Ashak

As tradition built it

Serves 4 to 6. Makes 30 dumplings. About 1 hour 30 minutes.

Ingredients

The filling

• 500g gandana, or garlic chives or leeks, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp salt, for the gandana
• a small handful coriander leaves and stalks, finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

The dough

• 450g plain flour
• 2 tsp salt, for the dough
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil, for the dough
• 250ml warm water

The lamb kofta sauce

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 2 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil, for the sauce
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 500g minced lamb
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, for the sauce
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp salt, for the sauce
• 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 250ml water, for the sauce
• 60g chana dal, split chickpeas

To boil and finish

• 2 tsp sunflower oil, for the boiling water
• 1 tsp salt, for the boiling water
• 130g plain yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the yoghurt
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil, to finish
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, to finish
• 1 tsp dried mint

Method

1. Wash the chopped gandana in a colander and let it drain. Mix in the tablespoon of salt with your hands, then squeeze it by the handful to get out as much liquid as you can. Put it in a bowl with the coriander and the black pepper.
2. Mix the flour with 2 teaspoons of salt, then the oil. Add the warm water slowly, kneading between additions, until the dough is firm; you may not need all of it. Knead 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest it 15 minutes.
3. Roll the dough paper thin on a lightly floured surface, to about 60cm by 40cm. Cut as many rounds as you can with a 7cm cutter.
4. Wet the edge of a round with your finger, not so much that it goes soggy. Put a teaspoon of filling in the middle, fold it into a half moon and press the edges hard, so it holds in the boiling water. Lay them on a tray lined with paper towel, with a sheet between layers.
5. For the sauce, purée the tomatoes in a blender. Fry the onion and garlic in the sauce oil over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Add the lamb and fry about 10 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
6. Stir in the turmeric, curry powder, crushed coriander and a teaspoon of salt and fry 5 minutes, until the meat lets go its water. Boil 5 minutes more, until some of the water has gone and the oil rises.
7. Stir in the puréed tomatoes, the tomato paste, the vinegar and 250ml water, breaking up any clumps, and bring it to the boil. Cover and simmer gently 10 minutes, until it has thickened.
8. Meanwhile, cover the chana dal with water in a small pan, boil it 10 minutes until soft but not mushy, drain it and stir it into the sauce.
9. Fill a medium pot three quarters with water, bring it to the boil and add the 2 teaspoons of oil and the teaspoon of salt. Add the ashak and stir now and then for 6 to 7 minutes, until the dough is translucent. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them drain.
10. Whisk the yoghurt with the garlic powder and half a teaspoon of salt. Spread half over a large platter, set the ashak on it, pour the sauce over, then the rest of the yoghurt.
11. Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a small pan over a high heat with the turmeric and dried mint, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour it over the ashak and serve at once.

Notes

The recipe is Durkhanai Ayubi's, from Parwana (2020), with garlic chives or leeks where gandana cannot be had. Humaira Ghilzai's family recipe uses green onions and wonton wrappers, boiled about 4 minutes, with a meat sauce of lamb, onion and tomato and no dal.

What a modern chef changes

The green kept green

Rung 3

Method

1. Blanch the gandana ten seconds and refresh it before chopping, so the filling stays bright after the boil.
2. Season the filling with a pinch of sugar as well as salt; the allium's bitterness needs it.
3. Boil, do not steam, and lift them the moment they float.
4. Dress the yoghurt with a thread of the hot meat sauce's fat, which is where the colour comes from.