Afghani Recipes

Afghani Appetizer Recipes

Welcome to our Afghani recipes. We hope you will enjoy them. you may shop for
Afghani groceries here to make these scrumptious dishes.

Lamb Kababs
Ingredients
2 pounds boneless lamb steak cut into 1-in cubes
3 medium onions, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cuminseed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup cognac arak, or dry red wine
Directions
1. Mix everything together & marinate for 1 to 1-1/2 hrs. This distributes
flavors & tenderizes meat.
2. Put 4 pieces of lamb alternating w/onion quarters on each metal skewers.
Grill over charcoal, traditional method, for 10 mins, or to taste: rare, medium,
or well-done. Serve warm w/other Afghan foods.
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Samboosak
(meat pies)
These flaky meat pies are eaten to break the Muslim fast every evening
during the month of Ramadan. To the traditional meat stuffing of the northern
Arab states are added leeks, boiled eggs, and regional spices.
Ingredients
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
Directions
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.
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Samoosi Yirakot
(stuffed vegetable turnovers)
Yield: 20 servings
Ingredients
Dough
1 c Fine matzoh meal
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 c Cold water, approx.
Vegetables
1 tb Corn oil
1 md Onion; chopped
1 Garlic clove; chopped
1 Potato; peeled - cut into small pieces
1/2 c Cauliflower (chopped)
1 Carrot; chopped (1/2 C.)
1/2 c Green peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 c Thin-sliced green beans
1/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Corn oil, for deep-frying
Directions
Mix the meal, egg and salt together, adding just enough water to make a
moist dough that holds together. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the
onion and garlic, and stir-fry over moderate heat until light brown, about 3
min. Set aside.
Take the potato and 1/2 C. each of any other 3 vegetables and blanch in
boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add these to the pan with the onion
and garlic and stir-fry over moderate heat for 3 minutes, to mix well. Add salt
and pepper. Cool.
Take 1 heaping T. of the dough and press it out on a flat surface into a 2 1/2
inch square. Put 1 T. of the vegetable mixture on the bottom half of the
square and fold it over into a triangle. Prepare all the samoosi this way. Heat
the oil in a wok or skillet and brown the turnovers over moderate heat for
about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes about 20
turnovers.
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Boolawnee
( Fried Leek Pastries )
Ingredients
***PASTRY***
2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold water
***LEEK FILLING***
2 whole leeks; (2 leeks=3 cups chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon hot chili pepper

3 teaspoons oil
***TO FINISH***
oil; for deep frying
Directions
Sift flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the center and add water. Mix to
a firm dough and knead for 5 minutes until elastic, dusting with more flour if
necessary. Wrap in plastic film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Cut most of the green tops from leeks, halve lengthwise and rinse well to
remove all traces of soil between leaves. Remove roots and dry leeks with
paper towels. Place flat on board, cut along length at 5 mm (1/4 inch)
intervals than across to dice. Measure in cup measure and place in bowl.
Add salt and chili pepper and knead with hand to soften leeks. Stir in oil.
Roll pieces of dough into balls the size of a large hazelnut and roll thinly into
a 10 cm (4 inch) circle. Alternatively, roll out dough and cut into 10 cm (4
inch) rounds. Place about 2 teaspoons leek filling in center of circle, moisten
pastry half way round edge of circle and fold pastry over filling. Press edge
to seal well, and using the edge of a thimble, (the traditional method) or a
coffee spoon make little crescent- shaped marks around the edge, or press
with fork.
Fry 3 or 4 at a time in hot oil until golden brown, turning to brown evenly.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot or warm.
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Chatni Gashneez
(Coriander Chutney)
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 cup of Roughly chopped coriander
2 Garlic cloves
1 Green chili
1/2 cup of Coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup Lemon juice or vinegar
Salt
Pack chopped coriander (leaves) firmly into cup to measure. Peel garlic and
chop roughly; slit chili, remove seeds and chop roughly.
Place prepared ingredients and walnuts in blender or food processor
container and process until a textured paste is achieved, adding lemon juice
or vinegar gradually while processing. Add salt to taste, place ina bowl and
chill until required. Serve with kabaubs.
Note: If you have no processor or blender, pass ingredients through food
grinder with fine screen, or chop ingredients finely, then pound with a pestle
in a mortar. Gradually stir in lemon juice or vinegar and add salt to taste.