AFGHAN ICE CREAM SUNDAE - FALOODA

By Katie

Here in San Francisco we spend the better part of July and August in a blanket of fog, sweaters and close-toed shoes firmly in place, waiting for “our” summer to arrive.   This usually happens come September, just as the rest of the country is pulling out their woolens.  When temperatures moved north of 90 degrees here last week, there was only one thing to do:  eat ice cream. 

Humaira and I told the kids we’d be getting together after school one day to make sundaes.  They were over the moon.  But their visions of hot fudge and whipped cream came to a screeching halt when they learned we’d be making Afghan sundaes (falooda), with nary a maraschino cherry in sight.

I could relate.  When I first heard about falooda, I was similarly perplexed.   I couldn’t wrap my mind around the dessert’s combination of crushed ice, noodles and ice cream.   How could it be edible, much less tasty?  But a few spoonfuls into my first falooda  at Salang restaurant in Little Kabul and I was sold.   

Falooda is a South Asian specialty served during the warm months in Pakistan, India and Iran, and among others.  Each country lends its own twist on the dessert.  In Afghanistan, this means shaved ice is topped with rosewater- or cardamom-flavored handmade ice cream , rose water-flavored simple syrup, vermicelli noodles, plenty of Afghan cream (called qaymaq), and a generous measure of chopped pistachios.  Afghan ice cream is very rich, almost dense, and made in a unique way, which Humaira wrote about a while back.  You can read about it here.

As for our afterschool sundae fest, the kids seemed genuinely surprised by how good the falooda was.  That’s not to say they’d opt for an Afghan sundae over a banana split.  But the bowls were licked clean and nobody asked for the chocolate syrup.

Afghan Sundae

Falooda

2 ounces thin rice vermicelli or glass noodles

¼ cup simple syrup*

1 ¼ tsp. rosewater

3 cups ice

1 quart premium vanilla ice cream

¼ cup unsalted, chopped, toasted pistachios

Cook the noodles according to package directions and cool to room temperature.  You can do this by running cold water over the noodles.

In a small bowl, mix together the simple syrup and rosewater. 

Put the ice into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until the ice is finely chopped.

Set out four serving bowls.   Put ½ cup chopped ice into each bowl.   Set 1/3 cup cooked noodles over the ice in each bowl.  Top the noodles with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream.  Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the simple syrup over each bowl of ice cream.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of nuts over each sundae.  Serve immediately. 

*To make your own simple syrup combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan.  Bring to a bowl, stirring regularly, and boil for 5 minutes.  Set the syrup in the refrigerator to cool.  Refrigerate the leftover syrup in a jar with a fitted lid.  It will keep for a month and is useful as a sweetener for cold beverages such as iced tea and lemonade. 

Serves 4

Except where otherwise noted, all content on this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license.

MY AFGHAN RECIPES WITH CARDAMOM

Saveur Magazine Article

By Monica Bhide

When I was a child in Delhi, India, cardamom was as familiar as the air I breathed. Its sweet, woodsy perfume regularly filled the house when my parents were cooking. But it took me a while to appreciate the spice's flavor. "Too strong for me," I would say as I picked the pale green cardamom pods out of any rice dish or curry that was placed before me. It wasn't until I got a bit older and started drinking masala chai, India's ubiquitous brew of tea, milk, and spice, that I began to come around. Each Indian home has its own version, its own mix of flavoring spices. My father's chai was spiced only with cardamom, and plenty of it. He'd use a mortar and pestle to crush the pods and release their flavor before steeping them with the strong black tea. Perhaps it was the richness of the milk that made the difference: it seemed to both soften and deepen the flavor of the spice. All at once I was able to discern the cardamom's penetrating warmth and the way its complex flavor of pine, sweet musk, and bright citrus was awakened by the bitterness of the tea.

CupofTea

Afghan Cardamom Tea

After my family moved from India to Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf, I discovered gahwa, the fragrant Arabic cardamom coffee, and loved nothing better than sipping it along with a square of cardamom-spiced baklava. It was Arab traders who first carried cardamom from India to Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and today the Arab countries still consume more of it than any other place on earth.

It's still a precious commodity, too—nearly as costly as saffron and vanilla because, like them, it must be harvested by hand—and when I was a teenager, in our house as well as at our neighbors', serving cardamom to guests was understood as a gesture of respect. Often, that would mean producing an extravagantly spiced biryani made with nutty-tasting basmati rice, quite possibly the best vehicle for cardamom ever discovered. Sometimes, after a big meal, we'd follow my grandmother's custom and pass around cardamom pods to chew. In the ayurvedic system, cardamom is as much medicine as it is food; the same aromatic compounds that give the spice its flavor and warming properties also aid digestion.

As I began to spend more time in the kitchen, I learned that there is more than one type of cardamom and that each brings its own qualities to a dish. Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), the most highly prized kind, is a bushy herb of the ginger family native to southwest India. It's cultivated extensively there and in Guatemala, now the world's largest exporter; Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka are the other top producers. The plants grow in clusters of slender stalks about 10 feet tall with large, lance-shaped leaves. The spice pods, which grow on shoots at the plant's base, are picked when they are just ripening and then dried under the sun or in a kiln. These small, oval pods and the tiny black seeds within contain the various compounds we experience as sweet, floral, and eucalyptus-like. That unique balance works as well in savory dishes as it does in sweet ones. 

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Qabili Palau, Afghanistan's National Dish

Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum), a spice native to the Himalayas and cultivated today in Nepal, India, China, and Bhutan, has larger, deeply ridged pods that are dried over wood fires. As a result, the pods take on a dark brown color and a bold, smoky flavor that would overwhelm a sweet cake or pudding, but in a spice rub for roasted meat or in a full-flavored stew it imparts a smoldering depth no other spice can. Used together in a single dish, such as my family's chicken curry, green and black cardamom can harmonize beautifully. I've learned, too, about similarly fragrant relatives of cardamom, including delicate, floral Thai cardamom (see Expressions of Cardamom) and peppery West African grains of paradise.

CarrotHalwa

Afghan Cardamom Flavored Halwa

Since I moved to the United States 19 years ago, cardamom has been both a link to home and a bridge to other cuisines. The Scandinavians, it turns out, are second only to the Arabs in their hunger for cardamom, which the Vikings discovered in Constantinople a thousand years ago. Nordic cooks grasped early on that the fat-soluble spice blooms when baked in butter-laden sweets and breads. It's the keynote in the luscious Swedish cream puffs known as semlor and in Finland's yeast-risen, braided pulla bread, among many other baked treats.

AfghanBaklava

Afghan Baklava with Cardamom

In the cooking classes I teach, I advise students to buy pods of green cardamom with a vibrant color and a strong fragrance; ones that are dull looking and shriveled will almost certainly have lost their flavor. The product labeled "white cardamom" is really just green cardamom that's been bleached for purely aesthetic reasons, and—to judge from the kinds I've tried—robbed of most of its taste and aroma. And since the flavor evaporates very quickly from the seeds once they're removed from the pod, and especially once they've been ground, it's best to buy the spice whole. If you want to cook with just the seeds—I like to fry them in oil to create a flavor base for all kinds of dishes—just use your fingers to pop open the pods and remove the seeds; keep the empty pods for steeping in coffee or tea. When I'm making desserts, I'll grind the seeds to a powder using a mortar and pestle or an electric spice grinder. As for black cardamom, it's almost always used whole and then discarded after cooking. I've never seen it for sale already ground.

I'm happy to say that my children have loved cardamom from the start. When I make the cardamom-spiced rice pudding called kheer, I tell them the story of how, once upon a time, I was a young engineering student who had just moved to the States. Everything was unfamiliar; nothing seemed to taste quite right. Finally, I borrowed ingredients from my neighbors and set about making my mother's kheer. When the milk, sugar, and rice began to simmer, I broke open a few pods of cardamom and dropped them into the pan; soon the kitchen began to radiate the spice's familiar scent. As I leaned over the stove to taste the kheer, the doorbell rang. Standing outside was a handsome young man who said he lived in the building next door. He was an MBA student from Mumbai; on his way to the library, he'd caught the scent of cardamom and, himself a little homesick, couldn't resist following it to its source. At this point my kids usually chime in. "That's when you met Daddy!" they cry, and my husband grins. Then we eat the kheer together, and the cardamom tastes just strong enough.

More Recipes on Afghan Culture Unveilved with Cardamom:

Afghan Tea and Hospitality

Afghan Creamy Tea, Qaymaq Chai

Semolina Halwa, Sojee Halwa

Afghan Cutter Cookies, Kulch-e- Birinjee

Quince and Yogurt Trifle

Creamy Cardamom Rice Pudding

Cardmom Almond Brittle

Afghan Sundae

Cardamom Pudding With Pistachio

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Afghan Inspired Cookie: Almond Cardamom Meringue

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AFGHAN FRUIT MEDLEY - HAFT MEWA FOR NOWROZ

By Humaira

Sal e Now Mubarak

Happy New Year

In the United States most people are familiar with “Nouroz” which is considered to be an exclusively Persian holiday from Iran.The truth is, what was originally a Zoroastrian festival is now celebrated in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, the Indian Sub Continent and many other countries in the world.Although each country celebrates it a little differently, it always centers around a celebration of spring and the beginning of a new year. This year, March 20th marks the start of year 1393, a date based on Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 BC.

People ask me about Afghan culture, customs and traditions all the time. I sometimes find it hard to answer such questions in a simple way. What makes it difficult to explain is that lot of our traditions and customs are influenced by religion, cultural traditions, provincial resources and of course each family’s traditions. So, I will tell you about Nowroz from my Afghan family’s perspective.

The first day of Nowroz or the Afghan calendar falls on the March equinox, the first day of spring. An equinox occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator; day and night are of nearly equal length at all latitude. The March equinox generally occurs around March 21st, give or take a couple of days. Nowroz means new day in Dari, the language spoken in Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan the planning for Nowroz starts two weeks before the actual date. There are many preparations that go into celebrating the New Year and you guessed it, food is the most important part of the festivities.Afghan refugees around the world organize Nowroz celebrations that allows their communities to come together and celebrate. On Saturday I attended a Nowroz celebration organized by California State University, East Bay Afghan Students Association.

Humaira and friends in Afghan outfits

I have to admit, Nowroz was not a big holiday in my immediate family, but thanks to my extended family we got a great taste of it.  Growing up Nowroz was always bittersweet because while I loved the food and the festivals, it also signaled the start of the school year.  In Afghanistan children go to school from March to November, Saturday to Thursday. Next time your kids complain about school tell them Afghan children to go school six days a week. That should set them straight.

Afghan Nowroz Celebration 101:

There are many customs around Nowroz but here are the most common ones that I have experienced:

Haft Mewa:

My aunts’ preparation of a very special drink called Haft Mewa (seven fruits) was the highlight of Nowroz for me. Haft Mewa is essentially compote made from seven different dried fruits and nuts served in their own juices. Traditionally the seven ingredients are as follows: red raisins, black raisins, yellow raisins, senjid (the dried fruit of the oleaster tree), pistachio, dried apricot, and dried apple. The recipe for this dish is very flexible and now many people use walnuts, almonds and other dried fruit to make this yummy dish.

Samanak:

This is a special sweet made from wheat germ which requires several weeks of preparation. The custom is for women to gather, essentially a “girls’ night in” and prepare the dish from late in the evening until daylight, singing special songs. I was in Afghanistan the Spring of 2006. My cousin invited me to attend her Samanak party. At that time I didn’t have much interest in Afghan food so I declined. Instead I stayed in my guest house with my beer drinking, whiskey jugging travel mates. You can imagine how sorry I am for missing this wonderful opportunity.

Mela e Gul e Surkh:

It means the Red Flower Festival referring to the red tulip.It’s mainly celebrated in Mazar i Sharif in Northern Afghanistan where many people travel to experience the gorgeous flowers. However, I do remember tulips at our house and around town during the Now Roz celebration in Kabul and even to this day when I see tulips I think of the holiday.

TULIPS

Buzkashi:

I have to say the Buzkashi tournament ranks pretty high on my list of memories, perhaps as high as the Haft Mewa. Buzkashi is the Afghan national sport, similar to polo but we use…. are you ready…. a dead stuffed goat instead of a “ball”.

Special Food:

People cook SabziChallaw (spinach and rice) on the eve of Now Roze to welcome spring and a prosperous crop. Also, bakeries make Kulcha e Now Rozie a special rice cookie very similar to our recipe for butter cookies but decorated with beautiful colors in honor of the holiday.People also make or buy Mahi (fried fish) and Jelabi (fried sugar dessert) mostly eaten at picnics.

Festivals and Picnics:

There are many festivals celebrating spring and the upcoming crop.People go on picnics to enjoy the greenery, flowers and time with family. Of course, kite flying, a national pastime in Afghanistan, is at the center of all these outings.

There is much more to say but I will stop now.I am thrilled not only to share about my country and this rich festival but to give you the recipe for Haft Mew, my favorite Nowroz specialty enjoyed mostly during this celebration. I don’t think Katie loved it as much as I do but I think you should give it a try.

I decided to make Haft Mewa with ingredients purchased from Trader Joe’s, I found everything but rosewater.Actually, the rosewater is my own addition to the traditional recipe so you don’t have to use it. This is not a traditional recipe but it is very delicious and don’t fret about the ingredients. This is a very flexible recipe, just use dried fruit and nuts that you have in your pantry.

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Afghan New Year Dried Fruit Medley

Haft Mewa

3/4 cup walnuts

½ cup pistachios

½ cup yellow raisins

1 cup red raisins

½ cup dried bing cherries (not sour cherries)

1 cup dried apricots (look for sweet ones)

½ cup blanched, slivered almonds

½ tsp. rosewater (optional)

5 cups cold filtered water

Large (at least 5 pints) lidded container with a wide mouth

Begin by blanching the walnuts and pistachios.Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat, add the walnuts and pistachios, cover and let it sit for 20 minutes. In the meantime in a large bowl add both kinds of raisins, cherries and apricots. Rinse three times in cold water to remove any residue.

When the nuts are ready, pour the hot water out and add cold water. That way you won’t burn your hands.Peel the skin off the nuts using the best method you can muster up.I must admit, the pistachios were a dream but the walnuts take patience, which I don’t have. I found if you have a whole walnut, break it in half and then start peeling.It really makes it easier. Give yourself around 20 minutes for this; perhaps recruit family members to help.Make sure all the skin is removed from the pistachios and the walnuts, no exception.

Add the dried fruit and the nuts to the container along with the rosewater and 5 cups of cold water. Stir well.The water should be at lead 1 inch above the ingredients. Refrigerate for 2-4 days. The longer you leave it the sweeter it gets. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Serve in a bowl with its juices. I also think it would taste wonderful on vanilla or mango ice cream or plain yogurt.

Serves 6

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*Special thank you to Wikipedia, various internet sites and Helen Saberi’s book Afghan Food and Cookery which served as my reference for creating this post.

Except where otherwise noted, all content on this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license.