Aush (Afghan Noodle Soup)

It’s time for Eat the World and we’re heading to Afghanistan.

As I was researching, I found many recipes that I thought my family would enjoy, but ultimately settled on Aush, or noodle soup.

As with many recipes, this one seems to have infinite variations depending on the region or family tradition.

I must admit that I made the recipe below and tasted it and knew that it absolutely would not fly with my family of American palates.  The combination of yogurt, sour cream, and lemon juice made the soup incredibly sour to our tastes.  It was good, but unexpected.  I ended up adding 2 tablespoons of chili powder to balance the sour and my family enjoyed the addition!

Check out all the wonderful Afghan dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us! 

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken Palau in an Instant Pot 
• Culinary Cam: Afghani Dumplings: Aushak and Mantu 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Keto Afghani Creamy Chicken Stew 
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Aush (Afghan Noodle Soup)

Aush (Afghan Noodle Soup)

Adapted from Afghan Cooks

Beef Mixture

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon black pepper

Noodles

2 quarts water

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces dry pasta (I used elbows)

1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans

Yogurt Sauce

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

½ cup sour cream

⅓ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons dried dill

2 teaspoons dried mint

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Dash of salt

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the beef and onions.  Cook, breaking up the beef and cooking until the beef is browned and onions are tender.

Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and spices and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.

Meanwhile, heat the water in a soup pot.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Do not drain.  When done, the pasta water is part of the soup.

While the beef and pasta cook, whisk together all ingredients for the yogurt sauce.

Once the pasta and beef are done, pour the beef mixture, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and half of the yogurt sauce into the pasta pot.  Heat through and serve with additional yogurt sauce on top.

Amy Eats the World in...

1. Cuba: Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker Beef)
2. Ireland: Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale
   
3. Thailand: Chicken Satay
   
4. Kenya: Crunchy N’Dizi (Peanut Crusted Bananas)
   
5. Sweden: Rodbetssallad med Getost (Grated Beet Salad with Goat Cheese)
6. New Zealand: Kiwi Burger 
7. France: Fougasse (Provencal Flatbread)
8. Argentina: Chimichurri Sauce
   
9. Mexico (Halloween Special): Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)
10. India: Spiced Golden Milk 
11. Poland: Chrusciki (Angel Wing Cookies)
12. Ethiopia: Buticha (Hummus)
13. England: Wizarding World of Harry Potter Leaky Cauldron-Style Mini Cottage Pie 
    
14. Georgia: Lobiani (Bean-Stuffed Bread)
15. Mexico: Crispy Pork Carnitas
    
16. Cambodia: Loc Lac (Shredded Beef with Lime)
17. Israel: Chicken Albondigas (Chicken Meatballs)
18. Finland: Sima (Lemonade) 
19. Puerto Rico: Arroz con Tocino  (Rice with Bacon)
20. Egypt: Ghorayebah Cookies
    
21. Ukraine: Scuffles (Rohalyky) Cinnamon Crescent Rolls
    
22. Portugal: Bitoque (Steak & Eggs) 
23. Germany (Christmas Special): Lebkuchenherzen (German "Gingerbread" Cookies) 
24. Trinidad & Tobago: Trini Macaroni Pie 
25. Iraq: T'bit (Slow Cooked Chicken & Brown Rice) 
26. Fiji: Fijian Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) 
27. Senegal: Cafe Touba (Senegalese Spiced Coffee) 
28. Colombia: Cañón de Cerdo (Colombia-Style Pork Loin Roast) 
29. Soul Food (United States): Oven-Baked Ribs with Cola BBQ Sauce 
30. Bangladesh: Shemai (Sweet Vermicelli Pudding) 
31. The Netherlands: Dutch Farmer’s Cheese Soup (Boerenkaas Soep) 
32. Laos: Khao Piak Sen (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup) 
33. Jamaica: Chicken &  Pumpkin Soup 
34. Vietnam: Vietnamese Chicken Porridge (Chao Ga) 
35. Sudan: Red Lentil Soup (Sudanese Addas) 
36. Luxembourg: Bouchée à la Reine (Vol-au-Vent)
    
37. Uruguay: Pasta Caruso
38. China: Homemade Fortune Cookies
39. Lesotho: Borotho Bread
40. Scotland: Tattie Scones
41. Native American Tribes of North America: Wild Rice, Squash, & Corn Soup
42. Guyana: Butterflaps
43. Greece: Cabbage Roll Rice Bowls
44. Réunion Island: Rougail Z'Andouille
45. Japan: Yoshinoya Beef Bowl (Gyudon)
46. Australia: Fairy Bread
47. Ecuador: Lentil Soup with Rice (Arroz con Menestra de Lentejas)
48. Slovakia: Garlic & Potato Soup (Cesnaková Polievka)
49. Turkey: Simit Bread
50. Dominican Republic: Taco Shepherd’s Pie (Pastelón de Papa)
51. Libya: Macroona Imbakbaka (Libyan Minestrone)
52. Malta: Brodu Tat-Tigiega (Maltese Chicken Soup)
53. Wales: Cawl Cennin (Welsh-Style Leek & Potato Soup)
54. Morocco: Kefta Tagine with Eggs in Tomato Sauce
55. Bermuda: Bermuda Triangle Cocktail
56. Philipines: Pork Siomai
57. Chile: Chilean Beef & Corn Shepherd's Pie (Pastel de Choclo)
58. Slovenia: Slovenian Flatbread (Belokranjska Pogača)
59. Lebanon: Ka’ak (Lebanese Purse Bread)
60. Congo: Moambe Chicken (Congo Poulet Moambe)
61. Guatamala: Fiambre (Guatemalan Salad)
62. Austria: Viennese Kaiser Rolls
63. French Polynesia: Vanilla Bean Lemonade
64. Seychelles: Creole Rice
65. Switzerland: Bündner Gerstensuppe (Swiss Barley Soup)
66. Brazil: Brigadeiro (Brazilian Fudge Balls)
67. Madagascar: Hen`omby Ritra (Malagasy Simmered Beef)
68. Spain: Tortilla Española (Potato Omelette)
69. Afghanistan: Aush (Afghan Noodle Soup)