FOOD52 COOKBOOK V. 2 - OUR AUSHAK RECIPE

By Humaira

In 2011 we asked you to vote for our Aushak  recipe which we entered in a dumpling contest. Thanks to you and all of our friends around the world we won the dumpling contest which landed our recipe in the newly published, The FOOD52 Cookbook, Volume 2, a crowdsourced and curated cookbook.  

This cookbook contains 75 recipes, beautiful photos, scrumptious seasonal recipes and of course our world famous Aushak recipe on page 194,  just in case you were wondering.

The book is an amalgamation of recipes, ideas, and techniques collected by Amanda Hessler (formerly NY Times food writer) and Merrill Stubbs from their very popular food blog, Food52.  Both ladies are accomplished cooks and food writers who wanted to give people from all walks of life a way to exchange their ideas and to celebrate each other’s talents so they started this blog which has skyrocketed in popularity.

Here is what some of their community said about the Aushak recipe:

"This was amazing.  And I added some of the leftover garlic yogurt to my scrambled eggs this morning.  Some of the best scrambled eggs I've ever made!"

Brilliant, I have not thought of adding yogurt to eggs but now I will have to give this a try.

" That's a wonderful recipe.  I think it would make a great bento box lunch item, packing the sauce in the little compartments and the dumplings and meat in the main container for rewarming."

Ok, I don't own a bento box but perhaps I should get one.  

Get out of your cooking rut, get yourself a copy of this book and try their great seasonal recipes in 2013.   I love to blog but some how I get a little extra satisfaction from seeing my name in print.

Slowly we are making Afghan food known around the world and we have you to thank for it.

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

TOMATO, CUMIN AND PAPRIKA EGGS - AFGHAN INSPIRED OPEN SANDWICH

By Humaira

I am a cereal girl when it comes to breakfast food. Eggs are my lunch or dinner go to food for a quick delicious meal. In Afghanistan people have boiled eggs or sunny side up for breakfast, but this is rare since eggs are expensive.  Most people in the villages keep a couple of chickens around for their coveted eggs.  

When I was a little girl we lived in a modern two-story house in Kabul with a big yard. My father, a diplomat, loved gardening, growing his own fruit and keeping chickens so we had a chicken coupe in the corner of the yard with around 10 chickens and a rooster. In the mornings I loved to retrieve the freshly laid eggs for breakfast.

This recipe is an amalgamation of various styles of egg recipes I have seen over the years. The sautéing of the tomatoes until caramelized I learned from my daughter’s Turkish babysitter. Adding cumin for extra flavor came from my aunt and the hollowed hard-crusted bread I took from a scene in the movie Moonstruck when Olympia Dukakis cooks eggs for Cher.  

In this recipe I use tomatoes, but since tomato season is over you may substitute canned or homemade tomato sauce. The eggs are even more flavorful and richer in flavor with tomato sauce.

EggsFinal

Ready to eat!

Afghan Inspired Open-Face Sandwich Tomatoes, Cumin and Paprika Flavored Eggs

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tomato diced or 1/4-cup tomato sauce

A pinch of cumin and paprika

2 one inch thick slices of hard crusted Italian bread 

2 eggs

Heat oil in a frying pan on high heat.

 Add the diced tomatoes to the pan and stir for around 2 minutes until

caramelized. If using tomato sauce you can cook the sauce for a couple of

minutes to brings out its flavors.  Add the cumin and paprika to the

tomatoes and stir until mixed well.  Move the caramelized tomatoes to the

edge of the pan.  Remove the inside of the bread; place the hollowed bread

in the pan.  Gently place each egg inside the bread crust.  

Reduce temperature to medium, place a lid on the pan and cook for around 5-7 minutes

until the whites of the eggs are fully cooked through. It is important to keep

the temperature low so the bottom of the bread doesn’t burn.

Gently remove the open-faced sandwiches, place

on a plate, put a dollop of tomatoes sauce on top of the eggs and place the

rest around the eggs.  Season with salt and pepper to your taste and enjoy

with a glass of your favorite drink.

EggsPartlyCooked

Eggs party cooked before placing the lid.

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

"I am Woman" - AFGHAN POETESS

By Humaira

Ten years ago I left the high-tech world to raise my two daughters. Instead of enjoying my sabbatical I co-founded a non-profit organization, Afghan Friends Network (AFN) focused on education for girls, women and boys in Afghanistan. AFN has not only allowed me to re-connect with my heritage but it has also provided a platform for meeting some amazing people who tirelessly advocate for the Afghan people. Najia Karim is one of these people.  She is a poet and short story author. Through her thought provoking work Najia addresses important social issues in Afghanistan.

As a registered clinical dietitian and health educator Najia not only nourishes the mind, she also nourishes the body. Najiahas published two Dari poetry books and her works have been published in many Persian language journals. She is the founder of Cultural Society of Afghan Women. I am honored to share one of her beautiful poems entitled “I Am Woman” with you.

“I Am Woman.”

Tahmina-Kohistani_

Tahmina Kohestani, athlete representing Afghanistan in 2012 summer Olympics 

 I am a woman, a mother and a sister

 Golden crowned as a Narcissus on my head feels better 

Tender heart as a flower, not stoned heart

Like a tulip with sorrow marks on my heart

In the yearning of my homelands’ splendor

As wounded bird devoid of wings, but no surrender

Bright eyed, perceptive heart, with open mind

In the eyes of the jealous, only deaf and blind

I am as pure as an infant & so mellow

Not like the dust of a mirror, but its glow

Halt and curb your decadent desire

Why throw the  Burka on my face & attire

The radiance of the truth is so shiny on my face

Neither buying nor vending my glow in this race

I am a woman, a mother & a daughter

 By Najia Karim

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