kabul heat.  Paghman is only a short drive from Kabul but has very mild weather. Wealthy Kabulis would spend their summer days in their lush villas, have picnics in their beautiful gardens and swim in the rivers of Paghman. 

Our summer holidays were filled with great food but my favorite was always the afternoon snack fresh cheese with raisins (kishmish paneer).  A local Kochi-nomad woman would deliver the fresh paneer which would be wrapped in a cloth. It would be served on a platter with black raisins, nuts and fresh fruit.  My mouth is watering just writing about it.  My family never found an equivelant to Afghan paneer in American markets but just last year my sister shared this recipe with me, it was perfect.  The cheese is very mild in flavor and has a chewy mozzarella like consistency .  The key to bringing the flavors out is the raisins. They are heavenly together.  You can also have it on a cracker with a dribble of cherry preserve. Many Americans who have tasted it feel that it needs more salt.  You can adjust the recipe to your own taste.

I hope you love this as much as I do.

Afghan Paneer

1/2 gallon of one percent milk

1/2 gallon of buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp. of salt

Cheese cloth (Whole foods, Bed Bath & Beyond)

Round deep colander

Raisins

This recipe can be doubled.

In a large heavy pan heat the milk on medium heat.  While waiting, cut the cheese cloth to fit the colander and have some of it drape off the side of the colander.  If the mesh on the cheese cloth is not very fine, lay 2-3 layers. 

Just when the milk starts to boil (don't burn the bottom) remove it from heat. Add the buttermilk and salt.  Stir for 1 minute. Set the colander in the sink and slowly pour the contents of the pot into the colander.  Make sure that the cheese cloth doesn't slide off the sides of the colander.  The milk will curdle and the liquid will drip out of the colander.  Scrape the side of the cheese cloth to speed up the drainage of the liquid. 

The contents will reduce slowly.  Grab the side of the cheese cloth and tie with with a clip or a rubber band.  Continue squeezing the cheese cloth until there is barely any water squeezing out but it should still feel moist otherwise the cheese will be too dry. By now the cheese should be the size of a large softball.

Put the cheese in the cheese cloth with a bowl lined with two layers of paper towel.  Leave it in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until it is solid.

Take the cheese out of the cheese cloth, cut in 1/4 inch thick slice, serve with black raisins.

Mixtured poured into the cheese cloth in the collander

Cheese is ready to be unwrapped

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Afghan Pickled Pumpkin

By Humaira
 
Happy Halloween!
 
It’s a tongue twister we all remember growing up with…but people really do pickle pumpkins.  At least Afghans do.

Every year around Halloween, my mom Jeja asks that we keep our Halloween pumpkins for her.She uses the pumpkin to make turshee (the Dari word for pickle).  You can use a variety
of vegetables or even fruit to make turshee, but this time of year pumpkins are particularly festive.  Jeja uses pumpkins, peppers, baby eggplants, garlic and sometimes peaches. 

 

Katie was skeptical about using common Halloween pumpkins for culinary purposes. 

Most households throw them away along with the Halloween candy wrappers, but I assured her that it's been road tested by Jeja.
 
This year I took a stab at making turhee but I used the sugar-pie pumpkin and lipstick
peppers that came in my weekly organic vegetable box.  Having tried Jeja's turshee I can
assure you that your halloween pumpkin will be a great substitue for this recipe.  Just make sure you are not using one that has been carved and sitting on a front stoop for the last two weeks. 

You can use any kind of pepper you like:  red or green bell pepper, or even jalapeno if you like things spicy.  In my family we eat turshee along with other Afghan dishes such as kebabs, quorma, and rice.  I think it will go very well with steak, hamburger or other types of non Afghan meat dishes. It’s tart and tender and really delicious.
 
 Now go out there with a great costume and scare your neighbors.

Turshee e Kadoo
 

1 large 4 liter jar with a tight lid
1 small sugar pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut in 1 inch squares
6-8 lipstick peppers, seeded and cut in quarters lengthwise
3 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water, boiled and then cooled to room temperature
1 tbsp. dried cilantro
1 tbsp. dried fenugreek
1 tbsp. nigella seeds (optional)
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. salt

25-30 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

 
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the pumpkin and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the peppers to the pot, boil for 2 minutes or until a fork can easily pierce through the pumpkin but don’t let it get too soft.

Drain the contents of the pot into a colander and let it cool, about 15-20 minutes.

In a large bowl add all ingredients except the garlic.  Stir and then let it sit for an hour to soak.  Transfer the contents of the bowl into the jar with a ladel and intermix the garlic so it looks layered in the jar.   Be sure all the spices made it into the jar.  Also, the liquid should be 1 inch above the ingredients.  If not, just add more 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water.

 

Close lid, store in a cool, dry dark place for two weeks. This recipe can be doubled.