Bolani are stuffed Afghan flatbreads, which are baked or fried. Bolani is an excellent source of Vitamin A, along with protein, carbs, magnesium, potassium and sodium, varying as per the filling that you use for the stuffed flatbread. However, an Afghan Bolani is not consumed on its own. One of the crucial elements in the Afghan cuisine, is tea. When consumed as a snack, tea is an excellent pairing.
We have gathered some unique teas for your Bolani. You can
also try them with any bread or stuffed bread that you like.
Green Tea
Green tea is known to relieve any digestive problems.
Consuming green tea with Bolani helps you feel less bloated. One of our friends
felt always bloated when he ate bread or anything related to bread. He assumed
that he may be allergic to gluten, but we suggested him to have a cup of green
tea every time he consumed bread. And, it worked! He does not feel bloated
anymore. Although this is not a medical advice, our grandma used food hack for
years.
A small number of studies suggests that both green and black tea might have beneficial effects on some heart disease risk factors, including blood pressure and cholesterol. An important component in the green tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) have proven effects against cardiovascular diseases ad cancer.
Green Tea Benefits
- Protection against cancer
- Promotes weight loss
- Improved gut health
- Improved skin condition
- Lowers cholesterol
- Improved heart health
- Good for patients with Type 2 Diabetes
- Improves brain functioning
- Useful for patients with Alzheimer’s diseases
and Dementia.
Black Tea
Black tea is more oxidized and has stronger flavour, but
black tea benefits are numerous. It has
caffeine as well as other stimulants and antioxidants.
Black Tea Benefits
- · Improved gut health
- · Alertness and energy
- · Includes antioxidants like polyphenols and catechins
- · Suitable for patients with diabetes, cholesterol, osteoporosis, and Parkinson’s disease.
Consume a cup of black tea with Bolani. If you fried your
Bolani it is especially useful, as it will absorb all the extra oil.
ProTip: add a dash of cardamom powder in the tea to enhance
the flavour.
Milk Tea
Milk Tea or Sheer Chai as it is called in Afghanistan are
those for the brave ones! If you are suffering from acidity problems, then this
combination is not suggested. If you bake your Bolani or air fry them, do try
this combo for an extra kick.
There are many milk tea powders in the market. But do look
for the term CTC. This type of black tea is especially made to be brewed with
milk. All other blends use CTC as their base layer. Milk tea flavour depends a
lot on the blends that you buy. Anything with cardamom or saffron in it with go
well with Bolani.
Milk Tea Benefits
If you are using a blend tea, with black tea, then milk tea
will help reduce any kind of oxidative stress and also fight chronic diseases.
Here are some exclusive benefits:
Rich in calcium, potassium, Vitamin D and B12.
- · Improved bone health.
- · Increases blood flow.
- · Relieves headaches
- · Fights against cold or flu with the addition of ginger and turmeric.
- · Improves cognitive function
Herbal tea or Spiced Tea
Referred to as Chai Qand in Afghan, herbal tea is a blend of
mint, rosehip and chamomile. This type of tea also uses a CTC tea base and
variations in spices include ginger, star anise, cloves, black peppercorns, and
lemongrass. It is called Spiced Chai when the base is green tea. Chai Qand
sometimes also called Persian Tea is brewed without milk. This type of black
tea is also popular in Iran, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and other neighbouring
regions.
If your Bolani is made with pumpkin filling, then Chai Qand
is the best option to have with it. The tea is served at all social gatherings.
It is always served with something sweet.
ProTip: if you are unable to get some good black tea, we try
making an herbal blend at home with some Earl Grey Tea.
Chai Qand Benefits
- · One of the most important of Chai Qand is improved cardiovascular health.
- · Collagen Boost
- · Imporved skin health
- · Improved sleep time in the long run.
Cardamom Tea
When milk tea is brewed with cardamom, it becomes cardamom
tea. Try this with some air-fried Bolani. It is said that, Indians consumer
cardamom tea every day. There are a variety of cardamom tea in the market, but
do not buy instant tea packs. Cardamom tea premix for tea machines is a good
choice, else just add chunks of cardamom to your milk tea for a homemade touch.
Cardamom tea benefits
- · Reduces blood pressure
- · Guards against chronic diseases that results from inflammation.
- · Beneficial for digestive issues like ulcers.
- · Enhance oxygen metabolism in the body
- · Regulates blood sugar level.
Mint Tea
We saved the best for the last. Mint is the most popular
ingredient in the Afghan cuisine. It is not surprising that tea would also be
with mint. Mint tea is extremely refreshing and is an excellent drink in the
summer. It goes well with any type of Afghan Bolani or any flatbread. To level
up your game make mint green tea.
If you don’t have fresh mint leaves with you can try some
peppermint tea or spearmint tea bags. Did you know early Native Americans made a tea from wild mint leaves in order to relieve
an upset stomach?
Fun Facts about Mint
- ·
Ancient civilizations like the Greeks and
Egyptians used peppermint as medicine.
- ·
Chewing peppermint leaves is a Persian folk
remedy for toothaches.
- · In India, herbal mixtures containing peppermint treat indigestion, coughs, colds, and other ailments.
Mint Tea Benefits
- · The best part about mint tea is that it does not contain any caffeine.
- · Aids digestion and bowel movement.
- · Cools down the body and relieves from heat burns.
- · Promotes good kidney health.
- · Beneficial for pregnant woman.
- Mint tea benefits for skin is huge. It is known to Improve skin condition with Vitamin C and antioxidants.
In addition to this, Pink Chai, Noon Chai or Kashmiri Noon
Chai is also a popular tea served at social gatherings with any type of food.
Made from green tea leaves, this type of tea is an Afghan specialty.
If you are looking to store your teas, Discountershop has
some excellent storage jars for all types of teas.
If you have any more questions about how you should have
your Bolani, you can always leave a comment below. We would love to hear your
thoughts.
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