Ashak is an authentic Afghani recipe and this delicious recipe is usually served on holidays or at special gatherings. It is usually cooked with the help of everyone in the family where they sit together for the filling of dumplings. It is originally made with chives. Leeks are a green vegetable while chives are an herb and usually a bit hard to find depending where you live. For our recipe, we were not able to find any chives, so we went with the next best thing: Leeks. The most important thing while using leeks is that to make sure to squeeze any extra water out of it before filling. Ashak is topped with meat sauce called koftey pashan which you can make spicy if you prefer. It is also topped with Quroot which is made from sour yogurt. Quroot is shaped into tiny, salted balls and left out to dry. When used in recipes, the salted balls are then turned into a paste. The process takes time as Quroot is first soaked in warm water followed by turning it into a paste by rubbing it in a clay bowl. Luckily for us, we can buy prepared Quroot paste in any Afghani grocery store… Just look for “Whey”or “Kashk” in any of your local grocery stores.
For dumplings, we use circular wrappers found in any Asian grocery stores (wonton wrappers). You can chill it in the freezer for as long as you want and use it whenever. You can also make your own, time permitting. After leeks/chives are placed in the middle of circular wrappers, the edges are sealed to have beautiful half-moon shaped dumplings. You could also use the help of dumpling tools sold in kitchenware stores where you place the wrappers inside and it will close the edges for you. Ashak (Afghani Dumplings) is topped with meat sauce and Garlicky Quroot, fried turmeric and a sprinkle of mint powder and served hot with Afghani bread.
What you need to make Ashak
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MEAT SAUCE
Ingredients Needed:
1/2 cup oil
3 big size onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 kg Grounded veil meat or any other grounded meat
1 cup tomato sauce
1 med size bell paper
1 cup water
Spices
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. Coriander powder
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
FILLING
Ingredients Needed:
1 kg chopped Chives or leek
1 cup water
2 tbsp. salt
1 cup Flour
BOILING
Ingredients Needed:
1/6 cup vegetable oil
1 tbs salt
GARLICKY QUROOT
Ingredients Needed:
6 tbsp. Quroot
2 Garlic cloves
½ cup water
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
A Colander pot with perforated insert for easy draining
Watch a short video on how to make Ashak
Ashak (Afghani Chives/Leek Dumplings)
Course: Drinks7
servings2
minutes2
minutesAshak is an authentic Afghani recipe and this delicious recipe is usually served on holidays or at special gatherings. It is usually cooked with the help of everyone in the family where they sit together for the filling of dumplings. It is originally made with chives.
Ingredients
- MEAT SAUCE
1/2 cup oil
3 big size onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 kg Grounded veil meat or any other grounded meat
1 cup tomato sauce
1 med size green paper
1 cup water or more
Spices
1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. Coriander powder
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
- FILLING
1 kg chopped Chives or leek
2 tbsp. salt
1 cup Flour
1 cup Water
- BOILING
1/6 cup oil
1 tbs salt
Garlicky Quroot2 Garlic cloves
½ cup water
Serving
Garlicky QurootDumplings
Beef Sauce
1 tsp Dry mint
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Directions
- Meat Sauce
- In a Saucepan, add vegetable oil
- Add diced onions
- Fry until golden brown
- Add garlic
- Once onions & garlics get a golden-brown color, add beef and stir-fry
- Add tomato sauce
- Add bell pepper (gives it a good smell and aroma)
- Add all the spices: salt+ coriander powder+ black pepper
- Add water
- Cook for at least 20 to 30 min or until meat is done
- Filling
- Mince leek/chives by hand or in an electric food chopper
- Transfer minced leek/chives to a colander and add salt to it
- Squeeze all the water out of it with your hands
- Place about 1 tbsp. minced leek/chives in the middle of circular wrapper
- Use water to moisture the edges
- Close and seal the edges for a beautiful half-mooned shape (You can also join the two ends of the mooned shaped dumplings together. The only catch with this is that the ends may open in the process…usually during boiling.)
- Dip in the flour
- And place it on a flat surface or flat dish
- Repeat same for all
- Boiling
- Boil water in a Colander pot with perforated insert for easy draining
- Add dumplings
- Add a bit of vegetable oil
- Add a pinch of salt
- Drain the water
- Garlicky Quroot
- Add a bit of water in Quroot
- Add minced garlic cloves
- Mix well
- Serving
- Spread the Garlicky Quroot on a big plate
- Add on boiled dumplings
- Add another layer of Garlicky Quroot
- Add meat sauce
- Sprinkle a bit of dry mint
- In a pan, add vegetable oil
- When oil is hot, add turmeric powder
- Pour it over dumplings
- Serve hot with Afghani bread
Recipe Video
Did you make this delicious recipe? Tag @afghan yummy food on Instagram and hashtag it #AfghanYummyFood.
Leave a comment below if you have any questions.
Click here to make some Sheer Chai Afghan (Cardamom Tea with milk) to enjoy after lunch.
