Sweet Potato and Charred Scallion Bolani

Bolani is a traditional Afghan dishes, it’s a leavened flatbread filled with potato or vegetable mixture. Adding charred scallion to this sweet potato and charred scallion bolani gives an intensely sweet, smoky flavour. 

Sweet Potato and Charred Scallion Bolani

Ingredients

Bolani dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon oil
• a pinch of salt

Sweet potato & charred scallion filling

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, boiled and peeled
• 2 bunches scallion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
• a pinch of sea salt
• oil for frying

Cooking direction

Making dough

1.  place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl, mix well. Add oil, gradually add water, mix all the ingredients until you get some sort of dough consistency. Add more water if the dough is too dry, or sprinkle with some more flour if the dough is too wet.
2. Sprinkle flour lightly on a working table, knead the dough for about 10 to 15 minutes until you get a smooth and soft dough. Transfer back dough to an oiled mixing bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes, cover with damp kitchen towel.

Sweet potato filling

1. Cut the scallions into 2-inch pieces, halving the whites lengthwise. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a cast-iron skillet, add scallions, turning occasionally until slightly charred, 5-7 minutes.
2. Put sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl and coarsely mash with a fork. Add charred scallion, green chillies and cilantro, season with salt and pepper, gently stir all the ingredients.

To assembly

1. Dusting working table with flour. Take the bolani dough and knead it several times until the dough soft. Cut the dough into 6 equal portions, form the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten out the dough into a disc and roll it using rolling pin into a round about 8 inches in diameter.
2. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling on the top half of the circle, leaving a half inch border around the edge. Fold the bottom half up over the top half and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Shallow fry the bolani until golden brown on both side, press down gently.
4. Serve bolani with salad, lemon wedges or yoghurt sauce.