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HelenSaberiTrifle

HelenSaberiTrifle

KABUL QUINCE AND YOGURT TRIFLE

May 30, 2012

Helen Saberi has written one of the most popular Afghan cookbooks, Afghan Food and Cookery, which I discoved when I became interested in Afghan cooking. Helen married an Afghan man in 1972 and lived in Afghanistan for eight years until she had to leave due to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Helen, originally English, spent her eight years in Afghanistan learning about Afghan culture; food, people and the Dari language.  I was really honoured when I received an email from Helen praising my blog. Naturally, I asked Helen if she would share one of her wonderful recipes with us.  Below we get best of two worlds, an Afghan inspired trifle recipe.  I think my European readers will finally enjoy a recipe with measurements in grams.

HelenSaberi

HelenSaberi

By Helen Saberi

The name of Afghanistan’s capital city would not normally conjure up thoughts or visions of trifles.  However, this recipe was inspired by my husband Nasir Saberi who asked me to devise a trifle recipe with an eastern flavour for my Trifle book; and to name it after the city in which he was born and brought up.  An alternative to the yoghurt topping could be firni. 

Kabul Quince and Yoghurt Trifle

HelenTriflePhoto

HelenTriflePhoto

2 medium quinces

110 g sugar ( 4 oz.)

juice of ½ lemon

pinch of ground cardamom

18-24 amaretti biscuits

500 g Greek strained yoghurt (17 oz.)

¼ tsp saffron

1 tbsp. rose water

110 g caster sugar (4 oz.)

½ tsp ground cardamom

toasted flaked almonds

slivered or ground pistachio

crystallized rose petals

Peel, core and slice the quinces thinly. Put into a pan and add water; which should well cover the quinces. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, turn down the heat and simmer until they are just soft.  (You may have to add more water if it reduces too much.) Remove the quinces with a slotted spoon from the pan and set to one side.

Quince

Quince

Now add the sugar to the water in which the quinces were cooked and stir to dissolve. Add the lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes until syrupy. Remove from the heat, add the cardamom and return the quinces to the pan. Leave to cool in the syrup.

Place the amaretti biscuits in the bottom of a glass bowl and cover with the quinces. Add just enough of the syrup to lightly soak the amoretti.

Now make the yoghurt cream. Dissolve the saffron in the rosewater and beat into the yoghurt. Mix in the sugar, more or less according to taste, and add the cardamom. Mix well. Spread the yoghurt cream evenly over the quinces and decorate with the almonds, pistachios and rose petals, according to your fancy.

Note:  If quinces are not available, which is highly likely, pears softly poached can be substituted or even tinned pears can be used. Not quite the same but still good. 

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

In Sweets
← AFGHAN FEMALE ATHLETES - ONE OF A KINDROSEWATER CARDAMOM FLAVORED CARROT PUDDING - HALWA-E-ZARDAK →

I have over sixty Afghan food recipes on this blog. Use this search field to find my most popular recipes—bolani, shohla, kebab—or a specific dish you may be looking for.

If want to stay in touch regularly check out my Afghan Culture Unveiled Facebook page where I regularly post inspiring human interest stories, and hopeful articles about Afghan food, art, and the achievements of Afghan women.


Humaira opens the world to Afghan culture and cuisine through this blog. She shares the wonders of Afghanistan through stories of rich culture, delicious food and her family’s traditions. Learn more about Humaira’s work.


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My Recipes Appear In

 

FOOD52

Mom’s Kitchen Handbook ~ Blog

San Francisco Chronicle

“The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul” ~ A Novel

"Turmeric - The Wonder Spice" ~ A Cookbook"

Foreign Policy Magazine

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"Giving - Student" ~ A Cookbook

Ingredient Matcher ~ Blog

Afghana ~ Blog 

Book Club Cheerleader ~ Blog 

Cornish Pasty ~ Blog 

Rhubarbarian ~ Blog 

Dietician Without Borders ~ Blog 

"Yogurt Culture" ~ A Global Look at How to Make, Bake, Sip and Chill the World's Creamiest, Healthiest Food


Tim Vetter of the Voyager Podcast asked me about Afghan Culture and Food. I hope you enjoy this interview.

Tim Vetter of the Voyager Podcast asked me about Afghan Culture and Food. I hope you enjoy this interview.

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