PESHAWAR: Afghan refugees, no doubt, brought drugs and gun culture along as it affected our society in more than one ways but now when most Afghan families are planning to return to their war-torn country, local people will remember them for their positive contributions too.

Afghan dishes and beverages will remain a worth-remembering legacy on the top list of most local population. Kabuli Pulao and a few other Afghan food items have already become a household tradition with local residents.

No friends’ party, no wedding feast and no picnic goes without the smell of Kabuli Pulao.

Afghan refugees introduced different dishes and beverages in addition to numerous other negative and positive things. The people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata will cherish varieties of foods and traditional drinks introduced by Afghan refugees.

There are 2,500 restaurants in and around Peshawar where Afghan cuisines are available

Kabuli Pulao, Dampukht, Roghni Naan, Mantu, Biryani, Bolani, Seekh Kabab, Ashak, Rosh, Afghan special salad, Tarikh Chai and Sheriyakh are just a few to name. Afghan dishes and beverages are relished the world over for their unique taste, smell, cultural touch and an Afghan flavour.

Masti Gul, a 55-year-old Afghan, an expert on Kabuli Pulao told this scribe that there were around 2,500 restaurants and food points in and around Peshawar where popular Afghan dishes were available at reasonable prices.

He said that he had trained many local people on Kabuli Pulao and other Afghan foods but failed to transfer his ‘Afghan hand’. He said that Kabuli Pulao took three hours to get ready as it involved care and alertness.

Mr Gul runs a small restaurant selling Afghan dishes at Board Bazaar. “Afghans are fond of food more than local residents. Afghan dishes are crispy but not spicy. My father used to run a restaurant in Shahr-i-Nau, on the outskirts of Kabul. We shifted our family to Peshawar in 1983,” he recalled.

He said that a complete Afghan Pulao package consisted of cooked rice, bone laden meat, salad, bread, saucepan, raita and sweet dish sufficed only for one Afghan but could be taken by at least three local residents.

Rakhshanda Ali, a food expert in Peshawar, said that Afghans should not be credited only for their mastery over delicious dishes but also be praised for cleanliness and way of presentation.

She said that skill in cooking was one thing but taking care of cleanliness made one’s attitude a wholesome package for consumers.

Ms Ali said that Afghans were extra careful about food cooking and keeping things around neat and clean and they also used polite language to serve customers. “We share many local traditions with Afghans but some traditions are typical Afghan in nature and specialties in food making, content, taste and presentation only go with Afghans,” she added.

Yasinwali Janan, a young Afghan, who runs a restaurant at Namakmandi, Peshawar said that his family would leave for Afghanistan next week. He said that like many other repatriating Afghan refugees, he would also sell out his restaurant to a local party.

Around 40 most frequented restaurants in and around Peshawar city must have enough number of these food items originated in Afghanistan.

Large number of makeshift food and beverage points and kiosks were owned and run by Afghans. “Although complete ‘art’ is not transferable anywhere in the world yet it does trickle down to next generation with ‘a visible change’ suited to the taste and environ of people responsible to carry on the legacy of their ancestors or originators,” said Alikhel Shinwari, a 60-year-old Afghan chef.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2016