Mastawa

Mastawa, a classic Afghan winter dish combines chickpeas, short-grained rice, and salted, sun-dried mutton known as lahndi, all cooked in a fragrant broth flavored with onions, garlic, turmeric, coriander, and mint. Narenj, or bitter orange peel, and hot peppers are added near the end of the cooking process, making this sticky rice dish especially fragrant and spicy.

Mastawa can also be created with various forms of dried meat, such as Afghan gosht-e-qaqh, and the finishing touch is quroot, a sort of Afghan cheese formed from strained, salted, and dried yogurt - the one component for which no substitute exists. Since the orange peel added during cooking gives it a lovely fragrant aroma. It is a real hearty meal, perfect for those chilly winter evenings.