Aushak
“Herati / Western-Afghan leek dumplings — handmade wheat wrappers filled with chopped leek and green onion, boiled, then doused with garlic-yogurt sauce on the bottom, lamb-and-yellow-split-pea sauce on top, finished with dried mint and chili oil. Distinguished from Kabuli mantu by the leek filling (vegetarian-leaning).”
Where it comes from
Aushak is Herat's signature dumpling — distinct from Kabuli mantu by being VEGETABLE-filled (specifically leek/scallion) and topped with meat sauce on yogurt base. Herat is in western Afghanistan near the Iranian border, and Herati cuisine reflects Persian influences more than Pashtun. The leek filling reflects the abundance of leeks in the Hari River valley of Herat.
On the plate
Aushak is the lighter, vegetable-forward cousin to mantu. First bite: thin tender wrapper gives way to mildly-sweet, herbal leek filling — softer than meat, more delicate. Bottom layer of garlic yogurt provides cooling tang; meat-and-split-pea qorma adds heartiness without overpowering leeks; chili oil adds bright top notes. Dried mint is the canonical aromatic. Three ashak per person is a starter; six is a full meal.
How it works
Aushak's three-layer assembly is the technical centerpiece — yogurt base, dumpling middle, meat-sauce top. The leek filling cooks lightly during the boil — leeks retain their slight crunch and sweet allium aroma. Wrappers are wider and thinner than mantu's, allowing the leek filling to spread thinly. Boiling (rather than steaming as in mantu) gives ashak a slightly different texture — looser, more delicate.
Variations
Herati canonical (leek filling, with split-pea qorma); Kabul ashak adds scallions to the leek; modern Afghan-American versions sometimes use spinach (less authentic); vegetarian aushak omits meat qorma; Iranian 'aush' is a thicker soup form.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓80 min active · 70 min waiting
How it's made
8 steps · Show ↓- 142 min
Make dough: 400g flour + 1 tsp salt + 1 egg + 200ml warm water. Knead 10 min; rest 30 min.
- 214 min
Prepare leek filling: chop 4 large cleaned leeks finely. Sauté in 2 tbsp oil 6-8 min until softened. Add 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp pepper + 1 tsp Kashmiri chili + 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp turmeric. Mix in 2 cups chopped scallion + 1/4 cup cilantro. Cool.
- 350 min
Make qorma: soak 100g yellow split peas 2 hours; drain. Sauté 1 chopped onion in 3 tbsp oil 8 min. Add 250g ground lamb; brown 6 min. Add 4 garlic + 1 tsp coriander + 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp turmeric + 1 tsp paprika + 400g tomatoes + split peas + 200ml water + 1 tsp salt. Simmer 35 min.
- 44 min
Make garlic yogurt: whisk 500g Greek yogurt + 6 minced garlic + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp dried mint.
- 52 min
Make chili oil: heat 3 tbsp oil + 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder.
- 622 min
Roll wrappers paper-thin (1mm); cut into 9cm squares. Place 1 tbsp leek filling on center; pinch opposite corners together; seal completely.
- 77 min
Boil ashak in batches in salted water 5-7 min until they float and wrappers are translucent.
- 83 min
Assemble: spread garlic yogurt on a platter; arrange boiled ashak on yogurt. Spoon qorma over each. Drizzle chili oil. Garnish with crumbled dried mint + cilantro + chili flakes.
