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afghanistan Is My Kitchen
AFGHANISTAN Appetizers & Soups
AFGHANISTAN Main Dishes
liquid Measures
Weight & temperature Measures
non-liquid ingredients
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Weight & temperature Measures
non-liquid ingredients
Top 5 countries
Last Page
Main Afghani bolani - potato and green onion stuffed flatbread 
Also known as Perakai or Poraki, this Afghanistani bread is prepared either by baking or frying and has a vegetable stuffing made of different types of ingredients like potatoes, pumpkin, chives, lentils, and leeks.
Bolani can be served with coriander chutney or mint yogurt
Serves: 4
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (580g)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups water (300g)
For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds (680g) baking potatoes
2 cups (140g) packed sliced green onion
2 cups, (60g) packed cilantro
1/2 cup (60g) chopped green pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Additional oil for shallow frying
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time:20 minutes
For the dough:3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (580g)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups water (300g)
For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds (680g) baking potatoes
2 cups (140g) packed sliced green onion
2 cups, (60g) packed cilantro
1/2 cup (60g) chopped green pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
Additional oil for shallow frying
For the dough:
Combine flour, salt, and oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dough comes together in a ball. It should not be too sticky or too dry. You may use a little more or less water than 300g.
Remove the dough from the processor and knead on a floured counter to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest about 20 minutes.
For the filling:
Wash potatoes, prick with a fork, and microwave until soft, approximately 10 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a knife and they feel soft.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and coarsely mash with a fork.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
In a skillet, heat olive oil.
Sauté green pepper for 3 minutes.
Add green onion and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Turn off the heat and stir in chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Gently stir in the potatoes.
To form the bolani:
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Keep them covered on the counter while you roll them out.
Divide the filling into 8 equal portions.
Roll out a ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to form an 8-9 inch circle.
Put a portion of filling on the top half of the circle, leaving a half inch border around the edges.
Fold the bottom half up over the top half and seal the edges, pressing firmly all around the edge to seal it. A little water may help to seal the dough.
Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
To shallow fry:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium high.
One by one, shallow fry the bolani one one side until golden brown. Flip and fry on the other side until golden brown. Press down gently on the edges of the bolani while cooking to ensure that they brown evenly.
Place cooked bolani on a metal rack.
Combine flour, salt, and oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dough comes together in a ball. It should not be too sticky or too dry. You may use a little more or less water than 300g.
Remove the dough from the processor and knead on a floured counter to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest about 20 minutes.
For the filling:
Wash potatoes, prick with a fork, and microwave until soft, approximately 10 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a knife and they feel soft.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and coarsely mash with a fork.
Roughly chop the cilantro.
In a skillet, heat olive oil.
Sauté green pepper for 3 minutes.
Add green onion and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Turn off the heat and stir in chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Gently stir in the potatoes.
To form the bolani:
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Keep them covered on the counter while you roll them out.
Divide the filling into 8 equal portions.
Roll out a ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to form an 8-9 inch circle.
Put a portion of filling on the top half of the circle, leaving a half inch border around the edges.
Fold the bottom half up over the top half and seal the edges, pressing firmly all around the edge to seal it. A little water may help to seal the dough.
Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
To shallow fry:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium high.
One by one, shallow fry the bolani one one side until golden brown. Flip and fry on the other side until golden brown. Press down gently on the edges of the bolani while cooking to ensure that they brown evenly.
Place cooked bolani on a metal rack.
Main Kabuli pulao
Serve with naan and Afghan green sauce and garlic yogurt sauce. This will balance the richness of the dish.
Serves: 6
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1.5 lb lamb
350 grams julienned carrots
250 grams of raisins
1/4 C sesame oil
2 sliced onions
4 chopped garlic cloves
salt
2 Tablespoons of sugar
3 Cups Rice
Serves: 6
Preparation time:20 minutes
Cooking time:40 minutes
2–4 tbs char masala2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1.5 lb lamb
350 grams julienned carrots
250 grams of raisins
1/4 C sesame oil
2 sliced onions
4 chopped garlic cloves
salt
2 Tablespoons of sugar
3 Cups Rice
1. Rinse your rice. You want to make sure the water runs clear. This cloud water is the starch you that don’t want. Makes for sticky rice. (Good for other dishes, not this one) Let the rice soak.
2. Next, we are going to prepare the lamb. Break out your instapot, pressure cooker, or regular pot. Add your sesame oil and heat. Add your onions. Add your roughly cut garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and then add cumin.
3. Next we will add our lamb. Then add tablespoon of salt. Finally, add 3 Cups of water. I cook in my instapot for 25 minutes on high pressure. If you cook in a regular pot it will probably take about an hour. You want the meat to be fork tender.
4. While your meat is cooking, next cook your carrots and raisins. Add to pan some vegetable oil. Then, add your shredded carrots. This will not take long, cook until soft. Place on your foil.
5. Next, your raisins. I soak mine in hot water for about 5 minutes. Then, you will drain and add to the same pan you cooked the carrots in. This will go quick. Only cook for about 30 seconds. Then add them to the foil with your carrots and wrap into your foil packet to add to rice later.
6. Boil a large pot of salted water. Take your rice that you have rinsed and soaked and add to the boiling water. This is a step you have to watch. I can’t give you an exact amount of time to cook the rice. But, you are only partially cooking your rice. If you fully cook it you will have mushy pulao. On average 4 minutes should get you there. If you can break the rice in your finger you are done. Then, drain your rice.
7. Next, we are going to make our sugar solution to add a caramel color to our rice. In a pan add quarter cup of vegetable oil. Add your sugar. Let the sugar darken. Add 1/2 Cup of water, set aside.
8. Take your meat out of the broth when done cooking. Now it is time to assemble everything. Take a big pot and add half of your rice to the bottom. Then, add your lamb. Then add last of the rice. After that, use a few scoops of the lamb broth, add the sugar mixture, and char masala.
9. Poke some holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon. This will allow steam to release better. Take your packet of raisins and carrots and place in pan on top of your rice. I cover mine with more foil then put lid on rice.
10. Cook on stove top on medium-low heat for about 25 minutes.
2. Next, we are going to prepare the lamb. Break out your instapot, pressure cooker, or regular pot. Add your sesame oil and heat. Add your onions. Add your roughly cut garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and then add cumin.
3. Next we will add our lamb. Then add tablespoon of salt. Finally, add 3 Cups of water. I cook in my instapot for 25 minutes on high pressure. If you cook in a regular pot it will probably take about an hour. You want the meat to be fork tender.
4. While your meat is cooking, next cook your carrots and raisins. Add to pan some vegetable oil. Then, add your shredded carrots. This will not take long, cook until soft. Place on your foil.
5. Next, your raisins. I soak mine in hot water for about 5 minutes. Then, you will drain and add to the same pan you cooked the carrots in. This will go quick. Only cook for about 30 seconds. Then add them to the foil with your carrots and wrap into your foil packet to add to rice later.
6. Boil a large pot of salted water. Take your rice that you have rinsed and soaked and add to the boiling water. This is a step you have to watch. I can’t give you an exact amount of time to cook the rice. But, you are only partially cooking your rice. If you fully cook it you will have mushy pulao. On average 4 minutes should get you there. If you can break the rice in your finger you are done. Then, drain your rice.
7. Next, we are going to make our sugar solution to add a caramel color to our rice. In a pan add quarter cup of vegetable oil. Add your sugar. Let the sugar darken. Add 1/2 Cup of water, set aside.
8. Take your meat out of the broth when done cooking. Now it is time to assemble everything. Take a big pot and add half of your rice to the bottom. Then, add your lamb. Then add last of the rice. After that, use a few scoops of the lamb broth, add the sugar mixture, and char masala.
9. Poke some holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon. This will allow steam to release better. Take your packet of raisins and carrots and place in pan on top of your rice. I cover mine with more foil then put lid on rice.
10. Cook on stove top on medium-low heat for about 25 minutes.
conversion of liquids
Weights
Temperatures
Measures of non liquid ingredients
Non-liquid ingredients in volume converted
|
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ingredient |
1 cup |
3/4 cup |
2/3 cup |
1/2 cup |
1/3 cup |
1/4 cup |
2 tablespoons |
| All-purpose wheat flour | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| All-purpose sifted wheat flour | 110 g | 80 g | 70 g | 55 g | 35 g | 27 g | 13 g |
| White sugar | 200 g | 150 g | 130 g | 100 g | 65 g | 50 g | 25 g |
| Powdered sugar/Icing sugar | 100 g | 75 g | 70 g | 50 g | 35 g | 25 g | 13 g |
| Brown sugar normally packed | 180 g | 135 g | 120 g | 90 g | 60 g | 45 g | 23 g |
| Corn flour | 160 g | 120 g | 100 g | 80 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Cornstarch | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| Rice (not-cooked) | 190 g | 140 g | 125 g | 95 g | 65 g | 48 g | 24 g |
| Macaroni (uncooked) | 140 g | 100 g | 90 g | 70 g | 45 g | 35 g | 17 g |
| Couscous (uncooked) | 180 g | 135 g | 120 g | 90 g | 60 g | 45 g | 22 g |
| Quick oatmeal (uncooked) | 90 g | 65 g | 60 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22 g | 11 g |
| Table salt | 300 g | 230 g | 200 g | 150 g | 100 g | 75 g | 40 g |
| Butter / Margarine | 240 g | 180 g | 160 g | 120 g | 80 g | 60 g | 30 g |
| Shortening | 190 g | 140 g | 125 g | 95 g | 65 g | 48 g | 24 g |
| Fruits and légumes chopped | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| chopped walnuts | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Nuts /ground almonds | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 15 g |
| Fresh bread crumbs (not packed) | 60 g | 45 g | 40 g | 30 g | 20 g | 15 g | 8 g |
| Dry bread crumbs | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 40 g | 20 g |
| Parmesan grated | 90 g | 65 g | 60 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22 g | 11 g |
| Chocolate chips | 150 g | 110 g | 100 g | 75 g | 50 g | 38 g | 19 g |
As the sun rises or sets in
AFGHANISTAN
"May every sunrise hold more promise, and every sunset hold more peace."
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2 Recipes
2 Main dishes