Bandjan Bourani (Afghan Dish)

Delicious and tangy Afghan dish made with Aubergine and yoghurt.

Bandjan Bourani

Ingredients:

• Aubergine  (Bangan)   long variety   diced in disc  4
• Tomatoes diced 3-4
• Red Chilli flakes/cutter   1-2 teaspoon
• Green chillies chopped  3
• Garlic crushed  1  pod
• Yoghurt  1 cup
• Mint leaves chopped  2-4  tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying and cooking as needed

Procedure:

• Shallow fry aubergine in oil on medium flame till soft and tender. Keep aside.
• Now take 2-3 tablespoon of oil in a pan,  heat on low flame then add 1/2 crushed garlic, red chilli flakes and then diced tomatoes.
• Cook till soft and green chillies and salt during cooking.
• At last, add fried aubergine and cook for few minutes then remove from flame.
• Take out in a serving platter/bowl.
• Now add salt and remaining garlic to the yoghurt, mix well.
• Pour the yoghurt sauce on the top of prepared bourani. 
• Sprinkle chopped mint leave.
• Delicious Bandjan Bourani is ready to serve.
• Serve with boiled rice.

Afghan Bolani افغان بولانی

Afghan Bolani is a delicious bread filled with spinach and potatoes and baked in oil.

Bolani

Ingredients:
For Dough

• Superfine Flour (white Atta)   1/2 kg
• Cumin seed whole 1 teaspoon
• Kalonji 1 teaspoon
• Knead the dough using water to a soft texture. Keep in dark for 1/2 hour.

For Filling:

• Spinach 1 kg  cleaned, trimmed  and coarsely chopped 1 kg
• Potatoes chopped 3-4
• Tomato chopped 1
• Onion chopped 1
• Ginger garlic paste 2 teaspoon
• Oil 1/2 cup
• Chopped fresh mint 1/2 bunch
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves 1/2 bunch
• Green chillies crushed  1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seed 1 teaspoon
• Coriander seed 1 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Boil spinach in water, drain and keep aside.
• Saute onion in oil till soft.
• Now add green chillies , ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and spices fry for two minutes.
• Now add boiled spinach and potatoes and fry for few minutes.
• Cook on low flame till potatoes are well cooked.
• Then evaporate much of water on high flame while stirring.
• Mash the potatoes.
• Then add fresh mint and coriander leaves.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Filling for Bolani is ready.

• Now prepared doughnuts from the prepared dough.
• Take one doughnut and flatten on board with the help of roller pin.
• Place a small quantity of prepared filling and fold and seal.
• Bake on tawa applies oil during baking.
• Delicious Afghan Bolani is ready.
• Serve with plain yoghurt or mint yoghurt.

Afghan Shola افغان شولا

Afghan Shola is a delicious and easily digestible dish. It is used with or without kofta.

Afghan Shola

Ingredients For Shola:

• Broken Rice (Tota Chawal)   1/2 kg
• Moong Sabut (moong beans)  200 g
• Onion chopped 1
• Garlic cloves chopped 5-6
• Oil 1/2 cup
• Salt 2 teaspoon
• Haldi powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper whole 1 teaspoon
• Cloves 5-6
• Cinnamon sticks 2

Ingredients for Kofta:

• Beef cubes boneless 1/2 kg
• Oil 1 cup
• Yoghurt beaten  1/2 cup
• Tomatoes chopped 2
• Onion chopped 2 medium-size
• Ginger crushed 1 teaspoon
• Garlic crushed 1 teaspoon
• Fresh mint leaves 1 tablespoon
• Fresh coriander leaves  1tablespoon
• Green chillies chopped 3
• Fresh red chillies chopped 3
• Salt to taste
• Red chillies powder 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Garam masala 1/2 teaspoon
• Poppy seed soaked and crushed 2 teaspoon
• Cumin seed powder 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Procedure for Shola:

• Soak rice in water for 20 minutes.
• Wash and drain keep aside.
• Soak moong beans in water for 15 minutes.
• Wash , drain and keep aside.
• Fry onion in oil till golden.
• Add  cinnamon , cloves and black pepper, then add garlic,  haldi,  salt  and  add 1/2 cup water. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Now add soaked sabut moong and cook till half tender.
• Add 2-3 glass water and soaked rice and cook on medium flame till rice and dal are tender.
• Check the stickiness of cooked rice, if not add a little water.
• Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Shola is ready for serving.

Procedure for Kofta:

• Fry onion in oil till golden brown.
• Remove from oil , cool and grind. keep aside.
• Mix powder spices together, make two portions of it.
• Now add 1/2 quantity of ground onion, 1/2 quantity of spices, 1/2 quantity of ginger garlic to the beef cubes.
• Rub and mix well. Process in an electric food processor to a smooth texture.
• Make baby koftas from this mixture and keep aside.
• Now heat oil in a pan, adds remaining onion , spices, ginger garlic paste and  tomatoes. Fry for 3-5 minutes and then add yoghurt. Fry for 5-6 more minutes.
• Add half to one cup water, cook for a boil. Then add prepared kofta balls to it.
• Cook on low heat till koftas are well done/tender. Stir carefully during kofta cooking to avoid breakage. 
• Sprinkle fresh mint leaves, coriander leaves , fresh red and green chillies on top and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
• Delicious Kofta gravy is ready for Shola.
• Gravy of kofta gravy should be thick.

Serving of Shola:
Shola is served with saltish thick yoghurt with or without Kofta curry/gravy.

Afghani Chai افغانی چائے

Chilly  winds are blowing in Karachi for 2 days. For this type of weather Afghani Chai is the best. One can found an Afghan Tea seller with large Tea Kettle and small glass of a particular design in a rack selling hot Afghani Chai in winters of Karachi.  Today I am sharing this recipe of Afghani Chai, hot and pleasant in taste.

Afghani Chai

Ingredients:

• Water  4 cup
• Green Tea  2-3 teaspoon
• Red poppy flowers  3-4
• Fresh ginger slices 2-3
• Cloves 4
• Cardamom green  3
• Black pepper whole 10
• Cinnamon sticks 2
• Star anise  2-3 petals
• Sugar 3-4 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Take water in a Kettle.
• Add all the above ingredients.
• Bring to boil.
• After few boils turn off the flame.
• Strain in small glasses and serve.

   3-4 servings. 

Pomegranate Kheer / Anar Kheer انار کھیر

Anar Kheer is a very delicious kind of kheer. You can not forget its taste once you licked it.

Pomegranate Kheer

Anar Kheer

Ingredients:

• Milk full cream 1 litre
• Rice crushed  1/2  -  3/4 cup
• Sugar  1/2 - 3/4 cup
• Pistachio chopped  1 tablespoon
• Green cardamom seeds 1/4 teaspoon
• Kewra essence few drops
• Pomegranate seed fresh  1 cup

Procedure:

• Add all ingredients to the milk except pomegranate seeds.
• Cook on medium flame till thick (20-40 minutes)
• Remove in a large bowl to refrigerate.
• Add pomegranate seeds to chilled kheer and mix well just before serving.

Afshani Mutton Shorba افغانی مٹن شوربہ

Afghani Mutton Shorba is a very delicious Mutton Curry using simple spices and ingredients.

Afghani Mutton Shorba

Afghani Shorba with Kandahari Naan

Ingredients:

• Mutton , big pieces of shoulder 1 kg دستی کا گوشت   
• Oil 1 cup
• Tomatoes chopped 4-5
• onion chopped 3
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Fresh Coriander leaves for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies 1-2 teaspoon
• Turmeric 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
• Black pepper whole 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala  1/2 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Fry onion in oil till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste fry for 2 minutes then add tomatoes, mutton and spices and fry for 5-6 more minutes till oil separates out.
• Add 2-3 glass of water and continue to cook on medium flame till mutton is tender.
• Add 1-2 glass of water for a thin gravy and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and simmer.
• Serve with Kandahari  Naan and salad.

Kandhari Murgh Tikka قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Kandhari Murgh Tikka is a famous BBQ dish from the famous city of Afghanistan. Kandahar city is famous for its good quality and sweet taste pomegranate (anar). Pomegranate juice or dehydrated pomegranate seeds (Anardana) is the main ingredient of this dish.

Kandhari Murgh Tikka   قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Kandhari Murgh Tikka   قندھاری مرغ تکہ

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken cubes   1/2 kg
• Butter for dripping during grilling
• Pomegranate seed dehydrated (anardana) crushed 1tablespoon
•   if fresh juice is available us 2-3 tablespoon instead of anardana
• Yoghurt beaten 1/4 cup
• Ginger paste 1 teaspoon
• Garlic paste 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Red Chillies powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds powder 1 teaspoon
• Ajwain powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Black salt 1/4 teaspoon

Procedure:

• Add anardana, ginger garlic paste and spices to the yoghurt and make a paste.
• Apply this paste to the chicken pieces and keep in cool place for 2 hours.
• Insert marinated chicken pieces on skewers (seekhs) or pre-soaked wooden skewers.
• Grill over charcoal fire till chicken pieces are tender.
• Drip melted butter on chicken pieces during grilling.
• Delicious Kadhari Murgh Tikka is ready.
• Serve with fresh coriander mint raita and Kandhari Naan.

Afghani Zarda Pulao افغانی زردہ پلاؤ

Afghani Zarda Pulao is a very delicious sweet and spicy rice dish.
My family liked it very much.

Ingredients For Curry:

• Chicken 8 pieces
• Oil 1 cup
• Yoghurt beaten 1 cup
• Onion chopped 1 cup
• Garlic crushed 1 medium pod
• Ginger crushed 2 inch piece
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper whole 20
• Coriander whole 1 teaspoon
• Fennel whole 1 teaspoon
• Caraway whole 2 teaspoon
• Cinnnamon stick 2-3
• Cloves whole 15
• Cardamom whole 3
• Cardamom small 6

Procedure:

• Fry onion in oil till light golden.
• Add spices stir then add chicken stir and fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Now add ginger, garlic and yoghurt and fry for 2-3 minutes then add 1 cup water and cook on medium flame till chicken is done.
• Chicken Curry is ready for Afghani zarda Pulao.

Preparation of Boiled Rice:

• Rice (soaked in water for 30 minutes) 1/2 kg
• Salt 1+1/2 teaspoon
• Water 4-5 glass
•  Boil rice in water with added salt till 1 kanni remain (near to cook).
• Drain and keep aside.

Colouring:

• Saffron  1/4 teaspoon
• Warm water 1/4 cup
• Add saffron to warm water and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Nuts:

• Almonds  1 tablespoon
• Pistachio  1 tablespoon
• Soak almonds in water to soft, remove skin and fry in 1teaspoon of oil till light golden
• Pistachio should be fry in oil for a little while.

Orange Syrup:

• Orange peels from 1 orange, thin strips
• Sugar 1 cup
• Boil orange peels in 1-2 cup of water and drain.
• Now take 1 cup water in a pan add sugar and boiled orange peels and cook till thick syrup is obtained.

Procedure For Afghani Zrada Pulao:

• Now all the ingredients for making Afghani Zarda Pualo are ready.
• Take a large pan, arrange bottom layer of 1/2 quantity of boiled rice, then add Chicken curry layer, then remaining rice. At top sprinkle orange syrup, nuts and saffron colour. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
• Delicious Afghani Zarda Pulao is ready.
• Mix and serve with salad and raita. 

Chanakhi (Georgian, Armenian Dish)

Chanakhi
Chanakhi is a very delicious dish of Georgia and Armenia . It is also popular in Afghanistan. Some 15 years back a friend of me from Farsi -baan Afghanistan (Persian speaking Afghan) named Baha uddin asked me about this dish weather I ever eaten or not. I replied in negative. He asked me to try this at Afghan Tent city in Sohrab Goth Karachi. It is very delicious dish they were cooking in Chanak (Tea kettle), The outlet and lid was closed during cooking. It was similar to Dampakht style cooking on very low heat. 
Here is the recipe of Chanakhi from Georgian and Armenian Cuisine brought to Afghanistan by Russian during invasion in afghanistan.



 



Ingredients:

• Lamb  1/2 kg
• Butter/oil 1 cup
• Aubergine/brinjal/Baingan   small , quartered in length  4
• Potatoes halved in lenght  4
• Tomatoes  quartered in length  3
• Onion quartered in length 3
• Garlic cloves (Javey)  6
• Garnish : Fresh Coriander leaves(Cilantro)/Parley/Basil for garnish  use any one which is available
• Chilli whole  3
• Black pepper cutter 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Water  1/4 cup (optional)

Procedure:

• Take a pan, place lamb/mutton at bottom add water(optional), spices and salt and butter/oil, then next layer of aubergine, then tomatoes, then onion and garlic, and at last potatoes.
• Put on lid and seal it with dough.
• Cook on simmering heat for 2 hour to 2 -1/2 hour.
• Open the lid, sprinkle garnish.
• Delicious Chanakhi is ready.
• Serve with Rice.

• Note: Traditionally Chanakhi is cooked in Clay Pot (handi).

Afghani Pulao/Kabuli Pulao افغانی پلو / افغانی پلاؤ

Afghani Pulao/Kabuli Pulao

Afghani Pulao/ Kabuli Pulao is a National Dish of Islamic republic of Afghanistan. It is a very popular pulao dish in Pakistan also. I eat this pulao during my visit to Masjid Mahabat Khan Peshawer during late 80's. Its taste is still on my tongue. Cooked with Parboiled Basmati Rice (pakki basmati or saila chawal), it is a very delicious and aromatic dish. In Karachi you can enjoy this dish at any Afghani hotel at Sohrab Goth area, where Afghan refugees are setteled.

Afghani pulao is a good choice for those who are interesting in less spicy dishes














Ingredients:

• Parboiled Rice (Saila Chawal/Pakki Bamati Chawal)   1/2 kg
• Mutton 3/4 kg
• Onion chopped 2
• Oil 1 cup
• Black pepper whole 1 teaspoonful
• Cumin seed whole 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder 2 teaspoon
• Salt for mutton 1 teaspoon
• Salt for rice 1 + 1/2 teaspoon
• Carrot gratted 1
• Raisin 100 g

Procedure:

• Fry gratted carrot in oil and keep aside.
• Fry raisin in little oil till plump, keep aside.
• Boil rice in 5 glass water with 1+1/2 teaspoon salt till tender, drain/sieve  and keep aside.
• Now fry onion in oil till golden brown.
• Add mutton and spices , salt and fry for 5 minutes. Then add 3-4 glass of water and cook on medium flame till meat is tender.
• Add boiled rice on tendered meat, then sprinkle fried gratted carrot and raisins on top and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Delicious Afghani Pulao is ready. Serve in a large serving platter in such a manner that meat is hidden inside the rice heap.