Shor Nakhod

Shor Nakhod (Afghan Chickpea and Potato Salad)

A bright, garlicky Afghan salad built on warm chickpeas and potatoes, dressed simply with olive oil, vinegar, and herbs. It is served as a mezze-style starter or alongside rice and kebabs.

Prep

15 min

Cook

40 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (1¼ cups (dry)) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight; or substitute 480 g / 17 oz canned chickpeas, drained
• •450 g (1 lb) potatoes, waxy variety such as Yukon Gold or baby potatoes
• •4 cloves garlic, fresh, finely grated or crushed
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar; lemon juice is a common home substitute
• •1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) ground black pepper
• •15 g (½ oz) fresh parsley, finely chopped; cilantro is also traditional
• •0.25 tsp (¼ tsp) ground coriander, optional, but classic
• •1 pinch ground cumin, optional
• •1 pinch Aleppo pepper or chili flakes, optional, for warmth

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked dried chickpeas and place them in a saucepan. Cover with plenty of cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. (Canned chickpeas only need to be warmed through for 5 minutes.) Drain and let cool slightly — Afghan cooks traditionally combine the salad while the legumes and potatoes are still warm.
2. 2 While the chickpeas cook, scrub the potatoes and cut them into roughly 2 cm (¾ in) cubes. Place in a separate pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain well and let steam-dry for 1 minute.
3. 3 In a small bowl, whisk the grated garlic with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, ground coriander, cumin, and Aleppo pepper if using. The dressing should taste punchy and sharp — the garlic is the lead flavor.
4. 4 In a large bowl, gently toss the warm potatoes and warm chickpeas together, taking care not to mash the potatoes.
5. 5 Pour the garlic dressing over the warm legumes and toss again so the potatoes absorb the flavors. Warm ingredients take on the dressing better than cold ones.
6. 6 Fold in most of the chopped parsley, taste, and adjust salt and vinegar. The salad should be tangy, salty, and assertive.
7. 7 Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature. Shor Nakhod is traditionally eaten with flatbread (naan or lawash) or as part of a larger Afghan spread with rice and kebabs.