1. Take your 9×13 baking dish and butter or generously spray with cooking spray.

2. Op your phyllo dough, take two pieces at a time and crinkle like an accordion (watch video). Cover the unused portion of phyllo dough so it does not dry out. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. This keeps your dough from wilting under the toppings later.

3. Take your melted butter and pour over the crinkled dough. Put back in the oven at 350 and bake. Your oven time will vary, but you want it golden brown. It could be 12-17 minutes. Don’t walk away. It will brown quickly at the end.

4. Next, while that is baking again, make your custard. Add milk, rose water, 1 Cup sugar, cardamom, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

5. Pour the custard mixture over the dough and cook at 350 for about 30 minutes. The custard should not run. That’s how you know it’s done.

6. We should make our simple syrup while that custard cooks. Take 1 Cup of water, 1 Cup of sugar, and some saffron. Bring your syrup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. You want this to be thick; this should take about 10 minutes. You need the syrup to cool before pouring it over.

7. Take your cake out of the oven, pour the simple syrup over it, and add some crushed pistachios.

8. Let sit and then serve with some Afghan chai.