We've all heard of a Bucket List. To be honest, I didn't even know a list like that existed until Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman made it a household phrase with their movie, "The Bucket List". Well, this is how this project made my "Bucket List".
A while back, I was taking an online quiz that asked me to name the countries of the world. Apparently there were 195 of them which, in itself, was unbeknownst to me! I am embarrassed to say that I barely squeezed out 60 before the timer ran out. And trust me, my knowledge of countries around the world ran out WAY before the timer.
So I realized that my knowledge of the world outside of North America was sadly lacking, and that was unacceptable! It popped into my head that maybe I should start learning about each and every country in the world, alphabetically. So, I added it to my "bucket list".
I was telling Chris (my fellow blogger and lover-of-travel) about my desire to learn about every country in the world and it didn't take any convincing at all for her to come on board! As things evolved, Chris came up with the idea of making a dish from each country and I would add little interesting "tidbits" that I learned about that country. And thus, the idea of a blog was born (thank you to Chris' husband, Derek).
So - I would like to inform you, bring you along, do a virtual trip around the world with you. Add this to YOUR "bucket list" and just enjoy!
Kathy
Allentown, PA
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Friday, September 17, 2010
Afghan Cuisine
Afghanistan.
Immediately upon hearing the country's name, I think of women peering out mysteriously from dark burqas. After reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini, I was intrigued. There is so much to talk about, but I'm going to dive right into Afghan cuisine. Kathy will add some facts about the country in a separate post.
So let's take a peek into our pantry...
Although there may be some variations in Afghan cuisine between regions, similarities exist throughout the country. Fresh yogurt, coriander, garlic, onions, spring onion, tomatoes, potatoes, and fruit are all commonly used in preparing meals and are readily available.
Here are some ingredients most commonly used in Afghan cooking:
Herbs and spices
o Coriander
o Cardamom
o Paprika
o Cumin
o Cinnamon
o Turmeric
o Black pepper
o Sea Salt
o Ginger, fresh and dried
o Dill
o Dried garlic
o Fresh cilantro
o Mint, fresh and dried
o Chilies, fresh and dried
o Nigella seeds (tiny black, slightly bitter seeds; available in specialty markets/mail order businesses)
o Sesame seeds
o Fenugreek
Beans/Peas
Legumes are used as an extender for kebabs and other meat dishes since they are far less expensive than meat.
O Chick peas
o Kidney Beans
o Mung Beans
o Split Peas
o Lentils
The Onion Family
Most Afghan dishes are made with some form of onion. Most common is something called piaz e surkh kada, which is finely minced onion cooked in plenty of oil until deeply browned. Afghans also use the “juice” of the onion, squeezing it out over ground meat for extra flavor in kebabs.
O Yellow onions
o Red onions
o Leeks
o Scallions
Rice
Rice is the center of almost every meal in this culture. Knowing how to cook rice properly and use the right rice is considered essentials of being a good Afghan cook.
O Long grain rice
o Short grain rice
MY COOKING
This recipe was my first in our project. We really didn't know what we were doing yet. Looking back I wish I could change things up a bit. For instance, I chose a pasta dish. If I am staying true to the country and trying to fairly represent their cuisine, I should have chosen rice. I have also since learned that many Afghan dishes are made with beans. I chose beef. All this to say we live, we learn. I think as time goes on our project will become a little tighter at the seams, as well.
The recipe I chose was fairly simple.
1 Pound Ground Lamb Or Beef
1 Medium Onion -- Grated
1 Teaspoon Cilantro -- Chopped
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Medium Egg
Salt
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Medium Onion -- Sliced
1 Can Tomatoes -- Chopped
Salt And Pepper -- To Taste
8 Ounces Spaghetti -- Cooked
16 Ounces Yogurt
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne
1 Tablespoon Mint
3 Cloves Garlic -- Chopped
Directions
Combine meat, onion, cilantro, cumin, pepper, egg and salt. Mix well and roll into small balls. Saute onions in oil for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Add yogurt, cayenne, mint and garlic. Simmer but do not boil for 10 minutes. Add spaghetti and serve. Serves 4
Outcome
The ingredients for this recipe were not difficult to find. As I said earlier, I chose the beef instead of lamb. I really wish I would have used rice instead of pasta. I think that would have been a truer representation of the culture.
The combination of spices in the food reminded me of hummus, which has been the extent of my trying middle eastern food up to this point. It was good. Different, but good. The heartburn, however, was outrageous! My husband and I were both up during the night looking for the Zantac. I would definitely be interested in exploring these spices a little bit more. But my stomach would need some time to adjust :)
For this blog, I used the following references:
http://www.wikipedia.com/ (topic: Afghan cuisine and Afghanistan)
http://recipes.wuzzle.org/index.php/25/71 (for the recipe)
The 2nd picture was taken in my kitchen :)
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