I hope you enjoy this docu-demo (recorded pre-pandemic) showcasing the vibrant Afghan community of Northern California with a field trip to the “Little Kabul” district of Fremont, California, and a demonstration of my favorite Nowroz food, Haft Mewa, Seven Fruit Compote. Please feel free to share this post and any of my YouTube videos with friends, family, and on your social media. I write these posts and make the videos as a way to share my culture. Trust me, these are not money makers but I do appreciate your effort in helping me get the word out about Afghan culture and food with the bigger world.

Kulch e Birinjee is an Afghan rice flour & pistachio butter cookie which is so easy to make that even an unskillful baker like me can make them. These cookies are light and flaky with a little bit of a crunch from the ground pistachios. Best of all, they are gluten-free.

In Afghanistan, these cookies are also called Kulch e Nowrozee, which translates to ‘new year cookies’ and are made at the end of March when Afghans celebrate Nowroz, New Year. The recipe is very much the same except that bright green food coloring is used to make a plus shape design in the center of the cookies for a festive holiday look.

Khaste Shereen is not your mother’s almond brittle. My unique recipe from Afghanistan features the subtle yet distinct flavor of green cardamom. The biggest challenge with this recipe is to get it into the gift bag or jar before you’ve gobbled it all up. The crunchy sweet Afghan combo is highly addictive.