Ashak is a beloved dish in Afghanistan. It’s often served for special occasions, and you will soon learn why: it’s a lot of work! But there are some ways to cheat and cut down on the prep time. You can use wrappers for the dough, or make the dough ahead of time. You can cook the lentil sauce in an Instapot, and it can also be made ahead of time. But if you do decide to do it all from scratch, you will be justly rewarded with a deliciously satisfying and authentic meal.

Ingredients Sauce: Filling: ½ cup dry red lentils 1 bunch of nira herb / Chinese Leek (or substitute 2 large tomatoes regular leeks and green onions and/or spinach) 1 medium onion 2 tbs extra virgin oil 6 garlic cloves ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons of olive oil or canola oil 1 teaspoon Coriander powder 1 tbs tomato paste 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tbs paprika 1 teaspoon dried mint 1 tsp cayenne powder 1 tbs coriander powder Water for Boiling Salt to taste Dough: 1 cup water 2 cups of flour 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil Extra toppings: 1 tsp salt Plain yogurt, home-made curd or sour cream ¾ cup of water for serving Fresh cilantro Cayenne or paprika for sprinkling on top Method In preparing to make the lentil sauce, known as Qurma Dal Nakhod, it’s recommended to wash the lentils – known in Afghanistan as Dal Nakhod or Chana Dal – and soak them in water for at least two hours before you cook, so they soften faster. Overnight is even better. But if this isn’t manageable, you can simply cook the sauce a little longer. Start by peeling and chopping the onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes. Pour the oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion, stirring for a couple of minutes until light brown, then add the garlic. Stir another minute, then add the tomato paste, coriander powder, paprika, cayenne powder, chopped tomatoes and salt, and stir well. Cook on low heat until you get a soft gravy consistency, then add the pre-soaked lentils and water. Cover the pot with the lid and cook on medium heat until the lentils are tender. Optionally, you may add butter or ghee once cooked.

1 ASHAK

Next, make the dough. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour and salt, then add the oil and water. Knead for a few minutes on a floured surface, until dough is elastic. Leave the dough to rest 10 minutes while you make the filling.

To make the filling, start by washing and cutting the leeks. Put the cut leeks into a bowl and mix them with the salt, pepper, coriander powder and oil, then set aside.

Form a small ball out of the dough and flatten it to make it as thing as possible, using a rolling pin or machine (if you’re not using store-bought wonton wrappers). Use a cutter or large glass to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Spoon a little of the leek mixture into the middle of each circle. Use your finger to put some water around the edges of the circle, and then fold over and seal the sides all around.

Boil a large pot of water, and add the ashak for 5-7 minutes. You can also steam the , for around 25 minutes.

To serve, lay the cooked ashak on a serving platter. Spoon the lentil sauce on top, and sprinkle with the dried mint and with fresh cilantro. You may also opt to sprinkle a small dusting of cayenne or paprika on top. Serve with cold plain yogurt (or home-made curd) on the side.

2