Afghanistan

Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a mountainous and landlocked country in South-Central Asia at an important geopolitical location. It connects the Middle East with Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul and its official languages are Afghan Persian or Dari and Pashto.

The cuisine of Afghanistan is one of the least well-known throughout the world but offers rich, fragrant flavours for those who take the time to discover what the country has to offer. Here are some of the most popular dishes of Afghanistan that you can try for yourself. Ashak dumplings is an Afghan meal made with leek and chopped spring onions. This dish is generally served with minced lamb or beef. Tomato sauce and dried mint are also served with it to enhance its flavour. Bolani is the most popular street food snack of Afghanistan. It is essentially a flatbread that is stuffed with a variety of ingredients and then fried. It can be stuffed with mashed potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, meat or lentils. This light snack dish is traditionally prepared at home and is often presented as a side dish. Kabuli pulao, commonly known as the crown of Afghan cuisine, is a dish eaten by the upper-class families of Kabul. The word ‘Kabuli’ is taken from ‘Kabul’ which is the capital of Afghanistan. This traditional dish is prepared with steamed rice that is mixed with various dry fruits including raisins and almonds, caramelised carrots and a range of sweet spices. The steamed rice platter is served with large chunks of lamb meat. Afghanistan has an important geopolitical location with its art, culture, people, environment, geography and history.

Activity 1: Read the text and answer the questions: 

1. What is the capital of Afghanistan?

2. What type of dish is bolani in Afghanistan?

3. What is another popular dish in Afghanistan besides bolani?

4. What is ashak dumplings made with?

5. What are the official languages of Afghanistan?

6. What is the location of Afghanistan?

Activity 2. Match the words with the correct definitions:

1. subcontinent

2. cuisine

3. well-known

4. essentially

5. enhance

a. famous

b. in an essential manner; in essence

c. a large and distinctive landmass (as India or Greenland) that is a distinct part of some continent

d. improve something by adding features

e. a characteristic style of preparing food, often associated with a place of origin

Activity 3: Further reading - Go online and find interesting things about Afghanistan in order to answer these questions:

Trivia questions about Afghanistan: 

1. What is the largest city in Afghanistan?

2. What is the highest mountain in Afghanistan?

3. What is the climate like in Afghanistan?

4. What is the population of Afghanistan?

5. What is the traditional form of dance in Afghanistan?

6. What is the most popular sport in Afghanistan?

7. What is the currency of Afghanistan?

8. What is the traditional musical instrument of Afghanistan?

9. What is the favourite Afghan drink?

10. What is the oldest and largest institution of tertiary education in Afghanistan?