These Aushak (Afghan Leek and Scallion Dumplings) are topped with a spiced meat sauce, dollops of garlicky yogurt, and a sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh mint.
After moving to the DC area from the Florida panhandle (and Alabama before that), one of the first things I noticed was the availability of cuisines my new home had to offer. I no longer had to search online for ingredients or rely on vacations to enjoy a variety of restaurants.
My first time visiting an Afghan restaurant was with friend Faith of An Edible Mosaic. We went to Afghan Bistro in Springfield, Virginia and I tried their Aushak, Afghan Leek and Scallion Dumplings. I was immediately hooked. They topped the dumplings with Kofta Paashaan (a minced beef and lentil qorma) and mint yogurt.
When we moved to a different house last year, we found another Afghan restaurant only a mile away and this dish continues to be my favorite. With us leaving the area in a few short months, I thought I should finally make the Aushak at home.
I filled the Aushak with a lightly spiced leek and scallion mixture, folding the wrappers in half to enclose the filling. At this point, you can also bring the two sides of the wrapper together towards the center for a variation in the fold. After boiling the dumplings, I topped them with a spiced meat sauce (I used beef, but have also seen lamb) and dollops of a garlicky yogurt.
Looking for a vegetarian version? Desert Candy topped her Aushak with candied pumpkin.
There are a few parts to this recipe, but the dumplings can easily be made in advance. The yogurt topping also comes together in less than three minutes.
I have seen both square and circular wrappers used. This time, I formed the dumplings with store-bough square wonton wrappers, but you can also make your own.
Looking for more Central/West Asian dumplings?
Try
- Khinkali (Georgian Topknot Dumplings)
- Manti (Turkish Dumplings)
- Kartopilis Khinkali (Small Potato Khinkali Dumplings).
Aushak (Afghan Leek and Scallion Dumplings) Recipe
Adapted from Avocado Bravado and Afghan Culture Unveiled
Aushak (Afghan Leek and Scallion Dumplings)
Ingredients
Dumplings:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 bunch (~6) scallions thinly sliced
- 3 leeks white and light green parts, thinly sliced
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch ground red chili
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 20-25 wonton wrappers square or circular
Meat Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 cup tomato sauce
Yogurt:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1-3 teaspoons dried mint
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For serving:
- Fresh mint thinly sliced
Instructions
To make the dumplings:
- In a large skillet, drizzle the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced scallions and leeks. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Season with salt, pepper, and ground chili. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Place a teaspoon of the cooled filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Wet the edges lightly with water and fold the wrapper in half to enclose the filling. Press out any air pockets and push down along the edges to seal.
- Place the dumpling on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining filling/wrappers, arranging them in a single layer. If not using immediately, cover the baking sheet with plastic and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze until solid, transfer to a freezer bag, and store for a couple of months.
To make the meat sauce:
- Drizzle the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the ground meat, breaking it apart into small pieces with a spoon, and cook until no longer pink. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and coriander. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and thickened. Season to taste, adding more salt if needed.
- Decrease the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm while the remaining ingredients are prepared.
To make the yogurt sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, dried mint, and salt. Season as needed to taste.
To assemble:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the dumplings in batches, being careful not to overcrowd. Boil over medium-low heat until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Gently remove with a slotted spoon.
- Serve the dumplings warm topped with the meat sauce, yogurt, and fresh mint.
Julie A Norris
Looks amazing. I live in the DC too and need to go to these restaurants
Tara
Thanks! I will definitely miss them.
Julie A Norris
I made the recipe last night and they were great. Brought the leftovers to work and everyone says my lunch smells amazing.
This was a complete success.
Tara
So glad you enjoyed it!
Ann
Yum! My familarity with Afghan food is definitely lacking, but I’ll have to explore it more because these dumplings look seriously delicious. Plus I love dumplings of absolutely any kind so these are a guaranteed winner in my book.
Lynn | The Road to Honey
I don’t think I have ever had Afghan food before. But this looks incredible & I’m loving that meat sauce with the yogurt topping. My hubby is Persian & tends to put yogurt on any and everything so I know this would be right up his alley.
Julia
You won’t believe this but I made leek and scallion ravioli last week as I had those ingredients on hand and they needed to be used. I had no idea there is actually a similar Afghan dish out there until now 🙂
Traci
Oh my goodness, my mom lives in the panhandle and it’s taken some time, but they’re coming around on the food scene. Still it’ll probably never be what an urban area offers. These dumplings look scrumptious! What an excellent recreation 🙂
Tara
That’s great! I really do miss the seafood from that area and there was an incredible sushi place in Destin that we always went to for date night. There was also some amazing Thai and Greek food near our house in Fort Walton.
Anna
I don’t have any experience with Afghan cuisine, but these dumplings look and sound divine! Made my mouth water! Thank you for sharing!
Faith (An Edible Mosaic)
This was packed with flavor and absolutely delicious, definitely one of my favorites too! I can’t wait to try your recipe, your photos are beautiful!!
Lauren
Those dumplings sound incredible. I do love leeks!
Shane
If you know you’re going to making this dish in advance then you certainly want to let that yogurt sauce sit in the fridge over night. Makes a big difference. Great recipe!
Bart
OMG! I just harvested a bunch of leeks that I planted last summer/fall, and I thought, “I wish I could find a recipe for Leek Dumplings like they serve at Afghan Bistro. The next thing you know, I’m here!!! I will be making these tomorrow. Can’t wait, and thanks for the recipe!!!
Tara
Hi Bart! Hope you love them! We moved away from DC almost 2 years ago and I miss Afghan Bistro so much.
Yvonne
Was just at the Afghan Bistro in Springfield. The aushak was terrific. So was the Pumpkin Kadoo ( am not sure how to spell it).