Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul (28 page)

In 2011 you stated you didn't feel it was wise to return to Afghanistan at that time. Is this still the case? Have you been able to return?

Afghanistan is a wonderful and very complicated country. In the last four years as the foreign presence has been decreasing, the climate of the country has been changing—but not always for the better. I have made the choice not to return to Kabul for a couple reasons. The obvious one is general safety and security; the other is very personal. I married and left an Afghan man, and am not one hundred per cent sure how that story would end if I tried to return to Kabul.

Do you keep in touch with the women you met in Kabul, and if so, did they help with your research for this new novel?

I do keep in touch with some of the women I met in Kabul. The one I talk to the most happens to be one of my first students,
and to date the bravest and most amazing woman I have ever met. We both fled Afghanistan at the same time, but she fled with her family to Pakistan, and struggled for seven years as a refugee in that country. But today I am happy to say that she and her family are living a wonderful life in the United States. The entire family—but especially her son Omer—was key to the research for the new novel.

In your opinion, has the role and treatment of women in Afghanistan changed for the better since you lived there?

That's a really tough question. I feel like women's rights in Afghanistan take three steps forward, and with a blink of an eye things regress and jump ten steps back. Thankfully girls' school attendance has surged in the last fourteen years, and more and more women are in the workplace, along with holding down positions in the government. Rula Ghani (the current first lady of Afghanistan) speaking out for gender equality and religious tolerance is setting a great example for young women. But you can't turn a blind eye to the news reports after things like the siege of the city of Kunduz. The Taliban went straight to terrorizing the women and girls, burning and looting women's organizations and making it clear that they will always be watching. This is a time of great uncertainty for Afghanistan, and not just for women, but for everyone.

A clear theme of the novel is clashing cultures and finding a place where you truly belong. This is a particular issue for Kat, Layla and Joe. But it is very true of Sunny too. Was it a struggle for you when you returned to America?

Yes, clashing of cultures is a very important theme in the book, along with showing tolerance for those who are different to us.
I feel it's important not to judge a book by its cover—or a girl by her head scarf.

I did struggle with reverse culture shock when I came back from Afghanistan. I would watch and listen to people complain about things and think to myself, “Wow, this is truly a first world problem.” I'd wonder how they would handle a real problem. When you see so much suffering and experience life with such strong people who have survived decades of war, you find yourself short on patience with the guy screaming in Starbucks over a mistake in his latte order.

I have adjusted in the last seven years, and moving to Mexico really made the difference for me. I don't think I am cut out to have a tidy, sanitized, non-chaotic life.

What made you pick an island in the Pacific Northwest of America as Sunny's new home? Did that region have a particular significance for you?

I was introduced to the Pacific Northwest (the Seattle area) because of my partner, Denis, and his family. Denis's father is a 92-year-old Japanese American who was in the internment camps. He made sushi while telling me stories. I instantly fell in love with this sweet, funny man and knew he had to be a part of Sunny's journey. The Seattle area fascinated me with its beauty and diversity. It seemed at every turn I was meeting someone who inspired yet another storyline, but it wasn't until I met the young Afghan woman who was my inspiration for Kat, and then took the ferry ride to the island used as the basis for the fictional Twimbly, that I knew this region had to be the next location for the new novel. The island was beautiful and the people were quirky. It seemed to be the perfect place for Sunny to sort her life out, but only if she could have her new best friend Joe nearby.

 

Why did you decide to kill off such a strong character as Jack before the novel starts?

That was a very difficult decision. Life is always easy when it's perfect, but I felt that more people would be able to relate to or learn from Sunny if she wasn't living with the perfect man in the perfect house, living the perfect life. We all suffer losses, and I find that for myself I grow more and become a stronger person when life tosses me upside down. When life is easy, I get lazy. Sunny has lost the love of her life, but she does much more than just survive.

Oasis Rescue is a project very close to your heart. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

I have always felt that all women need choices, no matter what their social or economic situation is. I often hear or read about young women around the world who feel they have no choice but to prostitute themselves to survive. I see predators who prey on young, poor women and take advantage of their poverty to force them to sell their bodies in order to feed their children. I can't imagine what that moment must feel like to a woman, to have to make that choice. Oasis Rescue offers scholarships to young people in the art of hairdressing. I am, and will always be, a hairdresser, and I know that offering this skill to a young boy or girl might just provide them the chance to make a choice about their own future.

Are you working on a new novel?

Yes! I can't say much yet, but I promise that it will bring together more incredible women dealing with personal and cultural challenges in locations far and wide.

Summon up the tastes and smells of Kabul with these delicious recipes, kindly supplied by Humaira Ghilzai from her inspiring cookery website.

Afghan nachos

Chickpeas, creamy Greek yogurt and crispy pita chips

This recipe was inspired by
Taste of Beirut
's
^*
fatteh
recipe, an ancient dish still quite popular in Lebanon. This layered dish with pita chips as the base, topped with aromatic chickpeas and creamy yogurt sauce, reminded me of nachos—it can be served as a hearty snack, an appetizer, or a meal if paired with a salad. Serve this dish in a communal platter, like nachos.

In a sauté pan over high heat add the olive oil; heat. Add green onions, sauté for two minutes or until translucent. Add chickpeas, cumin, and paprika to the pan. Stir frequently so the onions don't stick to the pan. Once the aroma of cumin fills the kitchen and the chickpeas are warmed through, around five minutes, take the pan off the burner. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, salt, and garlic.

Arrange the pita chips in beautiful serving platter or bowl—top with the chickpeas and the creamy yogurt sauce.

Recipe by Humaira Ghilzai from her Afghan food and culture blog
www.afghancultureunveiled.com
.

^*
www.tasteofbeirut.com

Creamy Afghan eggplant dip

Laghataq

This is the perfect dish to share or take to a potluck. You can make it several days in advance and I find that everyone loves it, including children.

This dish uses a good amount of olive oil; don't skimp on the oil as it adds flavor and creaminess to the dish.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius).

Pour two tablespoons of the olive oil on a cookie sheet (baking tray) and spread around with your fingers. Arrange the eggplant disks on the greased sheet. Place the chopped tomatoes and red pepper on top of the eggplant.

Add the following ingredients in a blender: garlic, tomato puree, tomato paste, remaining olive oil, cumin, coriander, and paprika.
Blend until all ingredients are mixed and the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce over the ingredients on the cookie sheet and make sure that it covers the eggplant. Spread the sauce with a spoon to ensure it is distributed evenly.

Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours in preheated oven. The baking time will vary with each oven. It is important to slow cook this dish in order for all the flavors of the ingredients to be absorbed by the eggplant. To test doneness, press the eggplant and the peppers with the back of a fork; if the fork sinks in easily, it is done.

Let the eggplant cool for ½ hour before throwing all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse three or four times, don't over-blend, make sure that you can see small chunks of the eggplant. Remove contents and place in deep serving dish. The dip can be served cold or at room temperature.

In a bowl, mix the yogurt, salt, and garlic powder until creamy. Pour the yogurt sauce on top of the dip. (For a dairy-free option, the dip can be served without the yogurt, but it is more delicious with the yogurt topping.) Serve with pita slices or pita chips.

Recipe by Humaira Ghilzai from her Afghan food and culture blog
www.afghancultureunveiled.com
.

Cardamom pudding with pistachios

Firnee

Firnee
is a sweet, cardamom-scented Afghan pudding that is usually reserved for holidays and special events.
Firnee
is paraded out at the end of the occasion with each hostess putting her own personal “stamp” on the dish—rosewater in one, nuts in another—giving each
firnee
its own unique flavor. My personal favorite is a
firnee
that is gently scented with cardamom and topped with chopped pistachios.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup of the milk to form a thin paste, stirring with a fork until smooth. Pour the remainder of the milk and the cream into a medium-size saucepan and cook over high heat until simmering but not yet boiling. Add the sugar and salt and stir for about a minute until the sugar dissolves. Next, add the cornstarch mixture in a steady stream, stirring all the while. Add the cardamom, almonds and coconut. Continue to cook, stirring continuously, for another 5 minutes at a low boil until the mixture thickens.

 

Pour the pudding into a shallow bowl. Immediately sprinkle the nuts over the top of the
firnee
. If you really love the taste of cardamom, stir an extra ¼ teaspoon of it into the nuts before you top the pudding.

Refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours. You can make the
firnee
a day ahead of time. Serve with fresh fruits when they are in season for a splash of color.

Recipe by Humaira Ghilzai from her Afghan food and culture blog
www.afghancultureunveiled.com
.

Afghan walnut, almond and pistachio fudge

Sheer payra

Since milk and sugar are at a premium in Afghanistan, this sweet is served at Eid holidays, weddings, baby births, and of course for very special guests.

Lightly butter a glass or metal pan, approximately 7 × 11 inches (18 × 28 centimetres) and 1 to 2 inches (2 ½ to 5 centimetres) deep.

Time is of essence in this recipe. For best results, have all your ingredients measured and accessible in your work area before you go to the next step.

Add the water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook the sugar and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar melts, around 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil, stir constantly for 2 minutes. A white foam will form on the syrup and it will thicken.

Remove pot from heat and move to your work area. Drizzle the dry powdered milk in the pot; as you stir, a creamy smooth
mixture will form. Add rosewater, cardamom, almonds and walnuts. Mix well, making sure the nuts are distributed evenly in the batter.

Pour the mixture into the pan, scraping all the mixture from the sides of the pan. It should spread out, but if it doesn't, use the back of a spatula to flatten it evenly. Sprinkle with pistachios and set to cool, approximately 1 to 2 hours.

Cut with a sharp knife in 2
×
2 inch (5
×
5 centimetre) squares. Serve with a cup of black tea or coffee. Store any leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Do not refrigerate, keep at room temperature.

Recipe by Humaira Ghilzai from her Afghan food and culture blog
www.afghancultureunveiled.com
.

Coffee and walnut layer cake

It wouldn't be right if I didn't give a nod to Seattle and its renowned coffee culture! Here is a wonderful coffee cake recipe by Nigella Lawson.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

Butter two 8 inch (20 centimetre) round cake pans (sandwich tins) and line the base of each with baking parchment.

Put the walnut pieces and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder.

 

Add the 8 ounces (225 grams) butter, flour, 4 teaspoons espresso powder, baking powder, soda and eggs and process to a smooth batter.

Add the milk, pouring it down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to loosen the cake mixture: it should be a soft, dropping consistency, so add more milk if you need to. (If you are making this by hand, bash the nuts to a rubbly powder with a rolling pin and mix with the dry ingredients; then cream the butter and sugar together, and beat in some dry ingredients and eggs alternately and, finally, the milk.)

Divide the mixture between the 2 lined tins and bake for 25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.

Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out onto the rack and peeling off the baking parchment.

When the sponges are cool, you can make the buttercream.

Pulse the sugar in the food processor until it is lump free, then add the butter and process to make a smooth icing.

Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water and add it while still hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into the buttercream. (If you are doing this by hand, sieve the sugar and beat it into the butter with a wooden spoon.)

Then beat in the hot coffee liquid.

 

Place 1 sponge upside down on your cake stand or serving plate.

Spread with about half the icing; then place on it the second sponge, right side up (i.e. so the 2 flat sides of the sponges meet in the middle) and cover the top with the remaining icing in a ramshackle swirly pattern.

This cake is all about old-fashioned, rustic charm, so don't worry unduly: however the frosting goes on is fine. Similarly, don't fret about some buttercream oozing out around the middle: that's what makes it look so inviting.

Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle about ½ inch (1 centimetre) apart.

From
KITCHEN
by
Nigella Lawson

Published by
Chatto & Windus

Reprinted by permission of The Random House Group Limited.