Kabul Afghan Cuisine

Address:
106 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone:
(215) 922-3676

Reviews

Excerpt from the book, "Against The Grain,"
by Jax Peters Lowell
If you're like most people, you're not even sure where exactly Afghanistan is, much less what defines this mountain country's cuisine. I realize not every American town has a neighborhood Afghan restaurant like Philadelphia's Kabul, but those that do, this food should be considered a stop on every wheat and gluten free field trip. Unlike its neighbors, India and Pakistan, where chefs fight the fiery climates with more fire in their curries, Afghan cooking is milder, more subtle, cooler, like the temperatures at Afghanistan's higher elements.

Exotic spices and flavors predominate - cardamom, saffron, orange peel, rose water, yogurt, and mint. Lamb and yogurt feature strongly, but dishes are surprisingly mild, despite their intricate seasonings.

Skip the appetizers, which are usually turnovers, dumplings, and deep-fried pastries, and move right along to the main course. Not all restaurants use the same ingredients, so remember to ask before you consider the following:

Kabuli-palaw is a gorgeous combination of lamb, rice, carrots, raisins, almonds, and pistachios in a spiced tomato sauce.
Norenge-palaw is a sweeter version of Kabuli-palaw with the addition of cardamom and orange peel soaked in rose water.
Badenjan-chalaw combines lamb and eggplant.
Facilliya-chalaw combines green beans and lamb.
Kabobs of chicken or lamb or ground beef are usually marinated in yogurt, spices, garlic, and lemon before cooking.

In this land where meat is not as plentiful or as available as it is here, vegetables are made much of:

Buranee badenjan is a sautéed eggplant with meat sauce and yogurt.
Sabzi is pureed spinach with onions.
Buranee kadu is sautéed pumpkin with meat sauce and yogurt.

Afghan desserts tend to be sticky, sweet, and off-limits for the grain intolerant, but firnee, a silky Afghan pudding sprinkled with pistachios and almonds is usually thickened with cornstarch. Usually, it contains no vanilla, but asking doesn't hurt. An Afghan meal is typically finished off with a green tea or chai, a traditional tea. You haven't come this far for a cup of coffee.

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