Afghan Maash Wa Berenj (Mung Bean and Rice with Lamb)

About This Recipe

Afghan Maash Wa Berenj is a real, traditional Afghan dish, known as Mung Bean and Rice with Lamb. Rice cooked together with tender mung beans and spiced lamb, a hearty, protein-rich one-pot Afghan meal.\n\nMaash wa berenj reflects Afghanistan's tradition of combining legumes with rice for a filling, nutritionally balanced meal, historically valued for stretching a modest amount of meat across a larger, satisfying dish.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Afghan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 600 glamb shoulder(cubed)
• 4 tbspneutral oil
• 1yellow onion(diced)
• 150 gmung beans(soaked for 2 hours)
• 3 cupslong-grain rice(rinsed and soaked)
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspground coriander
• 4.5 cupswater or stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb cubes with onion until deeply colored, about 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Add mung beans

   Add the soaked mung beans, turmeric and coriander, along with enough water to cover. Simmer for 30 minutes until the beans and lamb are nearly tender.

3. 3

   Add rice

   Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot along with the remaining water or stock.

4. 4

   Cook covered

   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.

5. 5

   Rest

   Let rest off heat for 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve

   Fluff gently with a fork, season with salt, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  Use beef instead of lamb for a different traditional protein.

• •

  Some households add raisins for a touch of sweetness.

• •

  A vegetarian version skips the lamb, relying on the mung beans for protein.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions