Bolani / Fried Afghan Flatbread

Bolani is a vegan flat-bread from Afghanistan, baked or fried with a vegetable filling. It has a thin crust and can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients, such as potatoes, spinach, lentils, pumpkin, or leeks. It can be served with plain yogurt or mint yogurt. Bolani is made for special occasions like birthday parties, engagement parties or holidays..

 

  This Afghan special bolani are very similar to our aloo paratha and as well as samosas.  But differs only with its shapes.. You can increase the spicy level,  which I felt very low in given recipe but  gained 5 star from my kids.. Feel free to substitute flour with whole wheat flour or mix of both with your choices of filling..

 

  This delicious bolani was challenged by my friend Pavani  for International Food Challenge to explore Afghan Cuisine. She challenged  the group with four iconic recipes from Afghan.. Sneak to her blog where you can find delicious recipes with mouth watering pictures.. Now lets see the recipe..

 

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Resting time: 60 minutes

Cooking time:  40 ~ 60 minutes

Serves: 5

Dough Ingredients: 

3 ½ cups / 385 grams all-purpose flour / Maida

1 cup / 236 ml water at room temperature or as needed

1 tsp/ 5 grams salt or to taste

1 tsp / 5 ml cooking oil

Filling Ingredients:

2 / 500 grams medium potatoes

1/2 cup or 100 grams of  chopped cilantro

1/2 cup or 115 grams chopped scallions (white and green parts) ( I used same amount of chopped spinach instead of scallions.

2 tbsp / 30 ml cooking oil

1 ½ tsp  / 7.5 grams salt or to taste

1 tsp / 5 grams ground black pepper or to taste

For Frying: 1/4 cup / 125 ml olive oil or cooking oil

Method:

For Dough: 

1. In a mixing bowl, mix flour and salt together. Gradually add in water and oil while mixing the flour to get a rough dough. If the dough is too dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time. 

2. Knead dough for 10 minutes to get soft pliable dough. 

3. Cover and rest the dough in lightly oiled bowl for an hour.

For Filling Ingredients:

4. Wash and scrub potatoes clean and cook it in open pan with sufficient cold water. Add pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. 

5. After boiling for 20 minutes, check to see if the potatoes are done by poking them with a skewer. The skewer should easily pierce through the center of the potato. Over pricking will allow water to seep into the potatoes as they cook. Smaller potatoes may get done sooner than larger ones. 

6. Once the potatoes are done, drain them and let sit for 5-10 minutes. 

7. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Mash with 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper to get a smooth mixture, If there is a small lumps that's ok to continue.

8. Add in cilantro and scallions ( spinach ) and combine everything together. Do a taste test and adjust salt and spice.
 

Assembling and cooking the bolani: 

9. Knead and divide the dough about the size of a small apple and roll it into a smooth balls. Cover the the dough balls with wet cloth till use.

10. Dust the working surface with flour. Take one ball and roll it with a rolling pin to thin chapathi or tortilla. The thinner, the better! 

11. Spread a little more than 1/4 cup of the filling on one half of the dough, leaving about 1/4 inch border around the rim.

12. Fold the dough in half over the filling and press to seal. If necessary, continue pressing and flattening the bolani to remove any excess air inside the pocket. Do the same with rest of dough and filling.

13. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan. The oil should be hot enough that the bolani sizzles when placed in the pan. Brown the bolani, two at a time, until golden and crispy on both sides. This will only take a couple minutes on each side. 

14. Place cooked bolani on a paper towel or plate as they finish. Add more oil to your pan as needed while you cook the rest.  Serve warm with a simple yogurt sauce.

For Yogurt Sauce: 

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp water

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Method: 

15. Combine everything to get a yogurt sauce. Adjust salt to taste. If needed add crushed pepper corns..

Bolani  / Fried Afghan Flatbread 

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Resting time: 60 minutes

Cooking time:  40 ~ 60 minutes

Serves: 5

Dough Ingredients: 

3 ½ cups / 385 grams all-purpose flour / Maida

1 cup / 236 ml water at room temperature or as needed

1 tsp/ 5 grams salt or to taste

1 tsp / 5 ml cooking oil

Filling Ingredients:

2 / 500 grams medium potatoes

1/2 cup or 100 grams of  chopped cilantro

1/2 cup or 115 grams chopped scallions (white and green parts) ( I used same amount of spinach instead of scallions.

2 tbsp / 30 ml cooking oil

1 ½ tsp  / 7.5 grams salt or to taste

1 tsp / 5 grams ground black pepper or to taste

For Frying: 1/4 cup / 125 ml olive oil or cooking oil

Method:

For Dough: 

1. In a mixing bowl, mix flour and salt together. Gradually add in water and oil while mixing the flour to get a rough dough. If the dough is too dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time. 

2. Knead dough for 10 minutes to get soft pilable dough. 

3. Cover and rest the dough in lightly oiled bowl for an hour.

For Filling Ingredients:

4. Wash and scrub potatoes clean and cook it in open pan with sufficient cold water. Add pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. 

5. After boiling for 20 minutes, check to see if the potatoes are done by poking them with a skewer. The skewer should easily pierce through the center of the potato. Over prinking will allow water to seep into the potatoes as they cook. Smaller potatoes may get done sooner than larger ones. 

6. Once the potatoes are done, drain them and let sit for 5-10 minutes. 

7. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Mash with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper to get a smooth mixture, If there is a small lumps thats ok to continue.

8. Add in cilantro and scallions and combine everything together. Do a taste test and adjust salt and spice.

Assembling and cooking the bolani: 

9. Knead and divide the dough about the size of a small apple and roll it into a smooth balls. Cover the the dough balls with wet cloth till use.

10. Dust the working surface with flour. Take one ball and roll it with a rolling pin to thin chapathi or tortilla. The thinner, the better! 

11. Spread a little more than 1/4 cup of the filling on one half of the dough, leaving about 1/4 inch border around the rim.

12. Fold the dough in half over the filling and press to seal. If necessary, continue pressing and flattening the bolani to remove any excess air inside the pocket. Do the same with rest of dough and filling.

13. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan. The oil should be hot enough that the bolani sizzles when placed in the pan. Brown the bolani, two at a time, until golden and crispy on both sides. This will only take a couple minutes on each side. 

14. Place cooked bolani on a paper towel or plate as they finish. Add more oil to your pan as needed while you cook the rest.  Serve warm with a simple yogurt sauce.

For Yogurt Sauce: 

1 cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp water

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Method: 

15. Combine everything to get a yogurt sauce. Adjust salt to taste. If needed add crushed pepper corns..

                              

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