Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen

by Durkhanai Ayubi

Winner of the Art of Eating Prize for best food book of the year 2021

Winner of The Guild of Food Writers award for best international cookbook 2021

Shortlisted for Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Award

Authentic Afghan recipes interwoven with family narratives and stunning photography

Parwana tells one family’s story of a region long afflicted by war, but with much more at its heart. Author Durkhanai Ayubi’s parents, Zelmai and Farida Ayubi, fled Afghanistan with their young family in 1987, at the height of the Cold War. When their family-run restaurant Parwana opened its doors in Adelaide, Australia in 2009, their vision was to share an authentic piece of the Afghanistan the family had left behind—a country rich in culture, family memories infused with Afghanistan’s traditions of generosity and hospitality.

These recipes have been in the family for generations and include rice dishes, curries, meats, dumplings, Afghan pastas, sweets, drinks, chutneys and pickles, soups and breads. Some are celebratory special dishes while most are day to day dishes. Each has a story to tell.

With beautiful food and location photography, this compilation offers valuable insights into the origins and heritage of Afghan cuisine and a fresh perspective to one of the oldest civilizations.

• Authentic recipes from an Afghan kitchen.

• Inspiration and ideas for special and everyday dishes, combined with stories about the ritual and significance of Afghan ingredients and recipes.

• A vivid and enriching story about how food connects people and communities, showing how food anchors us to our ancestry and can also be a bridge that connects us to people with very different experiences of life.

• With more than 65 million refugees, asylum seekers or displaced people worldwide, there is a poignant universality in this story, regardless of where in the world the story starts and ends.

• Approximately 100 recipes that have been in the family for generations, especially adapted for the home cook.

• Breathtakingly beautiful food photography and family photos.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, History, Reference, Memoir

255 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Eila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't been this excited to review a cookbook in ages, and 'Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen' has not only exceeded my expectations, it has taken me on an emotional journey that I completely wasn't expecting. If you read no further, do this: buy the book. Then buy it for any food-lover in your life.

I'm an experienced, resourceful cook - I grew up under an oppressive regime which meant everything had to be made from scratch (the only thing we didn't do was mill our own flour) and my household has several food allergies to contend with; add to that a love for learning about the diverse foodways in our world, and at current count I have just over 300 cookbooks to my name (and counting). Which is to say: I love food, I love cooking, and I love cookbooks; I've also seen every style, from recipes-only to 98% memoir. I'll admit I can be jaded and skip through to the actual cooking, but I always at least skim the intro and some of the author's asides. With this book, I'm so glad I did. I started skimming the intro; stopped, got myself a cup of coffee, and settled in to read. Durkhanai Ayubi then took me on a journey that was both incredibly educational and touching, weaving together the history of Afghanistan with that of her own family and their journey through time. My family were also political refugees, though never in the overt and direct danger that Ayubi's were, and we also left 'home' in the 80s; her family's journey brought up memories I hadn't connected with in ages, but you needn't have had the 'refugee experience' to understand the heartbreak and fear that surround leaving a place you love.

All of that is to say: this is so much more than a cookbook. You can, of course, buy it just for the recipes, but if you have a moment, please take the time to read it through.

Regarding the recipes, standouts at dinner have been: Sabzi (spinach/lamb curry) - tender, comforting, super delicious; Kebabeh Degee Morgh (chicken kebab in a tomato sauce) - gently spiced, super juicy, and disappeared before I could save some for leftovers; and Shorwa (broth with veggies) - exactly what we wanted on a cold day.

There is a photo for every recipe, and the recipes are written clearly and reassuringly. Some of the curry recipes recommend a pressure cooker - while the description makes it clear this is the stovetop version, I've used the same timings with my InstantPot to perfect effect. (If you wish to do the same, keep in mind that the PSI of the InstantPot is lower than a conventional stovetop pressure cooker; you may need to add a few minutes to cooking times if things aren't perfectly tender the first time 'round, but I haven't had this issue.)

All in all, a beautiful book, beautifully written, with beautiful food. A must have.

Advance reader copy kindly provided by Murdoch Books.

I'm still waiting for Afghan food to have its 'moment', so more people realise just how gorgeous and comforting it is - for the uninitiated (though it does the complex subtleties of Afghan food no justice) think an intersection of north Indian/Kashmiri and Persian - gentle spicing, gorgeous rice, dried nuts/fruit, curries/stews, grilled skewers of deliciousness, pillowy breads.

[Yasaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this for my mom for Mother's Day, and gave it a quick read myself to check it out. No idea if she'll approve of all the author's choices in the recipes or if she'll have many quarrels with them, but I figure either way, she'll have fun!

This cookbook includes some Afghan history, most of which I skimmed on account of a) I've taken these classes already and b) I am Afghan, I know most of this stuff already. For those who don't know much about Afghan history though, the history parts provide some good context.

It was interesting reading the recipes and seeing where they diverged from my own family's takes on the same dishes. Some of the differences speak mainly of convenience/time: like, my mom is not making the dough for mantu and bolani from scratch, and she is definitely not making the noodles for aush from scratch either, ain't nobody got time for that. (For the record, the premade wonton wrappers available at most groceries are a perfectly cromulent substitute for making your own mantu dough from scratch, and in a pinch, uncooked tortillas make for decent bolani. Substitute whatever premade noodles you want for aush: even Top Ramen will do if needs must, though the best substitute that should be easily available in most American groceries is udon. Fettucine is fine too.)

I also appreciated getting some more context for these dishes I've grown up eating, and how they connect to the land of Afghanistan itself. Living in exile/diaspora, there are so many little things that get lost, and I loved this cookbook for illuminating and returning some of those things.

Finally, as a physical object, the book is lovely: great photos and vibrant colors. One touch I especially loved was the handwritten Persian names of the dishes, that really just deepened the sense of home that the book gave me.

[Janine Ballard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s unusual to find a traditionally published Afghan cookbook at all, much less one with such gorgeous design and recipe photographs. I was excited to get it and while some ingredients can’t be found in the local grocery store, that’s only to be expected from an authentic book of recipes from a remote region.

Some recipes are long and complicated. Not having made them, I can’t say how they taste, but they look delicious.

If I have a complaint, it is that as a vegan, I had hoped for more vegan/vegetarian recipes or ones easily adaptable to my way of eating, with only a few substitutions. There aren’t as many as I’d hoped for and I can’t say how much of that is due the cuisine itself and how much to the selection. A lovely cookbook for omnivores, though. B.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sure the recipes are wonderful but the tiny and light colored italicized font of the recipes - make them so much work to read!

[Abby]

I know it looks like I'm just here to boost my page counts, but hear me out: Reading cookbooks is the best. There is a recent proliferation of ethnic and regional recipe collections, often mixed, as here, with some personal stories and cultural notes about food traditions as well as incredibly beautiful photography. This book has a lot of text, including the most lovely and remarkable brief history of central Asia, and the writing is great.

There is no such thing as exclusive authority when it comes to cooking, and I love the acknowledgement of wishy-washiness that comes along with the firm measurements. Some families do it this way, and others do it that way. Some regions like it hot and some like it cold. Authenticity is a practical thing, embedded in making something with whatever you happen to have around, and adjusting it with confidence when the situation changes. In so many ways, you can't just tell someone how to make the food you grew up with, because it comes with a set of utensils, manners, expectations, not to mention an entire society set up to provide for you in a particular way. It's interesting to read cookbooks like this, which try to deal with the realities of culture and the necessity and impossibility of sharing it with each other.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful and fascinating cookbook. One part family history, one part the history of Afghanistan, and one part wonderful looking recipes, this is a rare find.

A must add to any collection looking for authentic cuisine from the region or to have an international collection.

I received a copy from Edelweiss+. All opinions are my own.

[Sonja Lawrance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more than a recipe book, this tells the story of a nation and a family interspersed with recipes and their meanings. I’ve been wanting to eat at Parwana for so long, hopefully I get to go soon!

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Beautiful book even when the recipe order is weird. The chapters are organized as part of a story (I never read those stories in cookbooks, but if you do you might find this one interesting because it appears to be very personal). The recipes look promising, and I rank based on that. I’ll update as soon as I start trying them.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Durkhanai talk this evening at the Hallet Cove Civic Centre. I have also eaten at the family restaurant many times.... so I’m kinda biased.

What an inspiration she is. Her book is so cleverly put together with her family right in the centre. The book is not only an art piece but it’s so practical with its amazing and colourful recipes. Ok my family will be eating from this book now for months! Thanks so much.

... so happy the eggplant recipe was included.

[RinTinTin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The food photography is absolutely beautiful and there’s a great range of recipes. The few I’ve tried thus far have been excellent and I’m looking forward to exploring more.

[cailleach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Durkhanai chats away about her family's homeland in Iran. She tells her history of how her family had to from Iran with the fall of the Shah into Peshwar and later onto to Australia where Durkhanai eventually sets up the Parwana restaurant in Adelaide. The recipes aren't traditionally subsectioned into breakfast/dinners or starters /mains but into chapters such as "Before Parwana " which has recipes for celebrations and are interspersed with the narrative. It makes this more than just a book of recipes, presenting them in historical, political and intimate family contexts. The food is colourful and fresh using simple spicing verging on Indian and Pakistani spicing but a bit milder and less fussy. There are lots of recipes that use lamb and many kebab recipes that are a variation on a theme. My biggest surprise was that many of meat kebabs and meatballs also have a dahl style sauce made from split peas which makes them a bit heartier and healthy and also enable less meat to be used. The recipes for the flat bread to wrap the kebabs in are also given. I really like the recipe for classic Persian rice, Challaw, as the method is different to the one I usually use when cooking rice as you coat the rice in oil before steaming.. It produces lovely results that complement the main dishes. There is also plenty for vegetarians such as Banjaan Burani, an aubergine and tomato dish as well as variations of the challaw/pullaw using nuts, dried fruits and vegetables. There are also Persian sweets and pudddings for those with a sweet tooth. The recipes are mostly quite heart warming, comfort type food. Really interesting.

[Lisa Jorge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is delicious. The food, the pictures and the stories. All simply delicious!
My favourite recipe so far has been the breakfast eggs TOKHME BANJANROMI which we had for a family lunch with sourdough bread (in absence of the traditional naan) and everyone devoured it and asked for more.

I'm really excited to make my way through the kebab and rice recipes too, but this book is so much more than just recipes. The story of this family is heartwarming, and I felt honoured to be invited in to share their journey. Interspersed with the recipes it gave the feeling of listening to their life stories around a feast at a party.
It is too easy as a British person in the 21st century to hear of Afghanistan and imagine only a war zone. This book brings to life the real people, normal families, and happy childhood memories that have existed here for generations. As well as giving an insight into the political situation, and the sudden terror and displacement that was thrust upon them, there was a strong undercurrent of hope. The way that food and their cooking traditions helped the family retain their identity is inspirational, and has given me a much deeper appreciation for these recipes and their importance.
In summary, this is a great cook book, but an even better story. And the excellent photography is the icing on the cake!

* * * many thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review * * *

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting and useful cookbook! It is so much more than recipes.. with the history, a refugee family's personal story and the context for the food, it gives you a sense of the rich culture Afghanistan has. The food has an interesting mix of influences from all the cultures around them that mixed through travel along the Silk Road and various groups ruling at different times in history.

As a group of us prepared to welcome an Afghan refugee family, I found this to be excellent preparation. I also practiced some recipes and when they arrived at their new home, hungry from a long journey from the US military base, I had the Reshta Palaw and Qormeh Kachaloo prepared for them. They were so pleased to have familiar food to eat. The whole family scarfed up huge plates of the food. I've always wanted to find the secret to making more interesting rice from the Middle East and the instructions are very clear here. If you are part of a group helping to settle Afghan refugees, even if you aren't interested in cooking the food, I highly recommend this book.

[Carolyn Kost · Rating 3 out of 5]

One huge problem with this book: the typeface.
How could the publisher allow this to happen? All fractions--MIGHTILY important in cookbooks-- are difficult to read. 3/4 and 1/4 are nearly indistinguishable. I do not need reading glasses normally, but I found myself in need of a magnifying glass for the recipes. Isn't that the telos of a cookbook?

I checked this book out of the public library for a recipe for bolani, which I missed from California. This recipe called for yeast and made for a very bready bolani, more like a calzone, which is not what I wanted. Other recipes for bolani online called for baking powder and baking soda as leavening or none at all.

Many of the recipes I shall be tasting for the first time. Afghan restaurants tend to have rather limited menus as kebab houses. There is so much more culinarily to the region than most Americans will know. It's an adventure.

Aside from the recipe issue, the history of the region and the Silk Road was excellent and personal histories were interesting to read.

[Aleksandar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book that dives deep into the history and culture of a country torn apart by various tragedies, but one that comes back up beautifully after every fall. I bought this expecting to learn more about the Afghan cuisine, but unexpectedly got so much more - an emotional journey I would say.

This cookbook is not just a collection of recipes; it's a captivating and valuable exploration. Beyond the culinary instructions, it unfolds a tapestry of history, sharing the personal journey of a refugee family and providing a contextual backdrop for the diverse range of dishes. Through this lens, one gains a profound appreciation for the vibrant cultural background of Afghanistan. The cuisine, shaped by a fascinating amalgamation of influences from neighboring cultures, reflects the intricate interplay of diverse elements along the Silk Road and the impact of various ruling groups throughout history.

The perfect cookbook to pass around and spread the word about this lovely country.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parwana is a part history and part recipe book of Afghanistain.

There are lots of recipes to choose from: lamb & chicken kebabs, breads, sambosas, soups, sweet dishes, vegetarian and drinks.

The recipe measurements are in both imperial and metric - though doesn't have gas marks for the oven, alongside easy to follow instructions and some of the recipes have extra photographs to show some of the steps taken. The colour photography throughout the book is great. Each recipe also includes an introduction which adds interest to the dish.

Pressure cooking is common throughout this book but if you don't have one it does generally provide details on how to do it in a saucepan.

There are a number of dishes I'd certainly like to try such as Morgh Lawang (Chicken kebab dish) made with a creamy yoghurt - sounds delicious.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first cookbook in my newly begun collection of cookbooks from around the world. This book is gorgeous, and the recipes are really easy to follow. Some of the ingredients are a bit mystifying for someone who is unfamiliar with the cuisine - I had to look up "Russian olives" on the internet, for example (they are called "oleasters" more commonly in the US, and I found them at a Middle Eastern market labelled "senjed"). I have made a handful of the dishes, and they all turned out great! I can't wait to make more of them.

The author provides plenty of Afghan history and context for the recipes, which I always appreciate. She chronicles her own family's journey from Afghanistan to opening their restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, and includes some personal family photos. It's a lovely memoir, and history lesson, and a really good cookbook all rolled into one. Highly recommend!

[Asema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parwana was one of the first cookbooks I’ve ever read, and I loved it. I was so excited when I got my hands on this book and it was beyond my expectations. I was hooked on it for days. So far I tried some of the desserts like jelabi and halva and they turned out amazing. It contains so many classic Afghan recipes.

This book is written so beautifully, and I really enjoyed reading it. I am looking forward to try new recipes from this cookbook.

In the book it mentions that “this book not only contains not only recipes, but also the history and energies that lie behind them”.

If you are looking for a cookbook with authentic Afghan recipes, then this book is definitely for you.

I recommend reading all the pages and paragraphs to know what lies behind these recipes. It’s such a well written and colourful book.

This book is for all food lovers!

[Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Finding sanctuary gave us the means necessary to dream again, but these dreams were deeply attached to the mourning of all that had been lost ... On lands far from our ancestral home, the profundity of remembering through food would bind us."

I read a lot of cookbooks and never usually add them to Goodreads, but this one felt different.

Parwana is a restaurant in Australia run by a refugee family from Afghanistan. The book is beautifully put together and a visual feast to leaf through. But it's more than a cookbook - it tells the history of Afghanistan, the personal history of the author's family, and how they use food to keep the memory of their country alive from overseas.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure at all what to expect when I started reading Parwana, but I am so happy I got the chance to read it! It's just the sort of cookbook that I love - a blend of history, personal information and recipes I want to try. The images are lovely, and the recipes were fascinating. I hadn't realised before how much of an influence Indian cooking had on Afghani traditional recipes. There's also a lot that reminds me of Middle Eastern cooking.

I read the digital copy and then went straight online to order a physical copy. I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I've ever read. The images to go along with the recipes are phenomenal. Along with that, it also weaves in the story of the Parwana restaurant and Ayubi's family and their journey in Aghanistan and also as immigrants. It's not just a cookbook with amazing looking recipes, it's also a history lesson and a story of family. I can't wait to try many of the recipes - including a tea that starts out as green tea but turns red! Can't wait to look up the chemistry behind that.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part history(Afghanistan as a country and Durkhani's family) and part culinary history and recipes of mouthwatering Afghan dishes like I've never seen before. The local library had a very long list for this book and finally I bought ,t own and so happy I did so ! I did so I can specially for #rinydaybitescookbookclub held by amazing Deborah of Feedfeed and now I can cook anytime whenever I want to brighten up my mood(writing this while seeing strange west Pennsylvania snow weather out y window) !!

[Mary Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The recipes look great, I liked all the colour photos. I found the ARC book a bit difficult to navigate and there was some overlapping of text over pictures but I think this is more a critic of the pdf viewer than the actual book. The historic content was interesting.

I think I'd need to buy the hardcopy to really appreciate the scope and beauty of this book., I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mary Amper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up an Afghan cookbook by chance and learned a lot. It’s heavy on the history, but that’s a good thing. Most of my knowledge of Afghanistan was tied to American war, and reading about the recipes and the experiences of the author’s family really opened my eyes. Got inspired to order Afghan food one day, loved the borani, and ended making my own braised eggplant with yogurt the other night. It’s a beautiful book, worth the introduction to Afghan cooking.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a country: Afghanistan trough the words of a family who tries to protect the recipes and the story of their past.
Well explained with a photo for every dish.

La storia di un paese: l'Afghanistan, attraverso le parole di una famiglia che cerca di proteggere le ricette e le storie del loro passato.
Ben spiegato e con una foto per ogni piatto.

THANKS EDELWEISS FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Gabi Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose four recipes from this book to make a Shabbat meal for my family. These are not quick or simple recipes! But, the hours of cooking were totally worth it— every single one of the recipes came out really well. We especially loved the sambosas. Photography is beautiful, recipes are well-written and accompanying stories are interesting.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating based only on reading experience and not on quality of recipes. I didn't cook any and don't plan to, mostly because the choice of typeface is terrible -- tiny, not contrasted enough from the page background, and in an odd font for a cookbook.

It deserves some stars, though, because it's clear a lot of love went into this book.

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes are interesting, containing ingredients that are largely available and relatively easy to prepare. What stands out first and foremost is the exquisite photography which is both elegant and with a high storytelling potential. One of the best food photography I´ve encountered in a very long time.

[KL · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book filled with love. I heard about this from conversations with Richard Fidler. The photography is divine, and the recipes so enticing. My only complaint is that I was a bit lost in all the history which was so interesting, however the font was so small it was hard to hold my attention. I can’t wait to visit Parwana restaurant in Adelaide!!

[Susan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's unusual to find a cookbook which is achingly beautiful while also being heartbreaking and mouthwatering at the same time. Durkhanai Ayubi shares the story and journey of her family and opens the doors to her parents' kitchen and restaurant. This is a cultural as well as a food journey and diaspora, as well as a truly amazing experience.