Afghani breakfast has so many delicious food items. Most of its delicacies are influenced by the cultural cuisine of India, Persia, and the Far East. Afghan cuisine proves that the combination of different food cultures results in a heavenly treat.
There are some delicious and healthy Afghan breakfast dishes that are not only popular in the country but also in other parts of the world.
What Is Special About Afghani Breakfast?
The Afghan breakfast is light yet very satisfying. It mostly includes cardamom, nuts, and a combination of Afghan spices. The sweet dishes are graced with rose water and sugary syrup.
Bread or Naan is another essential part of Afghani breakfast. It is served along with other dishes. Most commonly, it is enjoyed alone, stuffed, or with curries, chicken, and other dishes.
The recipes and ingredients of Afghani breakfast make them a perfect and mouth-melting treat for everyone. The different native spices give a flavorful touch to their morning meals.
Best Afghani Breakfast
Kala Pacha (Sheep Or Meat Offal)
Kala Pacha is considered the best breakfast in Afghanistan – as it offers the authentic taste of traditional local cuisine. This delicious food originates in Afghanistan but is also popular in many nearby countries. The people of Iran and Iraq are especially fond of kala pacha.
This interesting Afghan food is made from the head and foot of lamb or cow. It is seasoned with Afghan spices, poured into the bowl, and served as a soup or broth.
You can try this rich and thick Afghani breakfast from any local restaurant. The natives often eat it along with flatbread or naan. Although many Afghan breakfasts are light, Kala Pacha is considered a heavy and tasty dish to start your day.
Afghani Breakfast – Bread
Bolani (Stuffed Flatbread)
Bolani is a delicious Afghan breakfast that is normally served as a side dish or a snack with green tea. Some locals also like to have it with dough, a traditional Afghan yogurt drink.
The delicacy is a thin flatbread stuffed with a variety of ingredients. It is usually filled with potatoes, cilantro, onion, and green pepper. The added onion gives an exceptionally sweet flavor to it.
This delicious Afghan bread is served with spicy green chutney. It has a golden brown color and a crispy texture. This light snack is especially famous in Kabul and Jalalabad.
Naan-e-Roghani (Flatbread)
Naan-e-Roghani is another popular Afghanistan breakfast item that originated in the country. It is a traditional Afghan bread similar to naan. The bread is also quite popular in other Asian countries such as Pakistan.
The dough is soft and fluffy like a pillow. It is made from a mixture of flour, oil, sugar, yeast, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, salt, and milk. The spices make it savory and satisfying.
You can enjoy this versatile Afghani breakfast in several ways. The locals traditionally eat it with their national drink “green tea”. Its crispy texture also makes a heavenly match with curry, chicken, or other dishes.
Afghan Rote (Sweet Afghan Bread)
Afghan rote is a sweet Afghan bread that is commonly served for breakfast. This bread is a favorite pick-up of locals when they crave a light snack in the morning. They usually enjoy it with sweet and warm cardamom tea.
This Afghani breakfast food is also sometimes served after a meal as a dessert. It tastes sweet with poppy and black caraway seeds on the top. A fork is used to make holes all over it to give it a unique appearance.
This crispy Afghan delicacy will make your morning meal even more delicious. You can easily grab one from any local restaurant or street food market.
Afghan Breakfast – Sweet Dishes
Sheer Khurma (Rice Pudding)
For a sweet breakfast in Afghanistan, this is a real treat. Sheer Khurma is an Afghan dessert that is sometimes also enjoyed in the morning. It is a traditional practice of Afghans to start their new year with the sugary notes of Sheer Khurma.
This Afghanistan breakfast is a rice pudding dish with milk, vermicelli, sugar, and dates. It is garnished with nuts and can be enjoyed both warm and cold. The nutty flavors of pistachios, cashews, almonds, and coconut add their delightful taste to this dish.
The Afghani breakfast has a sweet richness with a soft texture. Every bite feels creamy over the palate. The nuts also give it a slightly crunchy character.
Shir Berenj (Rice Pudding)
Shir Berenj is another sweet and luscious Afghan breakfast and brunch. It is a rice pudding dish made with rice and whole milk. This delicious breakfast dish is also a healthy source of nutrients.
The sweet taste of this traditional Afghan dessert comes from the added syrup and sugar, while the nuts and raisins give it another layer of texture. The spicy aromatic notes of cardamom with the subtle floral flavor of rose water make it more tempting.
You can enjoy the bursting flavors of this Afghanistan breakfast both cold and warm. A warm bowl of this creamy and smooth dish is perfect for chilly winter mornings.
Haft Mewa (Fruit Cocktail)
Haft Meva is a very flavourful fruit cocktail from Afghanistan. It is a healthy and delicious choice for a morning meal. The Afghan breakfast is often served as a sweet dish at festive events as well.
This fruit cocktail features a variety of fresh and dry fruits. It is traditionally made with seven different types of fruits. However, you can include as much variety as you want when preparing it at home.
Some common inclusions are green and red raisins, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, dried apricot, and oleaster berries. All the fruits are soaked in sweetened rose water and served in a bowl.
Other Popular Afghan Breakfast
Tokhme Banjanromi (Afghan Omelet)
Tokhme Banjanromi is a typical egg-based breakfast in Afghanistan. The dish is enjoyed with the traditional Afghan bread “Naan”. There is nothing more amazing than crispy, hot naan with spicy and mouth-melting egg.
Egg is mixed with chili powder, oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, and peppers to create a flavorful mixture. It is then cooked in a sauce made with a bunch of strong-tasting spices. It is topped with coriander, black pepper, and chili powder.
Each bite is a burst of flavor that features several Afghan spices. You can easily find this dish in many local restaurants in Afghanistan.
Mantu (Meat Dumpling)
Mantu is a meat-based Afghani breakfast loved by everyone. It is also a popular meal for gatherings and celebrations. This dish is a kind of dumpling stuffed with beef or lamb.
The minced meat is mixed with onions and spices before being steamed. Then the mixture is packed in tender wonton wrappers and topped with an Afghani thick creamy strained yogurt sauce. The sauce gives the dish a unique taste.
This savory and warming Afghanistan breakfast is good to enjoy with morning tea. You can try it from any restaurant across the country. It is also commonly found at local Afghan markets and street vendors.
Drinks For Breakfast In Afghanistan
Tea (Afghan National Drink)
Tea is one of the most essential parts of Afghanistan’s breakfast. It is usually enjoyed in the morning as a perk-me-up but also enjoyed throughout the day. In Afghanistan, people show their love and hospitality to their guests by serving their traditional tea.
Some places add cardamom for a pleasing fragrance and unique taste to the tea. It feels so soothing and refreshing. In addition to being so flavourful, Afghan tea is also healthy.
Afghani Sheer Chai is another variant of tea that originated from the Kashmiri chai. The only difference is that it is made with a common type of green or black tea leaves. This Afghan breakfast drink has a creamy and thick texture with the flavoring and aroma of cardamom.
Discovering The Best Breakfast In Afghanistan
Afghanistan breakfast usually includes eggs and bread. Most of their breakfast meals feature snacks and sweet pastries. They can vary from light and soothing to heavy and energizing.
Bread is also a common breakfast item for Afghanies, and is typically enjoyed with tea. In fact, the combination of warm tea with any food makes Afghan breakfasts simply amazing.
To enjoy the authentic taste of Afghan cuisine, be sure to check out both local restaurants and street food vendors.