HOMEMADE CREAMY YOGURT - AFGHAN STYLE

By Humaira

Yogurt is one of my obsessions. I eat it with everything.  I love the tangy cool taste, which enhances every dish. Once I horrified my husband by dumping two large spoonfuls of plain yogurt into my bowl of ramen noodles.

Afghans add yogurt as a topping to many dishes such as kadoo, aushak, and aush.  However, my family goes over the top, we add yogurt to everything.  Recently I learned I am allergic to yogurt. This was a sad day for me.  Apparently I am allergic to the protein in milk not be confused with lactose intolerance.  This type of allergy can cause inflammation, body aches, mucus build-up and cold symptoms.

As part of my yogurt grieving, I went on a rampage of furious yogurt making. Since I couldn’t eat any of it, the yogurt was delivered throughout the city to my taste testers at children’s basketball games, carpool lines or by husband’s delivery service. 

For years I have watched Jeja (my mom) make tangy creamy yogurt but I never mustered up the courage to make it myself. When I finally dove in, I found yogurt making very relaxing and rewarding.  To transform a liquid into a semi-solid made me feel like a chemist or, better yet, a magician.   

The right yogurt starter is the key to success.  Unbelievably yogurt starter is just a few spoonfuls of yogurt. The yogurt kick starts the thickening of the milk proteins, adds tartness and acts as a preservative. Choose your favorite yogurt as the yogurt starter; your homemade yogurt will taste just like it. I use Saint Benoit Yogurt which is creamy, tart and to die for. 

Heating the milk to the right temperature is important. The milk must first reach 185° and then it must cool to 110° before you add the yogurt starter. I used a digital thermometer to help track the temperature. I hung the thermometer on the side of the pot and kept an eye on it until it reached the right temperatures. In the recipe I provide some pointers to help you gauge the right temperature if you don’t have a thermometer. 

This recipe calls for whole milk, which makes the yogurt very creamy but you may use 2% or 1% milk, which met my tester’s approval too.

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Homemade Creamy and Tangy Yogurt

½ gallon whole organic milk

3 tablespoons good quality whole milk yogurt with live and active cultures

heavy bottom deep pan

two 2 pint size jars with tight fitting lids, disinfected and dry

Instand read thermometer (optional)

I think making yogurt overnight is the best way to do it. There's nothing like waking up to a fresh batch to have with your breakfast. Letting the milk rest in the oven (turned off, of course) is the ideal spot according to Jeja, who feels the cozy temperature of the oven is just right for turning milk into yogurt. Don't forget to set aside 3 tablespoons of your finished yogurt to use as a starter for your next batch before you gobble it all down.

Pour the milk into a deep, heavy bottom saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally, until the milk reaches 185°. You can test this using an instant read thermometer or gauge it by cooking the milk just until it is on the verge of boiling. Look for lots of tiny bubbles on the surface of the milk. This will take about 15 minutes depending on your pan and stove. Remove the milk from the heat and let is cool to 110°. This will take about an hour.  

While the milk cools down, put the starter yogurt into a medium bowl and stir with a fork until creamy.  Once the milk has cooled to 110°, pour into the bowl and stir for 2 minutes to make sure the yogurt and milk are mixed well.

Pour the milk into the jars and close the lids tightly.  Place the jars on baking tray right next to each other so they can keep each other warm, cover with several dishcloths to make them cozy.  Place them in a warm place, such as near the stove, for 9-12 hours to rest. 

Serving size: Half a gallon of milk make ½ gallon of yogurt

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My thermometer was really handy with reaching the right temprature

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If you don't have a thermometer look for the bubblesl which is a great indicator of reaching the right temprature.

Except where otherwise noted, all content on this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license. 

GLUTEN FREE AFGHAN SWEET BREAD - RHOT E JOWAREE

By Humaira

During my two week visit to Afghanistan in 2011 I found myself obsessed with the bakeries of Kabul.  As my bullet-proof US Embassy car zoomed through the streets, I'd find myself drooling at the sight of the beautifully arranged pastries in the bakery shops.

Due to threat of riots and security issues I mostly travelled in convoys or stayed in my hotel. I didn’t get to do any shopping or wander the markets as I had hoped.  But, in my last hours in Kabul, I asked my cousin to take me to a bakery and the street with butchers.  I had a chance to pop into a nice bakery, take some photos, chit chat with the owner and admire the beautifully displayed items.

Afghan cream rolls

I think it is worth noting that Afghans don’t usually eat dessert, unless it is a special occasion and in that case it is not usually baked items.  Pastries are served as a snack with tea in the mid afternoon, at celebrations such as Eid or to a special guest.  Flour, sugar and oil are expensive. Afghanistan being the second poorest country in the world, doesn’t allow for such  luxuries to the majority of its population.

Various types of candies stacked in the corner of the bakery, I likes the color coordination

Roht is an Afghan sweet bread which is traditionally made with wheat flour.  Here you'll find my post featuring a classic roht recipe.  However, since many folks in my family are going gluten free, my sister Nabila came up with this recipe for roht which uses corn flour instead of wheat flour.  I have to say, I find the corn roht much tastier than the traditional flour roht.  I do encourage you to use finely ground corn meal; otherwise your roht will turn out coarse and crunchy. 

Nabila's corn roht

Roht e Jowaree

Gluten Free Afghan Sweet Bread

1 cup corn meal

1 cup finely ground corn flour

1/4 cup butter at room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1 teaspoon nigella seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Fit your food processor with the dough blade. Put all dry ingredients in the food processor, pulse a few times until all ingredients are mixed well. 

Add butter and pulse several times until mixed well.  Scrape the sides of the food processor, add the eggs, and mix until the dough is formed.  If your dough is dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to add some more moisture. You may not need the milk at all.  You might have to stop periodically to scrape the dough off the sides. After a few minutes, the dough will come together in one smooth lump and move around the food processor.  

Remove the dough from the food processor and pat it into a smooth ball. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two balls and work gently into a circular flat shape, about ½- inch thick. Poke little holes in a circular pattern on top of the dough with a fork, about 20 pokes per loaf. Sprinkle the loaves with nigella seeds.  You can also divide the dough into 12 small balls and make approximately 4 inch round mini rohts.

Bake in the middle rack for 25-30 minutes until the corn roht  is golden brown. Let it cool to room temperature before serving. 

Cut into 6 wedges. Enjoy with a cup of tea. 

Store roht in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. I find it tastes even better the next day.

*Nigella seeds are commonly used in Indian or Middle Eastern dishes. They are tiny black roasted seeds that taste like bitterness with a bitterness like mustard-seeds. They are sold at Middle Eastern or Indian markets. Check out the list of markets that we have compiled for you.  If you can’t find them, use sesame seeds instead. 

Except where otherwise noted, all content on this blog is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported license. 

ROSEWATER, CARDAMOM FUDGE - SHEER PAYRA

By Humaira

I don’t have a sweet tooth. My go to snacks are dates, mulberries, almonds and walnuts.  However, there are a few things I can’t resist; pistachio ice cream, our Afghan butter cookies and Sheer payra, Afghanistan’s fudge.

Recently a friend asked about Sheerpayra, so I cast a wide net for possible recipes. My friend Helen Saberi kindly referred me to her recipe in Afghan Food & Cookery*. My sister Nabila shared her wisdom and lessons learned from previous attempts to make this mouth-watering delight.

It turns out making Sheerpayra requires a great deal of precision and patience, the two qualities I lack. So, I created my own fast and easy recipe which, turns out a killer tasting Sheer payra. Since milk and sugar are at a premium in Afghanistan, this sweet is served at Eid holidays, weddings, baby births and of course for very special guests.

Heart

Perhaps this valentine, you can skip the chocolate and give your sweetheart a box of our "Afghan Rosewater, Cardamom Fudge".

SheerPerainPan

Sheer Payra

Afghan Rosewater, Cardamom Fudge

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water

1¼ cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 ¼ cups powdered milk

1 teaspoon rosewater

1 teaspoon cardamom

2 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons almonds, finely chopped

2 tablespoons pistachios, finely chopped

Lightly butter a glass or metal pan, approximately 7x11 inches and 1-2 inches deep.

Time is of essence in this recipe. For best resutls, have all your ingredients measured and accessible in your work area before you go to the next step.

Add the water in a heavy bottomed sauce-pan, cook the sugar and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts, around 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil, stir constantly for 2 minutes, a white foam will form on the syrup and it will thicken. 

Remove pot from heat and move to your work area. Drizzle the powdered milk in the pot, as you stir, a creamy smooth mixture will form. Add rosewater, cardamom, almonds and walnuts. Mix well, making sure the nuts are distributed evenly in the batter.

Pour the mixture into the pan, scraping all the extras from the sides of the pan. It should spread out but if it doesn’t, use the back of a spatula to flatten it evenly. Sprinkle with pistachios and set to cool, approximately 1-2 hours.

Cut with a sharp knife in 2x2 inch squares, serve with a cup of black tea or coffee. Store the extra in in an air tight container or ziploc bag. Do not refrigerate, keep at room temperature.

Nuts,Cardamom&Saffron

 * Afghan Food and Cookery by Helen Saberi