14 Afghan Dishes Everyone Should Try

Afghani Table

The food in Afghanistan is delicious, healthful, and bursting with flavour.
Afghanistan's distinctive flavour characteristics are among the experts' favourites because they are neither either sweet nor overly spicy.
Here, we introduce you to some of the most well-known Afghan recipes ever.
All devoted Afghani food enthusiasts like the meals listed below, which range from baked nibbles to full feasts. 

 

Bolani

A flatbread called Afghan Bolani is packed and cooked.
Bolani is created with unleavened dough, but the vegetable stuffing within is what gives it its true charm.

Usually, mashed potatoes, green and red lentils, leeks, chives, pumpkins, spring onions, and other ingredients are mixed into the dough.

Bolani is a main dish and a street food.
In Afghan homes, it is often served as a side dish.

It is eaten warm and is accompanied by chakkah, a creamy Afghan yoghurt dip with mint flavour.

With a thick, chewy stuffing that is rich and nourishing, this flatbread features a thin crust.
Poraki and Perakai are other names for Bolani. 

Afghani Pulao

 

Quabili pulao, derived from the Dari word "qabil," is another name for Kabuli Pulao.
This name derives from the words "competent" or "able," respectively.


This was done to bolster the idea that only skilled cooks could create the ideal pilaf in the Afghani style.
The ability of an Afghan woman to make the country's signature meal, kabuli pulao, is traditionally used to determine whether or not she is prepared for marriage.


The culinary jewel of Afghanistan is the Kabuli pulao.
This dish was originally made for Kabul's upper-class families.


A lavish presentation of rice and meat is used to serve the meal.
Steamed long-grained rice, caramelised carrots, and raisins are among the traditional components.

Along with other flavour enhancers, it is seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, and turmeric.
Among the protein options are cuts of beef, chicken, and lamb.


Because different regions in Afghanistan utilise different spice mixtures to prepare the delicacy, the flavour of Kabili pulao changes from region to region.
But typically, it always includes a wide variety of rice, veggies, herbs, and meat. 

Banjan, Borani

Slices of fried eggplant are used to make Borani Banjan, a delectable vegetable meal.
The servings are cooked for a while in a flavorful tomato sauce.


To maintain its thick, rich flavour, the tomato sauce is prepared using a variety of ingredients.
For serving, thick yoghurt that has been flavoured with garlic and mint is then placed on top of the borani banjan.
Locals pair the renowned Afghanistani naan flatbread with borani banjo.
It may either be consumed on its own or combined with Kabuli lamb pilaf as a side dish.

Kabob Chopan

In Afghanistan, lamb meat is frequently eaten as a main course, a side dish, or an ingredient.
A specialty of Pashtun cooking is chopan kabob.


A mankal, a traditional charcoal brazier used in Afghanistan, is used to roast the lamb for the kabob.


Chopan kabob shares a long history with other Afghan cuisines.
Sheepherders first made the dish by liberally salting lamb pieces.
As they observed their herds, they cooked these portions over flames while skewering them on twigs.


Chopan kebab is currently prepared in a variety of ways, including by adding jijeq to improve flavour.
Jijeq are bits of fat that come from a sheep's tail.
 

Before seasoning the lamb with sumac, gard-e-ghooreh, and sour grape powder, some people pre-marinate the meat.
Naan bread goes great with chopan kabob.

Gosh e-feel

In Afghanistan, a fried sweet pastry known as "elephant's ear" is consumed.
In order to make the pastry, flour, milk, eggs, and sugar are combined
After diligently mixing the batter, it is left to rest.
After that, a thin crust is formed, and it is fried in oil.
For a little period, it is fried on both sides.
The delicacy of Gosh-e fil is due to how neatly cooked
The mixture is ready.
Along with powdered cardamom, icing sugar, and crushed pistachios, these crunchy pastries are decorated.
Others include rose petals to improve the flavour and texture.
Before seasoning the lamb with sumac, gard-e-ghooreh, and sour grape powder, some people pre-marinate the meat.
Naan bread goes great with chopan kabob.

Haft miwa 

 

 

Haft miwa is significant culturally since it is customarily prepared for the new year.
The evening before the Afghan new year, which is the first day of spring, the dried fruit and nut soup is made.

The seven fruits that are used to make the soup gave it its name.
Pistachios, dried apricots, red and green raisins, almonds, walnuts, and oleaster berries are some of these fruits.

Although some people prefer to use water, the fruits are steeped in sweetened rosewater.

According to Afghan tradition, one should begin the new year with something sweet and light, which is exactly the flavour characteristic of haft mewa soup.
Breakfast is served with this dish.

Aashak

 

Afghan dumplings known as ashak or aushak are wonderful.
They differ from standard dumplings, though, because they contain a unique substance that is primarily farmed in Afghanistan.

Typically, they are stuffed with chopped spring onions or a leek variety that is available in most of the nation's provinces.
The name of this leek is gandana.
Aushak is eaten with a thick yoghurt sauce called chakkah and a ragù of lamb meat.

 Mastawa

A common winter dish made with rice is called mastawa.
Mastawa, a dish from Afghanistan, consists of short-grained rice, chickpeas, and lahndi, or sun-dried mutton.
In a broth, these elements are cooked collectively.
Common ingredients for the flavorful soup include coriander, mint, garlic, turmeric, and onions.
The dish becomes rather hot when the natives add narenj, or bitter orange peel.
Cooks add quroot after letting the rice simmer in the flavorful broth.
Afghani cheese known as quroot is produced with salted, strained, and dried yoghurt.
Since there are no suitable substitutes, quroot is essentially what distinguishes mastawa as a special meal.
Also, gosht-e-qaqh, a sort of dried beef from Afghanistan, is occasionally used to produce mastawa.

Aush

 

The aush is a hearty Afghani noodle soup that frequently contains noodles, mint, garlic, and tomatoes.
Another consistent component of the meal is chakkah.

But if the essential components are there, aush can be prepared in a variety of ways.
Some natives cook it with meat, while others make vegetarian versions of the noodle soup.

Beans and chickpeas are also included in some forms of legumes.
Aush-e-asli is one variety that just includes meatballs and noodles as the major ingredients.

At the conclusion of the preparation, chakkah, a strained yoghurt, is either stirred in or dolloped on top of aush.

Afghani Green Sauce

Commonly used as a dipping sauce for dumplings, snacks, and the like is Afghani green sauce.
Some major courses can also be served with this green sauce.
Its vibrant green colour is a result of a mix of spices with potent fragrances.
Chilies, raw garlic, and lime juice are components of Afghani green sauce. 

Afghan Jelabi

The exquisite dessert dish called as jalebi from Afghanistan is well-known worldwide.
You can eat the meal as a snack as well.

Gram flour dough is used to make jalebi, which is then dipped in a rich sugar syrup.
The usual shape of these desserts is a circular cut.

Afghani jalebi is a tasty snack since it is crunchy and sweet.
It tastes best when you bite into it while it's still hot, according to the locals.

Sheer Khurma

 

 

 


Sheer khorma, which translates to "milk with date plum fruits," is another name for sheer khurma.
This hearty Afghani dish is typically served during Muslim holidays.

During the Eid morning prayers, it is served as breakfast, and then again to visitors as dessert.

Vermicelli, whole milk, dates, almonds, sugar, saffron, and almond nuts are among the components used to make the meal.
It is typically eaten as a thick soup because of its consistency.

One can eat sheer khurma either warm or cold. 

Mantu

Mantu is a well-liked and simple-to-make street snack that is another type of Afghani dumpling.
Additionally known as "Manto" or "manti,"

Either minced meat or ground meat is used to make the dumplings.
They often contain little to no oil and are steamed.

In order to enclose the meat inside, mantu is prepared with a number of Afghan spices and a thin exterior coating.
A tart Afghani cheese called quroot is typically served with the dish.

Mantu is also consumed by locals with various yoghurts and tomato sauces.