In this article, I would like to teach you, our valuable reader, how to make an Afghan dish by the name of Abraysham Kabaub, or, in other words, Silk Kebab. This dish is deemed most suitable to be used as a dessert, however, it may be eaten in any which way pleases you since you as an individual are unique in many ways. The ingredients I will include in this recipe will make enough Silk Kebab for thirty servings. You may adjust your ingredients for smaller or greater quantities. This recipe will require you to first make a syrup and for that, you will need one and a half cups of granulated sugar.
You will also need one teaspoon of lemon juice.
You will need one cup of water.
You will need a quarter of a teaspoon of saffron threads, but this is an optional ingredient, meaning that you can leave it out if you find it hard to procure or just desire not to include it.
To make Silk Kebab entails that you make an “omelet” and for this you will require eight eggs and a pinch of salt.
You will also require two cups of oil, half of a teaspoon of ground cardamom, and three quarters of a cup of finely chopped pistachios. Bear in mind that if you do not have pistachios nuts, or you prefer not to use them, walnuts may be used instead.
Now that we have covered the ingredients aspect of things adequately, let’s move on to the action. Get a heavy pan and place the one and a half cups of granulated sugar inside. Then pour the one cup of water over it. Place the pan with the sugar-water mixture over medium heat and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Allow the solution to start boiling. After that you add the one teaspoon of lemon juice into the boiling sugar-water and stir well. Now you may take the quarter of a teaspoon of saffron and add it to the mixture and stir thoroughly. Leave this to boil over medium heat for about ten minutes. After the concoction has been boiled for about ten minutes, take it off the fire and allow it to cool. After it has well cooled, you will have to strain the liquid into a twenty five centimeters (or ten inches) pie plate. Now put that aside for a while.
Now we will have to move to the “omelet” part of the Silk Kebab. Remember those eight eggs I told you about? Now you will have to use them. Break those eight eggs into a casserole dish which is about twenty centimeters (or eight inches) in diameter. This size and the flat base of the casserole dish are important factors. Add the pinch of salt and use a fork to mix until the yolk of the egg and the white is combined thoroughly. I will ask you not to beat eggs in the usual manner because I don’t want it to become foamy for this particular recipe.
Now it’s time to heat the two cups of oil. For this purpose you may use an electric frying pan, or a twenty five centimeters (ten inches) frying pan placed on a thermostatically controlled hot plate or burner. However, I would better recommend the electric frying pan and heat the oil to one hundred and ninety degrees Celsius, or three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. You will need a long skewer in your hand reach, as well as the plate of syrup you made in the first step. Take the half teaspoon of ground cardamom and mix it together with the three quarters of a cup of pistachio nuts I mentioned earlier. Just have it ready. Get a bowl of water and a cloth to dry your hands prepared also.
Now here’s the interesting part of what you have to do. And I must admit that this step calls for a bit of dexterity and skills. You will have to use one hand to hold the dish next to and slightly above the pan of oil. Now take the other hand and immerse it, palm facing down, into the mixed egg until it covers the back of the hand.
Now lift out your hand, curling your fingers slightly inwards, then open out over hot oil, fingers pointing downwards. Move the hand over surface of oil in a manner such that the egg falls in streams from fingertips. After that action, dip your hand in the egg again and make more strands across those already in the pan. Repeat this action three to four times until about an eighth of the egg is used. This should give you a closely meshed layer of egg strands, about twenty centimeters or eight inches across. Note: this work should be done quickly in a short amount of time so that the last lot of egg is added not long after the first lot. Congratulations, rinse your hands quickly and dry them.
Slide the skewer under the now bubbling omelet and lift up and turn over to brown the other side. You should notice that the first side is a little bubbly, while the underside is a bit smoother. After it has turned golden, lift out with skewer and drain over the pan. Now place the omelet flat in the syrup and use a spoon to place syrup over the top. Now use the skewer to lift out unto baking sheet. Roll this up with the bubbly side inwards. The finished roll should be about three centimeters or one and a quarter inches in diameter. Put to one side and sprinkle with nuts. Repeat this process with remaining egg until you have seven or eight rolls total. Even though the depth of the egg diminishes, you should become more and more adept and be able to get it in the pan in fine strands. After cooking, cut kabaubs into four to five centimeters (or one and a half to two inches) pieces and serve. Great job. You have just one the best Silk Kebab in Afghanistan!
Bear in mind that if you need to store for a while, a sealed container put in a cool place will do well. Happy cooking.