Welcome to Afghan Dastarkhwan: Eating Healthy on a Budget in the United States
Eating more vegetables and reducing the amount of meat you eat helps you have a healthy diet and can save money too. There are many ways you can do this.You could only have meat two or three nights a week, reduce the portion of meat in meals, or use lentils, beans, or peas instead of meat.
For example, if Rabia is cooking stews like Shorba she sometimes will only add half the meat she normally would but will add extra vegetables or beans so it is still filling. Then she might use the other half of the meat in a recipe the next night to save money. Sometimes Rabia will not have meat at all and have a whole dish made of beans or lentils and vegetables.
Lobia is a popular dish in Afghan cuisine that just has beans and vegetables. It is usually made with kidney beans or black-eyed peas and is eaten with rice. Growing up in Afghanistan, Rabia had Lobia at least once a week. She remembers one snowy winter day when her neighbor brought her family a big pot of Lobia. Eating the delicious Lobia by a warm fire helped Rabia feel cozy and satisfied on a cold winter’s day. Lobia is not only a reminder of Rabia’s childhood but also is healthy and inexpensive to make.
Lobia with Rice Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 lb. Lobia (kidney beans but also you can use black-eyed peas)
1 chopped large onion
3 minced cloves of garlic
2 diced medium-sized tomatoes
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. coriander powder
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups of cooked rice
Water: Add about 2 cups of water per 1 cup of beans. For 1 pound of kidney beans you need approximately 3 cups of water.
Instructions:
Soak the Lobia in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse
In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions turn translucent.
You can also use a pressure cooker or slow cooker for this step.
For a pressure cooker, use less water due to faster cooking.
In a slow cooker, add more water.
Add the diced tomatoes and all the spices.
Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.
Add the Lobia and stir to combine.
Cover the saucepan and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the Lobia is tender.
Add water to the mix.
Once the Lobia is cooked, remove from heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
Serve with cooked rice.
Be sure and watch all the videos in our video series on eating healthy on a budget in the US.
3 апр 2024
