I think all the young Afghans who say:

Mantu or Ashak

Probably don’t like or haven’t had:

Kala Pacha and Kabob e Zuban

It’s sad that the Afghan diaspora can’t bond online over which is better: Kabob e Zuban or Kala Pacha. They are both SERIOUSLY good if cooked right.

This is what I mean by Kabob e Zuban. It is kabob e digi, not cooked like traditional Afghan kabobs on a grill. Peeled and then cooked in a pressure cooker. (This is an old picture, pre-quarantine)

I’m looking through my phone & I can’t find Kala Pacha pictures. As a kid, I was told that eating Kala Pacha would give me strong bones & make me smart - eating the brain. And I ate Kabob e Zuban often, I was told I would have a zuban e tez & I was in debate team so I needed it

Mantu vs Ashaak is now a social media theme for young Afghans. Ashaak is the jealous cousin of Mantu. Both are hand filled, steamed dumplings. Mantu (L) is filled with ground meat & onions. Ashaak (R) is filled with gandana (almost like chives). Topped with yogurt & tomato sauce.

So Ashaak is vegetarian and Mantu is right. So this whole Mantu vs Ashaak is now like some type of get to know each other question I’m seeing on the social medias.

So trivial

The answer to Mantu vs Ashaak should be Kala Pacha.

Actually, Ashaak is boiled. Not steamed. Gandana cooks faster than ground beef in Mantu. Mantu is steamed like this...

But this is not Mantu. This is Aykhonom. Has ground beef, onions, carrots, cabbage. Then dressed with yogurt and tomato sauce like Ashaak and Mantu.

End Thread