AFGHAN RECIPES

Deegei pulao
Popular Rice dish during weddings and other festivities. Family of six . Basmati Rice 2 cups( wash and drained) 1kg beef or mutton meat bone in 1 large onion (finely chopped) 2 table spoon of olive or vegetable oil 3 cups of water Salt to taste 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala 12 cloves whole(lawung) 4 sticks of Cinnamon(whole) 12 black pepper (whole) Raisins (wuskee) quarter of a cup Orange peel optional ( da malte na balke da trush narangee) In a pot brown opinions in oil. Add meat mix it well with onions till the meat is brown add some water or yogurt to prevent from burning and sticking, then add garam masal, cloves, cinimmons, black pepper and salt. Stir well till the spices are cooked, add some more water or yogurt to prevent from burning or sticking. Now add 3 cups of water and cover to cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes. When meat is cooked and tender add drained rice, raisins and orange peel bring it to boil. Cover with lid and cook it on a very low heat for about 25 minutes or when the rice is done. In a large dish (tale ya majma) put the pulao and enjoy. Mix in yogurt or chutni if you like.

Afghan Chicken
Serving Size : 6 Amount Measurement Ingredient 2 large cloves garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt 4 tablespoons juice and pulp of 1 large lemon 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 2 large whole chicken breasts (about 2 lbs) Long, slow marinating in garlicky yogurt tenderizes, moistens and adds deep flavor, so you end up with skinless grilled chicken that's as delicious as it is nutritionally correct. Serve with soft pita or Arab flatbread and fresh yogurt. Put the salt in a wide, shallow non-reactive bowl with the garlic and mash them together until you have paste. Add yogurt, lemon and pepper. Skin the chicken breasts, remove all visible fat and separate the halves. Bend each backward to break the bones so the pieces win lie flat. Add to the yogurt and turn so all surfaces are well-coated. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate. Allow to marinate at least overnight, up to a day and a half. Turn when you think of it. To cook, remove breasts from marinade and wipe off all but a thin film. Broil or grill about 6 inches from the heat for 6 to 8 minutes a side, or until thoroughly cooked. Meat will brown somewhat but should not char. Serve at once.

AFGHANI LAMB WITH SPINACH

Yield: 4 Servings 2 1/2 lb Lamb stew meat -- preferably leg 1/3 c Olive oil 3/4 lb Onions; diced large 4 ts Chopped garlic 2 ts Turmeric 1/4 ts Nutmeg 1/4 ts Ground cardamom 1 ts Crushed red pepper -- or to taste 1/2 ts Cinnamon 32 oz Can tomatoes; drain & chop 1 c Rich brown veal stock or 1 c Rich beef stock 1/3 lb Fresh spinach; wash & drain 1/2 c Yogurt 1 tb Grated lemon peel Salt; to taste 1/4 c Pine nuts (Roasted at 350 F. for about 3 minutes.) Sear lamb in the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onions; saute them for 2 minutes; then add the garlic and saute it for 1 minute. Put in the turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, crushed red pepper and cinnamon and saute the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes more, being careful not to burn the onions or garlic. Add the tomatoes and veal stock and stir. Cover the dish and bake at 350 F. for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and begins to break up. Remove the dish from the oven and add the spinach, stirring until the spinach is wilted and blended in. Allow the stew to cool slightly. Add the yogurt, lemon peel and salt to taste. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts. Serve over rice pilaf.

AFGHAN KOFTA ( MEATBALLS )

Serves 3 1 pound Ground beef 1 Onion finely minced 1 Green pepper finely minced 1 tablespoon Clove garlic finely minced 1/2 tablespoon Ground coriander seed Salt and pepper to taste Knead together the beef, onion, pepper, garlic and salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes to blend flavors. Form into 16 oval balls. String 4 on skewers alternating with a onion quarter, green pepper quarter and cherry tomato on each skewer. Grill about 5 minutes until browned, turn and grill other side. Served with spiced brown rice and a large piece of the flat Afghan bread.

Hawayej
Serves 1 3 tb Black Peppercorns 3 tb Cumin Seed 2 tb Turmeric 1 tb Ground Cardamom 1 tb Ground Coriander Grind all the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight container. Rub this spice blend devised by Zvia, an Afghan street vendor in New york, all over beef, pork, or chicken 2 hours prior to grilling. It also adds a pungent flavor to tuna, swordfish, bluefish, and bass; rub it on both sides of the steak or fillets about an hour before grilling. In both cases, the rub can be left on the meat or fish while grilling to make a blackened seasoned crust. It can also be stirred into boiled rice or summer soups to taste. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Kofta Nakhod
(Meatballs & Chick-Pea) Serves 8 1 cup of Dried chick-peas, covered with hot water & soaked overnight, or at least 8-10 hrs 1 1/2 lb Ground beef 1 large Onion, grated 1/4 tablespoons of Pepper 1 tablespoons of Salt, or to taste 1/4 tablespoons of Ground cinnamon 1 tablespoons of Dried mint, crushed 1 tablespoons of Bread crumbs, matzoh meal or plain flour 4 cup of Water, boiling Chick-peas provide bulk in well-seasoned kofta, name for various types of meatballs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, & India. Unlike custom in other countries, they are boiled in soup or water & served separately from soup. 1. Drain chick-peas in a colander, then grind them rather fine in a processor. Mix everything together except water. 2. To prepare meatballs: Moisten hands w/cold water and prepare meat & chick-peas balls 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Put the meatballs into boiling water, one at a time, & simmer over moderate heat for 45 mins. Remember that chickpeas are ground but not cooked. The meatballs may also be cooked in a light chicken broth. Serve meatballs & soup separately with bread, rice, & pickles. Serve 8. Makes about 18 meatballs.

Samboosak
(meat pies) 1 package spring roll skins (approximately 8 inches square), defrosted 1 tbsp. flour 1 tbsp. water Oil for frying Filling 1 small onion, minced 1 leek, cleaned and chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb Salt Black pepper 1/2 tsp. cumin or kebsa spices 2 egg whites, hard-boiled and chopped Oil for frying

1. Saute the onions and leek in the oil until transparent. Add the meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until done, breaking up lumps. 2. Add the cumin and the chopped egg whites and mix well. 3. Cut each spring roll skin into 3 strips of equal width (If the dough is not precisely square, use the slightly larger dimension for the length of the strip.) Lay out 3 to 4 strips on your work surface. 4. Place a rounded tsp. of the meat mixture toward the bottom right hand corner of each strip. Fold that corner diagonally over to the top left-hand corner, forming a triangle. As you fold, be certain that the side of the strip lines up perfectly with the folded portion. Continue as if folding a flag, alternately folding the bottom corners in a diagonal pattern. Seal the final flap with a bit of the flour paste. 5. Deep-fry and drain on absorbent paper.

Chapli Kabab The places to visit for this native favorite is Nothia in Pekhawar Khaar, there are only two well known Kabab houses, very crowded and as usual the patties of the Kabab and bread is small, quiet typical of the city food outlet, the portions become smaller and smaller as you reach further south The Nothia Kabab houses were very favorite of President Sekander Mirza and Ayub Khan; both developed heart diseases later on They used the PIA evening flight to have their favorite kebab flown over for their dinner Bakhshi, Takker and Takht Bhayi are the other spots well known for the best kebabs amongst the locals The recipes commonly used are not very healthy because of the fat contents and need to be modified Animal fat Cherbi is very high in saturated oils and its use should be minimized or replaced with Olive oil Vegetable oils are not that healthy as they are advertised Dalda is nothing but hydrogenated grease and is one of the accelerators of heart diseases and strokes in the populations I think Nalley/ bone marrow and Eggs could be avoided from the kabab without sacrificing the taste Eggs are added for the sake of taste and to prevent breaking of the patties 235 mg cholesterol in each we could do without those

Shumla This is a traditional drink of the Pukhtunkhwa and is also called Lessi south of the border Ingredients: Low fat Yogurt one large cup One percent or no fat for those who cant handle even one percent Four mild green chili fine cut About three branches of green coriander Cut fine 3 branches of leafy green mint cut fine A dash of salt, as needed and recommended Powder coriander, powder cloves and powder cinnamon All of these ant- occidents goodies less than one fifth of a teaspoonful Mix all of the above in the blender add three cups of water, five ice cubes, one spoonful of honey and peculate and pour in to you favorite glasses Yummy! It should make two glasses of refreshing drink Two tall glasses could be used as mixers instead of a blender Shake it gently * * * * *

Grilled Chapli Kabab The healthy portion of the Kabab is Coriander, Ginger, Garlic, chili, Anardana, Powder sour grape Ghoura Angure and Zeera when mixed with onion and tomato My recipe need the above-mentioned ingredients mixed with minced meat of choice either lam or Buffalo, Cow meat mixed with Maize and corn flour for the Kabab Patties cooked over the grill Ingredients Meat, half kilo Or two cups of fine minced meat low in fat Two bulbs of fresh ginger, very fine cut One bulbs of onion average small to medium size Spanish onions for those who do not like the pungent smell of cutting the bulb It has to be cut very fine Zeera about one teaspoon Coriander green leaves to be cut to small pieces about ten branches of the fresh cut leaves with the stem Crushed coriander seeds one tablespoon Tomato 4 crushed and fine cut Ghoura Angoor Bitter Grape powder two spoon Red and green chili two of each cut to fine pieces Anardana crushed fine in a mortar Chattu 2 tablespoon Garlic one medium size bulb cut to fine pieces Mix all of the above in wide container and mix 1 table spoon of fine Corn flour and two table spoon of fine wheat flour add salt and water as needed to make a semi solid ball cover it with the lid and refrigerate for 4 to six hours before cooking Start the charcoal fire or the gas grill half hour before cooking Cover the surface for cooking with a double layer of Aluminum file Perforate it with the fine fork about a small perforation per square inch Prepare medium size Patties and smear both surface of the patties with a touch of olive oil to prevent sticking and burning Move the patties frequently and turn over when cooked Slow cooking range for the fire is advised, well cooked or well done are every bodies favorite Enjoy! Enjoy! Healthy recipes of Pukhtunkhwa Wrowr Rahmat

'veshalay' Hope you have heard the term?

Take one cupful of flour or maida Whatever, pleases you Add a pinch of salt and a dash of powdered zeerah Add a cup or more of water and mix the whole into a thin paste Allow it to settle for a while Now put some oil ot ghee on tawwah / tabakhay let it heat a while, not much, then pour over the paste onto it A minute or two later turn the bubling and partly dried paste upside down You got to do it very expertly, lest you brake the veshallay When the other side is also baked for no longer than two mintes Bring it down I assure you this is the tastiest bread that you can have You need not munch on it The moment you put it in the mouth it will automatically get swallowed If you want to make it sweet, then instead of salt add sugar one or two table spoons of sugar to the cupfull of flour will do Ingredients Chicken breasts 12 pcs (boneless) Ginger paste 40 gm. Garlic paste 40 gm. Lemon juice 45 ml. White pepper powder 5 gm. Butter 60 gm. Gram flour 100 gm. Bread crumbs 80 gm. Ginger 20 gm. Coriander 20 gm. Green cardamom powder 2 gm. Egg yolks 3 Oil 10 ml. Salt to taste Method Clean each breast piece and cut in two. Mix ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper and rub the chicken pieces with this mixture. Keep aside. Clean and chop the ginger and coriander. Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add gram flour and cook till golden brown. Add the marinated chicken and saute. Add bread crumbs and mix well. Skewer each chicken piece horizontally and cook for about 7-8 minutes in a moderately hot tandoor. Coat the chicken pieces with the egg yolks and cook further till the coating turns golden brown. Remove and sprinkle cardamom powder and coriander. Serve immediately