Aushak

About This Recipe

Aushak are Afghanistan's most celebrated dumplings — thin dough wrappers filled with chopped leeks and spring onions, boiled until silky, then layered with a spiced ground beef qorma and topped with garlicky mint-spiked yoghurt. Unlike Chinese dumplings, aushak are served open-style, stacked in layers with the toppings. The combination of delicate leek-filled pasta, savoury meat sauce and cool yoghurt is magnificent.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gplain flour
• 150 mlwarm water
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 300 gleeks and spring onions(finely chopped)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 400 gground beef
• 2 mediumtomatoes(chopped)
• 1 largeonion(finely chopped)
• 1 tspground coriander
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 300 mlplain yoghurt
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspdried mint

Instructions

1. 1

   Make dough

   Knead flour, water and salt into a smooth, elastic dough. Rest covered 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make filling

   Mix chopped leeks and spring onions with salt and black pepper. Squeeze out excess moisture.

3. 3

   Make meat sauce

   Fry onion until golden. Add ground beef, tomatoes, coriander, turmeric and salt. Cook 20 minutes until thick.

4. 4

   Shape and boil

   Roll dough thin. Cut into circles. Place filling in centre, fold and seal edges firmly. Boil in salted water 6–8 minutes until cooked.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Mix yoghurt with garlic and dried mint. Layer dumplings on a platter, spoon meat sauce over, then pour yoghurt on top. Dust with paprika and dried mint.

Variations

• •

  Replace leeks with pumpkin and onion filling for kaddo bourani.

• •

  Add a pinch of chilli to the meat sauce for heat.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Uncooked dumplings freeze well for 2 months. Sauces keep refrigerated for 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions