They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I wonder if that goes for winning over the hearts and minds of Afghans too. We won't get to find out, I suppose. The last place to get American food in Kabul closed. It was called King James Burgers and Brisket. It was near the military terminal of the Kabul Airport. "Try the Mechanic Burger and the NATO Milkshake," said a review on Trip Advisor. Crepes, pancakes, salads, subs, good coffee and free WiFi. Most of the reviews mentioned the slow service. Waiting a long time for your order is a thing in Afghanistan, apparently. And Kabul's pizza place shut down too, of course. So Afghans will have to stick with the regular menu they know. I looked it up. Here are some typical dishes:
- Qormah (stews)
- Aushak (leek dumplings)
- Haft Mewa (dried fruit and nut soup)
- Mastawa (chickpeas, rice and sun-dried mutton)
- Asafoetida (dried gum resin from taproots, rhizomes or giant fennels - pungent)
- Borani Kadoo (spiced, braised pumpkin or squash)
- Chopan Kabobs (charcoal roasted lamb and sheep's tail fat)
- Borani Banjan (fried eggplant with mint)
- Gosh-e Fil (nicknamed an elephant's ear, it's a fried sweet pastry)
- Bolani (pan-fried flatbread stuffed with a potato mash)
- Kabuli Pulaw (rice and lamb with caramelized carrots, raisins and almonds... an Afghan woman's marriage prospects depend on her ability to make this one)
On the side, you'll frequently find coriander chutney, more nuts, more flatbreads and mint or garlic yogurt.
I wonder if Jimmy Buffet ever played in Kabul? Cheeseburger in Paradise sounds better to me than Asafoetida in Paradise... "I like mine with Osh pyozee prunes, Zhoug 57 and french fried Bolani. Big Muslim Turshi and cold draft yogurt. Well, praise Allah-mighty, which way do I go-furt my... Asafoetida in Paradise..."
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