
This event takes place in the CCFE Solutions Salon at CSI Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501
For more than two millennia, Afghanistan was a place where important trade routes between India, China, the Middle East and Europe converged. Marco Polo crossed the country en route to China; Arab travellers and the British passed through on their way to India. A rich culture took hold at this crossroads, and with it a varied cuisine influenced by that of Persia, India and Mongolia, but with style all its own. One symbol of Afghan hospitality is the sofra, a woven cloth or spread upon which food is served. In a broader sense it has come to mean the kind of convivial family meal associated with Islamic cultures, and is where we, half a world away, get the idiom of ‘putting on a big spread’. Tonight Frishta Ghafoori will share a lovely selection of traditional Afghan dishes, all infused with this spirit of hospitality.
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Daal
Starting with this simple, comforting red lentil soup with cumin and black pepper is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly winter night.
Bolani Kachalu
Bolani are a style of stuffed, pan-fried breads from Afghanistan. Similar to Turkish gozleme or Syrian shamborak, they feature thin dough folded into large, half-moon shape — in this case filled with a spiced potato mixture — and then griddled until crispy. It’s served with a creamy cilantro and yoghurt chutney.
Chalaw Do Pyaza
Do pyaza (or dopiaza) is a traditional lamb dish close to the Afghan heart. It gets its name from the Persian for “two onions” because of the combination of the luscious caramelized onion gravy in which the meat is slowly cooked and the bright, pickled onions which are added at the very end to contrast and complement to the richness of the lamb. It is served with delicate white rice alongside dal masoul, simply cooked yellow split peas, and salata, a refreshing afghan chopped salad with tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, onion, and lemon.
Vegetarian: Lobya chalaw – Soft kidney beans cooked in a rich tomato base with caramelized onions.
Cream Roll & Kahwah
A delicate pastry cylinder stuffed with rich cream is an idea works just about anywhere, from Hungary (krémes) to France (roulé à la crème) to Japan (kurimukorone). The Afghan version, with light crispy puff pastry and sweetened whipped cream is dusted with icing sugar and garnished with chopped pistachios. It is served with kahwah, a fragrant Afghan tea infused with saffron and cardamom.
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$79 +HST
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Frishta Ghafoori originally hails from Afghanistan and works as a line cook in a Middle Eastern restaurant and loves to explore food from all over the world. Frishta has lived in 6 countries to date, and her favorite part is trying all the local delicacies.
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