Afghan flatbread filled with sweet potato & leek, served with a coriander chutney
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Resting time for dough30 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, lunch, Accompaniment
Cuisine: Middle-Eastern, Afghan
Keyword: vegetarian, vegan
Servings: 4(to 6)
Author: Mersedeh Prewer
Ingredients
Coriander Chutney
1bunchfresh coriander(about 100 grams)
3clovesgarlic(crushed or minced)
The green ends of 4 spring onions
1to 2green chilli peppers
1/3cupwalnuts
1/2cupapple cider vinegar
1tbspolive oil
1/2tbspsugar
1tspsalt
1/2tsppepper
Bolani Filling
2mediumsweet potatoes(peeled and chopped into medium sized chunks)
3tbspvegetable oil
2mediumleeks(quartered and sliced)
3clovesgarlic(crushed or minced)
1tspturmeric
1tspground coriander
1/2tspdried red chilli flakes
1/4tspcinnamon
Juice of 1 lime
3tbspchopped fresh coriander
Salt and Pepper(to taste)
Bolani Dough
200gplain flour
100gatta (chapati flour)(you can use wholemeal flour instead)
1/2tspsalt
1tbspvegetable oil(plus extra to fry the Bolani)
180mlwater
Instructions
Coriander Chutney
Make the chutney ahead (minimum 2 hrs before eating) to let the flavours settle.
Add coriander, garlic, walnuts, chillies and scallion ends to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add the vinegar and pulse a few more times - the chutney should have a coarsely chopped appearance. Add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour chutney into a sterilised jar with a lid. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Any left over chutney keeps for 2 months in the fridge and can be used for other dishes including grilled meats, roast vegetables or curries.
Bolani Filling
Steam or boil the sweet potatoes until cooked / soft.
Add 3 tbsp of vegetable oil to a large frying pan / skillet and place over a medium / high heat. Add leeks and cook until softened. Add garlic and turmeric and stir into the leeks until evenly distributed and aroma released.
Add ground coriander, dried red chilli flakes and cinnamon and stir.
Add sweet potato and mash into the mixture until the leek mixture is fully integrated into the mashed sweet potato.
Add fresh lime juice and the finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Add salt and pepper and taste, adjust seasoning if required. Take off the heat and set aside to cool until you are ready to stuff the Bolani dough.
Bolani Dough
Stir flours and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the vegetable oil and water. Form a shaggy dough with your hands, then turn out onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until you have a smooth dough. Place the dough in the mixing bowl and cover. Set aside to rest for 30 mins,
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll one piece of dough on a clean surface until the dough is 15cm in diameter.
Divide the sweet potato filling into six and fill half of the round of dough by spreading into a thin layer, leaving a 1cm empty space around the edge. Fold the empty top half of the dough over the filling and press down to seal, stretching parts of the dough to create an even crescent shape. Place on baking paper until ready to cook.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tsp of vegetable to the pan. When the oil is hot, add 1 Bolani and fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Then place on a paper towel to soak up oil while the others fry. Feel free to keep the cooked Bolani in a low / medium heat oven to keep warm while you fry the others.
Serve the Bolanis warm / hot with the coriander chutney and / or yoghurt based (or non-dairy yoghurt) dip.