Shir Birinj (Rice Pudding)

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This is a favorite desert, using the ever-present rice. The vanilla essence is sometimes omitted in villages where it may not be available.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice
1 1/4 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup raisins
chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except the pistachios and place in a greased baking dish.

Bake in a 300 degree F. oven for about 45 minutes until done. Garnish with pistachios and serve.

Non (Village Whole Wheat Bread)

Non (Village Whole Wheat Bread)

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This is the staff of life for all classes of Afghans, whether city dwellers or nomads. The basic ingredient is wheat—red hard winter wheat is preferred, but any local wheat will do.

Ingredients

7 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon salt
water as needed to make the dough kneadable, about 3 and 1/2 cups

Instructions

Mix the flour and salt together and add the water to make dough. Knead the dough 300 times, cover it with a wet towel, and let sit in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours. Knead 100 more times, and place it in an oiled baking pan. Cut the top lengthwise and let sit in a warm place for 4 hours.

Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes, then in a 400 degree F. oven for 45 minutes. The crust should be dark brown.

Birinj Kabuli

Birinj Kabuli (Kabul Party Rice)

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This is a special dish prepared for celebrations when guests are expected. If pine nuts aren’t available, pistachio can be substituted. The Afghans use lamb tail fat to sauté the onions, but since this is not readily available, I suggest butter.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped fresh green chile, such as serrano
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
3 large onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup shelled piñon or pine nuts
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon each, ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin

Instructions

Place the carrots in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then drain. Melt the butter in a skillet at medium temperature, add the onion, and sauté until lightly brown. Combine the drained carrots, rice and onions, and stir in the remaining ingredients while simmering over low heat for about 10 minutes.

This is an excellent side dish with meat, fish or poultry.

Heat scale: medium

Wilted Chinese Cabbage

Wilted Chinese Cabbage

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For a variation, or to make a more substantial salad course, serve the radish salad over wilted Chinese cabbage:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine
1 head of Chinese cabbage, separated, rinsed
Fresh cumin seeds (use powdered if you don’t have fresh)
Salt & Black pepper

Instructions

Melt the butter in a wok or other large pan, add the onion and sauté until translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the wine and bring to a boil, then add the cabbage all at once (don’t worry, it shrinks). Use a pair of tongs to turn the cabbage in the pan as it cooks.

When the cabbage has wilted down, add a sprinkle of cumin, then salt & pepper to taste.


Serve the wilted cabbage on a plate, topped with the radish salad.

Mogul Lamb

Mogul Lamb

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Lamb is by far the most popular meat in the country and it is prepared in several ways. Folktales say this is how Genghis Khan liked his lamb prepared while on his way through the country. If you prefer beef, it can be substituted, using a cut suitable for roasting.

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon ground or powdered red chile
1 5-pound leg of lamb, trimmed of fat
8 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 level teaspoon powdered ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 ounces ground pistachio nuts
1/2 teaspoon saffron, or substitute annatto (available in Latin markets)
1/4 pound butter or shortening

Instructions

Pierce the surface of the meat with a fork. Mix all of the ingredients together, except the butter, and rub into the meat thoroughly. The Afghans keep the meat at room temperature for about 12 hours, but I prefer to cover it and keep it in the refrigerator overnight.

Place the lamb in a shallow roasting pan, dot the surface with the butter, then place it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees F. and cook for three hours, or longer if needed. Baste with the juices in the pan and serve hot with a rice side dish.

Heat scale: mild