Great Times Gourmet™
GREAT RECIPES FROM TOP RESTAURANTS

Go To Great Times Gourmet Homepage For More Recipes from Top Restaurants

THE SILK ROUTE
Manhattan Beach, California

The Silk Route was a three-star award winning restaurant which served authentic cuisine of Afghanistan.  In the '80s, The Silk Route was considered to be the finest and only Afghan restaurant in Southern California.  This small, family type restaurant has been featured in Gourmet Magazine, as well as many other publications.  Many well-known individuals frequented this ethnic restaurant.  The following recipes will let you enjoy some of the Afghan cuisine.

KABULI PALAU

1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided

2    pounds beef or lamb (see note)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric, cayenne, or black pepper

Small clove of garlic, minced

2    medium carrots cut in julienne strips

2    tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon powdered cardamom

1    8 ounce can of tomato sauce

1    cup dark seedless raisins

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground cloves, cumin and cardamom (less cumin if desired)

2    cups converted rice

1    teaspoon salt

Water

2-3 tablespoons oil

Note:  You may use lamb shanks, cut in half, or leg of lamb cut in cubes.  Beef tenderloin or top sirloin also may be used, or disjointed chicken.  

Heat 1/4 cup oil and cook diced onion until lightly browned.  Add meat and brown.  Season to taste with salt, turmeric, cayenne or black pepper.  Add touch of minced garlic.  Add 1 cup tomato sauce and 1 cup water.  Cover and simmer until tender

To cook the palau (rice), peel carrots and cut julienne.  Heat 1/4 cup oil, add carrots with 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and cook over low heat until carrots are done, about 10 to 15 minutes.  1/4 cup water may be added.  When done, remove carrots and add 1 cup raisins; cook until they swell.  Remove and set aside with carrots.  Add to oil, and lightly brown 1/2 cup almonds; set aside.

Take 1 cup gravy from prepared meat and set aside.  Combine and mix 1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, cumin and cardamom and add to gravy.

Wash converted rice well.  Place in pan with 1 teaspoon salt and water to cover about one inch above rice.  Add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil to the rice, and cook until almost done.  Rice should be “al dente”. . . about 15 to 20 minutes.  Fluff rice with a fork.

Fold in carrots, raisins, and almonds, reserving some for garnish.

Combine gravy with spices and pour evenly over rice in casserole.  Seal tightly with lid and bake in a 300-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

To serve, mound rice on large platter and garnish with reserved carrots, raisins and almonds  Serve meat on separate platter.

___________________________________________ 

ZARDA PALAU

1     medium chicken, whole or disjointed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1    large sliced onion

2-1/2 teaspoons salt

Water

1/2 cup orange peelings

2-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup blanched almonds, cut lengthwise

1/2 cup blanched pistachios

1/2 teaspoon saffron

2    cups long grain rice

Prepare for cooking 1 whole chicken or disjointed.

Heat in a kettle or pressure pan 1/2 cup vegetable oil.

Fry chicken in pan until brown.

Add the sliced onion, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 6 cups water to the chicken.

Simmer or cook under pressure until chicken is tender.  Remove chicken from broth for the last steps of the cooking.

Wash and cut up 1/2 cup orange peeling, cut in tooth-pick size pieces.  To remove the bitter taste put orange strips in a strainer and dip several times in boiling water alternating with cold water.  Set aside.

Make a syrup by bringing to a boil 2 cups water and 2-1/2 cups sugar.  Add to the boiling syrup the orange peel, 1/2 cup blanched almonds, cut lengthwise and ½ cup blanched pistachios.  Boil 10 to 15 minutes.  Strain and set aside the orange peel and nuts.  Add to the syrup 1/2 teaspoon or more saffron.  Boil an additional 5 minutes.  Set aside until rice is cooked.

To cook rice place 2 cups long grain rice into 2 quarts boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt.  Cook until tender—test by removing one grain and squeezing between thumb and forefinger.

Drain, rinse rice with cold water.  While rice is still in strainer, add nuts and peel, reserving 3 to 4 tablespoons for garnish.

Pour hot syrup over rice and put into kettle for further use.

To complete cooking and combine flavors place in a large casserole 1/2 of the rice, the chicken and the remaining rice.

Then mix syrup with 3 cups chicken broth.

Pour syrup over chicken and rice in casserole.  Cover.  Heat in a 300 degree F. oven for 20 to 30 minutes.  All liquid should be absorbed.

To serve:  Place chicken in the center of a large platter.  Mound the rice mixture over the chicken and garnish with the orange peel and nuts reserved for that purpose.  

___________________________________________  

SHISH KEBABS

Marinade

2    cups plain yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1    clove garlic

1   leg of lamb, boned (See note)

Seasonings

Dash powdered garlic

Dried mint leaves, crushed

Black pepper

Salt or seasoned salt

Oil

Remove all fat and skin from leg of lamb and cut into 2 inch cubes.  Blend yogurt, vegetable oil and garlic and pour over meat.  Marinate in refrigerator overnight, stirring occasionally.  There is no salt in the marinade.

To cook kebabs, thread meat on skewers.  Season to taste.  Brush with oil and broil over charcoal coals close to the fire.  They must be broiled with intense heat to seal in the juices.  If using oven broiler, preheat to maximum heat.  Broil 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Note:  This same procedure may be used with boned, skinned breast of chicken cut in pieces, or tenderloin of beef, cut in cubes.

Meat may be served with vegetable kebabs, cook separately.  Alternate pieces of tomatoes, zucchini, onion, green pepper and mushrooms on skewer.   Dip vegetable skewers in Italian salad dressing and broil until done.

___________________________________________  

AASHAK

(The Original Ravioli)

Serves 8.

To make dough sift together:

3    cups white flour

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

Add 1 cup water to form very stiff dough.  Kneed until very smooth and divide into three balls.  Cover and let rest at least 30 minutes.

To make filling use the following:

4    cups finely chopped leeks

1    cup chopped green onions

2    cups chopped fresh mushrooms

1    teaspoon black pepper

1    teaspoon salt – or to taste

Sauté leeks and green onions in oil until tender and water is absorbed.  Season.  Add mushrooms and stir in and set aside.

To make meat sauce:

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

2     cups chopped onions

1     teaspoon salt – or to taste

Black pepper

1    cup tomato sauce

Make in usual fashion and cook until desired doneness.

To assemble:

Roll out dough as thin as possible (1/16 inch) and cut into 3 inch squares.  Place leek filling on a square of dough, moisten and seal into triangular shape.

When ready to cook:

Bring water to boil and add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil

Drop in ravioli a few at a time to simmer gently and cook until dough is done (about 5-8 minutes). 

When cooked, take out with slotted spoon and keep warm.

To make Chaka:

Combine:

3    cups drained yogurt

3    cloves garlic or garlic powder to taste

1    tablespoon ground mint

To assemble Aashak:

Reheat meat sauce

Cook the ravioli

Place cooked Aashak on large platter and spoon Chaka over.

Top with meat sauce and serve immediately.

© 1981 – 2005 All Rights Reserved