Afghan Specials

Qabli Pulao: It is the most popular dish of Afghanistan. It is steamed rice with chops of raisins and carrot. It is often served with lamb. Other variants of pulao are also available in Afghanistan. People eat it with meat, vegetables orbeans.

Kababs: Lamb kabab is a favorite of the Afghans. Afghan kabab is mostly served with naan, and rarely rice. Lamb chops, ribs, kofta (ground beef) and chicken kababs are served in good Kabul restaurants.

Qorma: Qormas are veru popular among Afghan people. Onions are fried and meats, fruits, spices or vegetables are added to them.

Mantu: Mantu are steamed dumplings fattened with minced onion beef.

Shorma: Soups made of variety of items are very popular in Afghanistans. These soups are locally known as shorma.

Variety of Breads: Usually, Afghans consume three types of bread. These breads are locally called Naan, Obi Naan and Lavash. Naan is made of wheat and is thin, long and oval shaped. Obi Naan is shaped like a disk and is thicker than naan. Lavash is very thin bread and used as plating for meats and stews.

Rice Dishes: Afghans put in plenty of time and effor to prepare their rice dishes. One popular rice dish is chalow.. Chalow is fluffy white rice with each grain separated. The Afghans love to eat chalow with Qormas.

Khameerbob: Khameerbob (pasta) is a popular native dish. It is prepared for special occasions at home. Mantu is a Uzbek dish while Ashak is a Kabul dish.

Fruits & Nuts: Fresh and dried fruits are inseparable part of Afghan food. Afghanistan produces high quality fruits particularly grapes, apricots, pomegrenates, melons, plums and berries.

Exceptional varieties of oranges also grow in Afghanistan. Melons of Mazar-e-Sharif, oranges of Jalalabad, grapes and pomegranates of Kandahar are famous. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios and pine nuts are also very popular in the country.

Dairy Products: The Afghans like dairy products like yogurt and whey.

Drinks: Common drink in Afghanistan is tea (chai).

Popular Dishes

Some popular dishes in Afghanistan cuisine menu are Afghan Kofta (meatballs), Nan-i-Afghan (Afghan bread), Quroot (dried yogurt), Osh Pyozee (stuffed onions), Sher Berinj (rice pudding), Qabli Pulao (traditional rice dish), Mantu (meat dumplings), Dampukht (steamed rice) and Kababs (skewed mean chops).

Habits of Eating

Afghan people are fond of non-vegetarian dishes. Usually they don't use cutlery. Food is gulped with righ hand, using nan (a kind of bread) as scoop. The Afghans treat their guests with great respect and try to serve their guests with as good food as they can provide.