Afghan Vegetarian Plate: Sabzi, Badenjan, and Aushak

(L to R: Sabzi, Aushak, Badenjan)

For the past few weeks since JJ and I went to Samira for dinner, we've been craving it. You can get a description of our dinners right here: Samira Restaurant Review.
I decided to make a vegetarian combo plate of what we both had, sabzi and badenjan from my dish, and vegetarian aushak from his.
The sabzi is a spicy, fresh spinach with lots of spice and flavor. It's very earthy and fresh tasting. I mixed up a spice blend from what I could remember, it seemed pretty authentic.
For the badenjan, I was more focused on the tomato sauce that covered it. The eggplant was peeled in stripes and roasted and covered with the sauce.
When my sister was in Morocco in April, she picked up a Moroccan spice blend for me, it smells like it has some kind of combination of cumin, corriander, cinnamon, ginger, anise, cardamom and paprika, so that is how I wrote the recipe.
For the aushak, I again went with what I could remember. I made a pasta dough and cut it, filled it with sauteed leeks and yogurt, and steamed it. I also served this with the tomato sauce.
This dinner tasted very similar to Samira, though I'd rather go back there and have it because this dinner was a lot of work, and resulted in using 6 pots/pans!

Sabzi

1 lb. fresh baby spinach, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 large white onion, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. corriander

1/2 tsp. dill

salt and pepper

1/4 c. vegetable stock

Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. EVOO, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Cook for about 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are slightly browned and softened.

Add spinach, paprika, corriander, dill and stock.

Cook until spinach is wilted and moisture has cooked off, about 5-10 minutes.

Badenjan and Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 eggplant, peeled in stripes and sliced

salt and pepper

1 tbsp. EVOO

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 large yellow onion, minced

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp. Moroccan spices

1 tsp. cumin (extra from mixture)

salt and pepper

1/4 c. plain yogurt

Chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a small pot over medium heat.

Add 1 tbsp. EVOO, garlic, onion and red pepper flakes.

Saute' for about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and spices.

Bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.

Place eggplant in a casserole dish, drizzle with EVOO, salt and pepper.

Top with 1/3 of the tomato sauce, bake for 30 minutes, or until tender.

Plate and top with more sauce, yogurt and cilantro.

Aushak

3/4 c. flour
1 egg
1-3 tbsp. water
1 leek, sliced and soaked
1/4 large yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 c. plain yogurt


In a bowl, mix together flour and egg.
Form into a dough, add water if necessary.
Run through a pasta roller and cut into 3" squares.
In a saute' pan, head 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium heat.
Add leeks, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Saute' for 10 minutes, or until leeks are soft.
Remove from the heat, pour into a dish, add dill, cumin and yogurt.
Spoon into the center of pasta sheets, pinch sides together.
Steam for 6 minutes.
Serve with tomato sauce and extra yogurt, if preferred.