GIVEAWAY: AFGHANISTAN PHOTO BOOK

By Humaira

This blog has been in existence for over five years because of you - my readers. Your words of support, encouragement and gratitude has fueled my search for interesting recipes, stories and cultural tidbits that makes Afghanistan so unique.

In an effort to keep fresh, I’ve recently revamped the blog - new site, new photos, new categories (vegetarian and gluten free). I hope the new structure makes it easy to find recipes and engages you further in learning about Afghanistan. During this process, we’ve experienced a few technical difficulties - if you’ve been spammed, please accept my apology.

I would like to give back to you, my readers, a special gift of two copies of Book of Photographs by my photographer friend Joe Hoyt, who traveled in Afghanistan from 1970-1975.

Seven years ago, I met Joe when we were panelists at an event in San Francisco. When I first saw Joe’s photos, I was brought to tears. Through his small lense, he has captured the Afghanistan I once knew, “From an Era of Peace”, so perfectly named.

Praise for Joe’s work:

“For years now, Afghanistan has become synonymous with the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and terrorism. But it wasn’t always so. For most of the previous century, Afghanistan lived in peaceful anonymity. It was a magnet for travelers who came to see the rugged beauty of the land, to walk along the old Silk Route, and to meet its kind and hospitable people. Joe Hoyt’s lens gloriously brings back this bygone Afghanistan. In his photos, we get a glimpse of a land that was once a meeting point of cultures, a link between east and west. He captures the raw, ethereal beauty of this land, a taste of its prosperous history, and the unique spirit of its proud and resilient people. What’s more, looking at Hoyt’s photographs of this happier era, the suffering and tumult that the Afghan people have endured since is made more personal. The toll of the tragedy becomes palpable. This is testament to Hoyt’s skills as a photographer as well as his personal affection for this war-scarred land and its people”

— Khaled Hosseini, Author Kite Runner

To enter for the giveaway, write a comment at the bottom of this post saying how you came across this blog and name your favorite Afghan dish. The deadline for entering is Monday December 1st, midnight Pacific Daylight time. All entries must be a subscriber to this blog and a US resident, (apologies, we are not able to ship books outside the US). All entries will be entered into a random drawing and there will be two winner. You will receive one entry for each of the following - leaving a comment here, following me on Twitter and Instagram. You must be a subscriber to this blog and must be 18 years and older to win.

NEW BLOG, NEW WEBSITE AND NEW MOM'S SWEET WALNUT SOUP - LETEE

By Humaira

On Tuesday I received an email from Fiona, who lives in Cairo, asking why she hasn't received new posts lately.  It thrilled me to know someone reads my posts and actually misses them. Thank you, Fiona.  

This nudge made me realize that I owe you all an explanation. The past few months have been chock full of projects and big transitions.

Here is a list of what's been keeping me out of the kitchen - transitioning my fifteen year old daughter to high school, creating a website that encompasses my work in the past twelve years, (www.humairaghilzai.com) and revamping this blog so it's more intuitive and beautifully designed (www.afghancultureunveiled.com). Oh yeah, I've also been putting the final touches to my book, TWO WOMEN AND WARLORD, which will be going to a critique group in a few weeks. 

As for you my dear readers, I hope you will benefit from the new look and feel of the blog - lots of fun photos, a Gluten Free and Vegetarian section, something many of you asked for. Let me know how you like the new design. Make comments in the comment section of this post.

Staying on the theme of newness, today's recipe is an Afghan delicacy, letee, traditionally served to new mothers. Letee is considered a warming food that promotes healing, better metabolism and increased supply of mother's milk.

In Afghanistan, the birth of a baby is a special occasion consisting of many celebrations such as: naming of the baby on the sixth day of his or her life, 40th day party when the mother and baby are finally allowed to leave the house, baby's first hair cut and steps. All wonderful opportunities to get together as a family.

When my daughters were born Jeja, my mom, was not only instrumental in helping Jim and I take care of the little bundles of demand, she also prepared three meals a day with simmering hot bowls of letee, as a nourishing snack. I still fondly remember those days, me as a nervous new mother and Jeja, a reassuring force - bonding over food and the addition of more girl power in our family.

New Mom's Walnut Soup

Letee

4 cups hot water

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons of butter

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon cardamom

Dash of cinnamon

1/2 cup roasted, chopped walnuts or almonds

2 cups water, room temperature 

In a small pot, add four cups of warm water, stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves. Keep warm on low heat. 

Place a deep non-stick pot on medium heat, melt butter, add flour and stir constantly for around 8 minutes until the flour is golden brown. 

Gently pour the syrup in the large pot while stirring steadily with a whisk. As you add the water, a surge of steam will rise from the pot, be careful not to burn your hand. Add the cardamom and cinnamon; stir constantly until soup thickens. Reduce heat to low, add walnuts, continue stirring. Simmer for another minute. 

Add 2 cups of room temperature water stirring until all the lumps dissolve and the soup thickens, around 3-5 minutes. The soup should have the consistency of a crepe batter. Serve in a bowl, topped with chopped nuts and a side of pita bread or nan. 

AFGHAN LAMB IN CHERRY SAUCE - QORMA E ALOO BALOO

Afghan Lamb in Cherry Sauce with rice and cauliflower

Your comments are welcome!

By Humaira                                                 

It's not every day when lamb meets cherries in a pot. In the case of today's recipe, Qorma e Aloo Baloo, the end result is a symphony of sweet and sour delight for your taste buds.

After 33 years of living in the United States, I still remember cherry season in Afghansitan, when my mom’s cousin would deliver boxes of cherries to our home. Jeja, my mom, would get busy making jams and cherry juice before the lot went bad. 

My younger brother and I would secretly stuff our faces with fresh cherries before we were found out and banished from the kitchen.

In memory of those days I have previously shared a Cherry, Garlic and Yogurt side dish, the wildly popular Bubbly Cocktail with Cherry Syrup and Humaira's Whirling Cherry Cocktail.

AfghanStreetVendorCherries

Afghan street vendor selling cherries 

My creations are not always welcomed by my children. They live in fear of the next recipe, and the “strange” dish that will be presented at dinner. I was convinced that the rich taste of slow cooked lamb and the sweet cherry sauce would not be popular. But, to my surprise, I got two thumbs up.  

Generally I find sweet and sour dishes overwhelming. so I served this with a side of braised cauliflower, Gulpea and Afghan white rice, Challaw which was just the right combination of sweet and savory. This dish will also go well with a side of fresh salad or yogurt.

My sister Nabila made this dish with beef over the holidays. Of course I tweaked what created and discovered the lamb works well too. I hope you like this dish and I welcome your thoughts in the comment section of this post.

Cherries

Qorma-e-Aloo Baloo

Lamb in Cherry Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion diced

1 pound boneless lamb stew, cut in bite size pieces

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

24.7 oz.  jar of dark Morello cherries in light syrup from Trader Joe’s

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Note: If you are not near a Trader Joe’s, you may use two cups of any type of canned or frozen sour cherries.  If you are not a fan of lamb, just substitute beef stew meat. It is equally delicious.

Add olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot with lid, place on medium high heat. Add diced onions to the pot and sauté for 3 minutes or, until the onions are translucent. Save 1/2 cup of cherry syrup from the jar and drain the cherries in a colander. 

Wash meat thoroughly; pat dry with a paper towel before adding to the pot.  Sprinkle the coriander on the meat, stir well and cook on medium high for five minutes or until the meat is browned.  Add the cherry juice, turn the heat down to low, cover with the lid and simmer for 45-50 minutes, stirring every ten minutes.

Just added cherries and cilantro to the pot

Once the sauce thickens add the cherries, cilantro, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes without lid. 

Serve with challaw rice and a side of salad or yogurt.

Your comments are welcome!

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