AFGHAN FOOD
Main Course
Shish Kabab
Marinated choice pieces of lamb with grilled onion and bell peppers, tomatoes. Served with freshly cooked crisp Afghan bread called "Naan".Squeeze some lemon on the meat, wrap the meat with some bread and enjoy.
The onions and bell peppers are not the traditional form of this Kabab. In its traditional form Afghans cook this Kabab with alternating pieces of Lamb and pure white chunks of lamb fat. The fat enhances the flavour of the meat. Though the traditional version may not be the best choice for the health concious, it must be tried at least ONCE. It is truly unique.
Chaplee Kabab, Grilled Ground Kabab
Ground beef/lamb, grated onion. Each portion of ground beef is pressed around a metal stick called "Seikh"
Qabelee Palaw
Delicately seasoned pieces of lamb shank and saffron rice topped with thinly sliced carrots and raisins.Qabali Palaw is a highly traditional and celebrated dish in Afghan cuisine. An Afghan party is incomplete without this dish.
A must if you want to experience true Afghan food.
Remember,
"PALAW" signifies rice seasoned Reddish-Brown while
"Chalaw" means white rice.
Sabzee Chalao
Chopped spinach, "Sabzee", sauteed with scallions and touch of garlic. Served with white rice and lamb shanks.Remember,
CHALAW i.e. white rice [this is not similar to steamed Chinese rice] is serverd with a side dish which can either be Sabzee or Qorma i.e a special Afghan suace prepared from onions, tomato paste and mild spices.
Banjan Boolani
Sliced eggplants sauteed and then steamed with tomato. Once ready it is served on a bed of sourcream which has been mixed with garlic.The whole dish is then topped with the oil which was used to sautee the eggplants.
Each egg plant is topped with a steamed tomato and more sourcream. This is egg plant with a twist. A must try.
Salata and Maast
Afghan food always has a vegetable or yogurt "Maast" supplement. The Afghan salad, "Saa-la-ta", is a simple combination of fresh tomatoes and onions -- chopped into small rectangles.The salad is always topped with fresh squeezed lemon and cut parsely. Since the ingredients are fresh the traditinal Afghan Salad makes a delicious supplement to the food.
Remember,
Afghan salad is eaten WITH the food -- not before or after the meal.
Afghan yogurt, "Maast", is very rich and sharp in taste. It is served with chopped cucumbers and dry mint. If it is prepared from fresh milk in traditional goatskin containers, it is unlike any yogurt you have ever tasted.
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