A hearty soup brimming with hand-pulled noodles, kidney beans, chickpeas, and fresh herbs, crowned with tangy yogurt and fragrant dried mint. This beloved Afghan comfort dish is a complete meal in a single warming bowl.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water for dough
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained
200g ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh dill
1 cup yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp dried mint
6 cups water
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1Make a firm dough from flour, water, and a pinch of salt. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth. Rest covered for 20 minutes.
2Roll dough thin and cut into 5mm wide noodles by hand. Toss with a little flour to prevent sticking.
3Brown ground beef with diced onion in a large pot. Add tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the paste darkens.
4Add 6 cups of water, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes to build flavor in the broth.
5Drop hand-cut noodles into the simmering broth. Cook for 8-10 minutes until noodles are tender. Add spinach, cilantro, and dill in the last 2 minutes.
6Mix yogurt with minced garlic and salt. Ladle soup into bowls, top with garlic yogurt, and sprinkle generously with dried mint. Drizzle with a little oil.
Did You Know?
In Afghanistan, aush is traditionally served at charity events and Nowruz celebrations — large pots feed entire neighborhoods as an act of communal generosity.