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BOURANEE BAUNJAUN (Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce)
Ingredients:
4 medium eggplants (1 kg total)
Salt
Oil for frying
2 medium onions; sliced
1 green pepper; seeded, sliced
2 large ripe tomatoes; peeled
¼ teaspoon hot chili pepper
¼ cup water
Chakah Yogurt Sauce
2 cup chakah (drained yogurt)
2 garlic cloves (or more)
Salt to taste
1. Cut the stems from eggplants and leave peel on. Cut into slices
1 cm (1/2-inch) thick.
2. Spread on a tray and sprinkle slices liberally with salt. Leave
for 30 minutes, then dry well with paper towels.
3. Pour enough oil into a deep frying pan (with lid to fit) to cover
base
well.
4. Fry eggplant until lightly browned on each side. Do not cook
completely. Lift onto a plate when browned. Add more oil to pan
as
required for remaining slices. As oil drains out of eggplants on
standing, return this to the pan and add onion.
5. Fry gently until transparent. Remove to another plate.
6. Place a layer of eggplant back into the pan.
7. Top with some sliced onion, green pepper rings and tomato slices.
Repeat using remaining ingredients and adding a little salt and
the chili pepper between layers.
8. Pour in any remaining oil from eggplant and onion and add the
water.
9. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until eggplant is tender.
10. Combine chakah ingredients and spread half of the sauce into
the base of the serving dish.
11. Top with vegetables, lifting eggplant carefully to keep slices
intact. Leave some of the juices in the pan.
12. Top vegetables with remainder of chakah and drizzle juices over
it.
Serve with Kabaub and Lawash (flat bread).
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Afghan Kadu Bouranee (Sweet Pumpkin)
Serves 2
4 lb fresh pumpkin or squash
1/2 cup of Corn oil
Sweet Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 cup of water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup of sugar
8 oz tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ginger root, chopped fine
2 tablespoons freshly ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups Plain yogurt
Garnish: dry mint leaves, crushed
Peel the pumpkin and cut into 2-3" cubes; set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan that has a lid. Fry the pumpkins on both sides for a couple of minutes until lightly browned.
Mix together ingredients for Sweet Tomato Sauce in a bowl then add to pumpkin mixture in fry pan. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes over low heat until the pumpkin is cooked and most of the liquid has evaporated. (I don't know how it's going to evaporate if the pan is covered....-B.) Mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.
To serve: Spread half the yogurt sauce on a plate and lay the pumpkin on top. Top with remaining yogurt and any cooking juices left over. Sprinkle with dry mint. May be served with chalow (basmati rice) and naan or pita bread.
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BONJAN SALAT (SPICY EGGPLANT SALAD)
Serves 4
1 ½ medium eggplants
1 1/4 tablespoons of coarse salt
1/8 cup corn oil
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/8 tablespoons of pepper
1/2 tablespoon of hot red chili flakes - or minced fresh chilies
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon of crushed dried mint
Slice the eggplants crosswise into 1 1/2 inch thick pieces. Sprinkle them with 2 teaspoons coarse salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse eggplants under cold water, rinse, and dry well on a towel.
Heat the oil in a skillet and lightly brown eggplant slices over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Remove and put into a serving bowl. Cool. Put the tomato sauce, pepper, chili, cinnamon, mint and 1/4 teaspoon salt, if wanted, in a pan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, which is long enough to integrate the flavors. Pour this over the eggplant; refrigerate until ready to use. The salad can remain in the refrigerator for several days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
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Boolawnee (Fried Leek Pastries)
Serves 15
Ingredients (pastry):
1 cup Plain flour
1/4 tablespoons of salt
1/3 cup cold water
Leek Filling:
1 Leek (1 1/2 cup chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 tablespoon of hot chili pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons of oil
To Finish: Oil for deep frying
Sift flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add water. Mix to a firm dough and knead for 5 minutes until elastic, dusting with more flour if necessary. Wrap in plastic film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Cut most of the green tops from leeks, halve lengthwise and rinse well to remove all traces of soil between leaves. Remove roots and dry leeks with paper towels. Place flat on board, cut along length at 5 mm (1/4 inch) intervals than across to dice. Measure in cup measure and place in bowl.
Add salt and chili pepper and knead with hand to soften leeks. Stir in oil.
Roll pieces of dough into balls the size of a large hazelnut and roll thinly into a 10 cm (4 inch) circle. Alternatively roll out dough and cut into 10 cm (4 inch) rounds. Place about 2 teaspoons leek filling in centre of circle, moisten pastry half way round edge of circle and fold pastry over filling. Press edge to seal well, and using the edge of a thimble, (the traditional method) or a coffee spoon make little crescent- shaped marks around the edge, or press with fork. Fry 3 or 4 at a time in hot oil until golden brown, turning to brown evenly. Drain on paper towels and serve hot or warm.
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BAKLAVA
Ingredients:
Philo dough
1/2 pound Unsalted butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp. Cardamon
almonds
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 1/2 cups Water
Crushed Pistachios
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Next, melt the butter over
very low heat. Combine freshly ground cardamon and cinnamon in a
small bowl. Lay two layers of Philo dough on a baking sheet, and
pour two tablespoons of melted butter over the dough. Use a pastry
brush to spread the butter.
Next, sprinkle a thin layer of fresh almond nuts, and a small amount
of the cinnamon/cardamon mixture. Repeat this until you have several
layers. On the top layer, only spread melted butter. Bake the baklava
at 375 degrees, until the philo dough is golden brown. At this point,
remove the baklava from the oven and prepare the syrup.
For the syrup... Combine one and one-half cups of water with one
and one-half cups of sugar, and one teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.
Bring the mix to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
While the baklava is still warm, cut it into small triangle shapes
and drizzle the syrup over the baklava. To finish, sprinkle with
crushed pistachio nuts.
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Nan-i-Afghani (Afghan Bread)
Makes 16 Nans
Ingredients:
2 cups of warm water
2 packages of (1/4 oz, 7 grams) dry yeast
2 tablespoons of sugar
8 cups of Flour
2 tablespoons of salt
1/2 cup of corn oil
2 Egg yolks, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of black cumin seed or caraway seeds
1. Mix 1/2 cup of warm water, yeast, & sugar together & let it proof for 10 mins. When froth appears, sprinkle 1/2 ts flour on top & let it continue to proof for 5 mins more. The froth will rise quickly.
2. Put flour in a large mixing bowl & sprinkle salt over it. Make a well in middle of flour & add oil & yeast mixture. Stir this in & add small amounts of water until you have produced a soft, moist dough that can be handled. Knead well for 5 mins. Put dough ball back in bowl, cover w/towel, & let rise for 1-1/2 hours. Punch down dough.
3. Divide dough into 8 equal parts & roll each part into a ball. Roll each ball into a oval shape 6 to 7 inches long & 1/2 inch thick.
Draw tines of a fork in 3 lines along length of each noni for a decorative design. Paint each noni w/egg mixture & sprinkle over all 1/2 ts black cuminseeds. (This is traditional seed to use, but caraway seeds may be substituted if black cuminseed is unobtainable. Put noni on an ungreased cookie sheet & bake in a preheated 350 F.oven for 20 to 25 mins. The brown top will glisten. Makes 8 noni.
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