Afghanistan cuisine

Afghan cuisine is largely based upon the nation's chief crops, such as wheat, maize, barley and rice. Accompanying these staples are native fruits and vegetables as well as dairy products such as milk, yogurt and whey. Kabuli Palaw is the national dish of Afghanistan. The nation's culinary specialties reflect its ethnic and geographic diversity. Afghanistan is known for its high quality pomegranates, grapes and sweet, melons shaped like Rugby-football.

Rice dishes are culturally the most important parts of a meal, and therefore much time and effort is spent creating them. Wealthier families will eat one rice dish per day, and royalty spent much time on rice preparation and invention, as evidenced in the number of rice dishes in their cookbooks. Weddings and family gatherings usually feature several rice dishes, and reputations can be made in the realm of rice preparation.

A type of white rice, similar or identical to the Iranian chelow. The rice is first parboiled in salted water, then drained and finally baked in a brick or clay oven with oil, butter and salt added. This method creates a fluffy rice with each grain separated, while a golden-brown caramelized crust of rice ("tahdig") develops at the bottom of the baking dish.

Challow is served mainly with qormas (korma; stews or casseroles).

Cooked the same as challow, but meat and stock, qorma, herbs, or a combination are blended in before the baking process. This creates elaborate colors, flavors, and aromas from which some rices are named. Caramelized sugar is also sometimes used to give the rice a rich brown color. Examples include:

This rice dish is cooked with water and acquires a sticky consistency. It is usually eaten with a qorma, such as Sabzi (spinach) or Shalgham (turnips). With the addition of stock, meat, herbs, and grains, more eeri Qoroot, and Shola. A sweet rice dish called Shir Birenj (literally milk rice) is often served as dessert.

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