A Delicate Balance of Flavors in Afghan Food : Cuisine: Flavorful, hearty and robust, foods of Afghan draw upon cultures of Asia, India and the Mideast.

Strategically situated on the ancient Silk Road connecting Europe with the Far East, Afghanistan was for centuries the meeting point of many cultures, especially Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian. Its food is a fusion of ancient cuisines.

There are pastas and steamy dumplings from the Persians and the nomadic Turks; glorious breads and yogurt sauces from Central Asia; Middle Eastern roasts, pilafs and delicate filo pastries; and sweet spices from India. Dishes such as ravioli with creamy leek filling, smoky grilled kebabs with fiery walnut-coriander dip, pumpkin topped with yogurt and meat sauce, noodle soup with meat balls and braised spinach and rhubarb with dill may have a trendy sound, but they are everyday fare in Afghanistan.

Kebabs, an especially popular item in restaurants, are the centerpiece of Afghan cuisine. “We make kebabs with lean cubes of meat and exquisitely season them with yogurt and spices before threading them on skewers and charbroiling,” says K. Wali Shokoor, owner of Khyber Pass in Berkeley. As a result, the kebabs are mild, succulent and highly aromatic. A perky herb dip, a green salad and the earthy, oversized pita-like bread called nan generally accompany these kebabs.

The real jewel of Afghan food, however, is its vegetables. “We have a way with vegetables to make simple ones taste extraordinary,” says Mohammed Ashraf Karimi, owner of Bamiyan in Washington, D.C, the oldest Afghan restaurant in the United States (it opened in 1975). Afghan cuisine often combines vegetables with palate-stimulating toppings such as a small portion of flavored meat (a familiar East Asian technique) or highly seasoned dressings such as yogurt sauce (a Middle-Eastern way of enriching a dish) made with plain yogurt, minced garlic and salt.

Vegetables such as pumpkin, eggplant, cauliflower, okra and leeks thus are turned into scrumptious preparations. Kadu , for example, combines sweet pumpkin with spicy ground meat and a garlicky sauce. Similarly, Banjan borani-- an Afghan ratatouille of eggplant, tomatoes, hot chiles and coriander--is mellowed with a tart yogurt sauce.

“Basically, Afghan food is very delicate,” says Helen Saberi, a British woman who married into a traditional Afghan family and has written the most comprehensive book on its food and customs, “Noshe Djan: Afghan Food and Cookery” (Prospect Books, 1986). Chinese chives, she explains, are preferred over onions, and herbs--mint, dill, coriander and parsley--and citrus flavorings such as lemon and even bitter orange essence are used in place of spices.

This is evident in the delicate veal-sausage kebabs lola kebab , flavored with just a touch of ground coriander; the fragrant chive turnovers bolani gandana do not contain any spices at all. “We consider Afghan food non-spicy but scented,” says Saberi.

Afghan cuisine also relies upon contrasting sensations to stimulate the palate: cool against hot, mild against spicy. “Our customers are constantly amazed at the way Afghan food combines various components of flavor,” says Nassir Ahmad Bayat, chef/owner of Pamir Restaurant in New York City, explaining how piping-hot dumplings, pasta and vegetables, for example, are served with cool yogurt sauce and mellow kebabs and turnovers are paired with fiery condiments such as walnut-coriander dip.

Afghan cuisine is extraordinarily flavorful, hearty and robust. At best it can be described as comfort food, soothing and reassuring as an “easy-go-down,” in the words of M.F.K. Fisher. Riesling, Chardonnay, a malty beer or iced tea make excellent accompaniments.

BOLANI GANDANA

(Chinese Chive Turnovers)

From Pamir, New York City

3 cups chopped Chinese chives or leeks

Salt

1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon corn oil

8 egg roll skins, chilled

Plain yogurt, chilled

Combine chives with salt to taste, pepper, garlic and 2 tablespoons oil. Blend well.

Place egg roll skins, 1 at time, on work surface. Rub edges with water. Divide chive mixture into 8 portions and spoon 1 portion onto each skin. Fold skins to enclose filling and form triangles. Press to seal edges.

Heat remaining 1 cup oil in skillet to 375 degrees. Add turnovers few at time and cook, turning, 2 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Serve turnovers with yogurt. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Egg roll skins are available at Chinese markets.

LOLA KEBAB

(Afghan Veal or Lamb Sausage)

Adapted from “Noshe Djan: Afghan Food and Cookery” by Helen Saberi

1 pound ground lean veal or lamb

2 small onions, quartered

2 tablespoons yellow split peas

1/2 pound potatoes

1/2 green pepper, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced hot green chiles

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 egg

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Oil for deep frying

Chutni Gashnich

Boil meat, onions and split peas in 1/2 cup water, covered, until meat is tender and peas soften. Peel and boil potatoes separately until tender, then drain well.

Grind meat mixture together with potatoes, green pepper, chiles and garlic using food processor or mill. Add coriander and egg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well. If mixture looks too dry, stir in small amount of water.

Form mixture into 12 sausage-shaped kebabs, each about 4 inches long and 3/4-inch diameter.

Heat oil in skillet to 375 degrees. Deep-fry kebabs in hot oil about 4 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown on all sides. Serve with Chutni Gashnich. Makes 12 kebabs, 6 servings.

Chutni Gashnich

(Walnut-Cilantro Dip)

2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

4 cloves garlic

6 green chiles, seeded

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice or vinegar

Salt

Combine cilantro, walnuts, garlic, chiles, sugar and lemon juice in blender. Process until liquefied. Season to taste with salt. Transfer into covered jar and chill. Makes 2 cups.

AFGHAN KEBABS

From Khyber Pass,

Berkeley, Calif.

2 pounds lean boneless chicken breast meat

1 cup plain yogurt

3 tablespoons lemon juice

5 tablespoons light oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

Cut chicken into 3/4-inch pieces. Place yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, pepper and salt to taste in large bowl. Add poultry and toss well to coat with marinade. Cover and marinate at room temperature 2 hours or refrigerate up to 2 days.

Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking. Ignite charcoal in grill and burn until white ash covers coals and heat is moderate. Or, preheat broiler.

Thread meat on long, thin metal skewers. Place skewers on rack. Grill or broil, turning kebabs 3 times until meat is cooked to desired doneness (10 to 20 minutes).

Slide kebabs off skewers onto heated platter. Garnish with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Makes 6 servings.

Note: Lamb or beef may be substituted for chicken, if desired.