A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini
“When Rasheed came home that night, he brought with him a brown paper bag. Mariam was disappointed that he did not notice the clean windows, the swept floors, the missing cobwebs. But he did look pleased that she had already set his dinner plate, on a clean sofrah spread on the living-room floor.
“I made Daal,” Mariam said.
“Good. I’m starving.”
She poured water for him from the aftawa to wash his hands with. As he dried with a towel, she put before him a steaming bowl of daal and a plate of fluffy white rice. This was the first meal she had cooked for him, and Mariam wished she had been in a better state when she had made it. She’d still been shaken from the incident at the tandoor as she’d cooked, and all day she had fretted about the daal’s consistency, its color, worried that he would think she’d stirred in too much ginger or not enough turmeric.
A Thousand Splendid Suns 2007 pg 77 Khaled Hosseini
Mini Summary: Mariam, a teenager growing up in Herat, Afghanistan, is married to Rasheed, a shoemaker from Kabul. This book follows Mariam, and later Laila, a second wife to Rasheed.
How many times have I wanted to reach through the pages of a book and offer kindness to some forgotten-to-their-world character? Completely helpless, I consider my only mercy is to read nonstop in the hopes that this heart-sick, alone, or terrified person will be able to make it through their misery faster and find some relief. For exactly 432 pages of A Thousand Splendid Suns I did just this.
Unapologetic and honest, this book is beautifully written. It exposes the horrors that face some of the most compromised people while also embracing their resiliency, courage, and kindness. After finishing this book I felt changed for the better and more inspired to be better. Mariam and Laila, thank you for your story.
I would say more but I feel like whatever I said would be a cheap imitation of the feelings and words this book conveys.
In honor of Mariam, here’s is a warm and delicious Afghani Daal.
Afghani Yellow Daal
Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: AfghanDifficulty: Beginner6
servings10
minutes40
minutes50
minutesA satisfying, nutritious, and comforting Afghani Daal.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 lb bag red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water
1/4 cup lemon juice, about 1 squishy lemon
3 cups cooked Basmati rice, see note (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oil over medium low heat in a large pot. Saute the onion in the hot oil for 10 minutes until soft and golden.
- Sprinkle the spices over the onions, then add in the garlic and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Pour the stock into the pot, using a flat implement to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Bring it to a boil.
- Rinse off the lentils and add them to the pot of stock. Return the pot to a boil, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. If you want a thinner Daal, add water or stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until it the right consistency. Taste and season to your preferences.
- Serve over rice or with some flat bread. Add a dollop of plain yogurt for a creamy, tangy element in your Daal.
Notes
- I tried a few methods for cooking Challow, baked Afghani white rice. It is a bit more involved but the results are well worth it. The grains come out tender and long. Here is one from Afghan Culture Unveiled that was delicious.
This Daal recipe is adapted from Swati’s Kitchen.