Discover the rich flavors and cultural heritage of Shola Goshti, a beloved Afghan comfort food. This traditional sticky rice dish, slow-cooked with tender lamb and mung beans, is more than just a meal; it’s a celebration on a plate. While often reserved for special events, this guide will show you how to bring the authentic taste of Afghanistan into your own kitchen.
What is Shola Goshti?
Shola Goshti is a savory, one-pot dish that holds a special place in Afghan cuisine. It has a porridge-like consistency, achieved by slowly simmering short-grain rice, mung beans, and meat until they meld into a wonderfully cohesive and flavorful meal. The name itself translates to “sticky rice with meat,” which perfectly describes its comforting texture.
Traditionally served at weddings, large family gatherings, and significant celebrations, Shola Goshti is a symbol of hospitality and abundance. Its preparation is an act of love, often taking hours of slow cooking to develop the deep, complex flavors that make it so memorable.
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The Art of Preparing Authentic Shola Goshti
Making this dish is a journey of textures and aromas. While the long cooking time might seem daunting, much of it is hands-off, allowing the ingredients to work their magic. The process can be broken down into several key stages, each crucial for achieving the optimal result.
The Foundation of Shola Goshti: Soaking Rice and Mung Beans
The secret to the distinctive texture of Shola Goshti lies in proper preparation. Before you even turn on the stove, the rice and mung beans require special attention.
- Mung Beans: Begin by thoroughly washing the mung beans to remove any debris. Once clean, they are soaked in water for about 30 minutes. This initial soak helps them soften, ensuring they cook evenly with the other ingredients.
- Rice: The choice of short-grain rice is essential. The preparation starts with an extensive washing process. The rice is rinsed repeatedly—at least seven times—until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch, which is key to preventing a gummy texture and allowing each grain to become plump and distinct. After washing, the rice is soaked for a minimum of 40 minutes, which helps it absorb water and cook more efficiently.
Building Flavor: The Slow-Cooked Lamb
The heart of Shola Goshti is the tender, melt-in-your-mouth lamb. This isn’t a rushed process; the meat is slow-cooked to perfection, allowing it to absorb the surrounding spices and aromatics.
It begins by frying diced onions in oil until they start to brown. A portion of these fragrant onions is set aside for use as a garnish later. To the remaining onions, crushed garlic, and tomato paste are added, cooking until the paste deepens in color. This step creates a rich, savory base.
Next, cubes of boneless lamb are stirred into the pot, browning them in the flavorful mixture. Chopped tomatoes are added to the pot, breaking down to add moisture and a subtle tang. Finally, the soaked mung beans, water, and a blend of spices are added. The pot is covered and left to simmer for about an hour, transforming the lamb into incredibly tender pieces that fall apart with a fork.
Uniting the Ingredients
Once the lamb is perfectly tender, the drained rice is added to the pot. This is where the dish truly comes together. Hot chilies, more salt, and the signature Afghan spice blend, Char Masala, are stirred in. The mixture is brought to a boil before the heat is reduced to low.
A unique step in Afghan rice cooking is using a “turbaned lid”—a lid wrapped in a clean cloth. This technique prevents condensation from dripping back into the pot, ensuring the rice steams perfectly instead of becoming waterlogged. The Shola Goshti is left to steam for about 30 minutes, with occasional gentle stirring to prevent sticking.
Serving and Garnishing
The final presentation is as important as the cooking. The reserved fried onions are quickly reheated with fresh garlic until fragrant, creating a delicious and aromatic oil.
The finished Shola Goshti is transferred to a large platter. A well is made in the center, and the garlic-infused onion oil is poured into it, adding a final layer of flavor and a beautiful finish. This hearty dish is traditionally served with sides that cut through its richness, such as a fresh salata (Afghan salad), a tangy garlic-mint sauce, or spicy achar (pickles).
Bring Shola Goshti to Your Table
While it is a dish fit for a celebration, you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy Shola Goshti. By setting aside a bit of time, you can create this deeply satisfying meal for your family. The slow-cooking process fills your home with incredible aromas, building anticipation for the delicious result.
This recipe is a wonderful way to delve into the rich traditions of Afghan cuisine. It showcases how simple ingredients, when treated with care and time, can be transformed into something truly extraordinary. Whether you’re an experienced cook or new to Afghan food, making Shola Goshti is a rewarding experience that connects you to a rich culinary tradition.
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Shola Goshti Recipe – Sticky Rice with Mung Beans and Lamb
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Now that we’ve demystified shola, this recipe, which is typically served only at weddings and special occasions, can become a regular part of your rotation when you have a little more time. The long, slow cooking may be intimidating, but most of it is hands-off time, allowing you to do other things while the dish cooks. And the end result is meat that melts into the rice while the flavors of the spices in both come alive on your tongue.
Ingredients
1 cup mung beans
2 cups short-grain rice
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed, divided
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb leg, or other lamb stew meat, cut into small cubes
3 tomatoes, chopped
6 cups water
4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons dill
2 to 4 hot chilies (depending on how hot you like it)
2 teaspoons Char Masala (page 000)
Instructions
- Wash and soak the mung beans. Thoroughly wash the mung beans, removing any small rocks and debris. Cover them with water and let them soak for 30 minutes.
- Wash the rice. Add the rice to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water and run your hands through the rice to release the starch. You will notice the water is very cloudy. Strain the water from the rice. Repeat this process at least seven times (because seven is a lucky number). The final time, the water should be clear. Rinsing the rice removes the starch and gives us those beautiful individual grains. Never cook rice before rinsing it.
- Soak the rice. Once you have finished washing the rice, refill the bowl with enough water to cover the rice and let it soak for at least 40 minutes. I’ve left rice soaking overnight and it’s been fine. However, you will need to watch the cooking time because the longer it soaks, the more water is absorbed, and the less time it needs to parboil in the cooking process. Soaking the rice gives you those luscious, plump grains characteristic of Afghan rice dishes.
- Prepare the meat. Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, fry the onions, stirring vigorously, until they start to brown. Remove about half of the onions and oil to another saucepan and set aside. You will use this to garnish the finished dish.
- Add 4 of the peeled and crushed garlic cloves and the tomato paste to the onions, and cook until the tomato paste turns a deep red. This will take about 2 minutes. Then add the meat, stirring it until it’s evenly coated in the tomato paste and onion mixture. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes start to break down, stirring to help them along, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mung beans, water, 2 teaspoons of the salt, the black pepper, and the dill to the meat and mung beans. Stir and let the meat and beans come up to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and breaks apart with a fork.
- Add the rice. Once the meat is cooked, drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the meat and mung beans. Stir in the chilies, the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, and char masala. Bring the pot back up to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a turbaned lid, and steam the rice and meat for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, but be gentle so you don’t break up the rice grains too much.
- Finish the oil, onion, and garlic. Add the remaining 2 cloves of peeled and crushed garlic to the oil and onion you set aside. Place the saucepan back on the heat and let the garlic slightly brown. Take it off the heat.
- Plate the Shola. After 30 minutes, uncover the rice and stir gently, making sure the meat, mung beans, and rice are mixed well. Transfer the rice and meat to a platter and spread it out, making a small well in the center. Add the fried onion and garlic oil into this well.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1.5 hours
- Category: Rice
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