Where's Dara?

15 April 2008

Yup, sushi in Kabul. I kid you not. Complete with wasabi (sinus burning), pickled ginger, sticky rice, seaweed. Complimented by potstickers and a fabulous dipping sauce, and chicken on a bed of rice noodles.

Really, it was in Kabul.

You know how you can tell: the fillings.

It being so rare to have sushi fixings minus the fresh fish (that would be pushing it too much in a landlocked, already dodgy food country), the sushi chefs went a bit crazy. On offer were: tuna (canned), smoked salmon, vegtable, peanut butter and oreo. On the last one, I confess it may have been slightly my fault.

I walked into the house where the sushi fest was and the birthday girl came up to me and said, "What do you think of oreo sushi?" Taken slightly aback, I answered, "Why not!" Well, we found out why not. Foul. Opinion was split on the peanut butter sushi.

Dinner parties, such as this birthday do, are always enjoyable in Kabul. You usually end up hanging on the toe-shaks (long cushions on the floor), slipping wine, and having a laugh. The restaurants are good for a dinner, but, as with home, nothing can replace hanging out at a friend's place.

With the warm weather sneaking in--though not last night, as the rain poured down with the nippy air, bonfires and garden parties are on the upswing, and Kabul is again becoming a fun place.