Slow-simmered onion-tomato stews and hearty broths

Qorma (also spelled ghorma/qorma) stews begin by deeply browning onions, then adding tomato and spices before simmering meat, legumes, or vegetables. Served with challow, they include dishes like qorma-e lubia (kidney beans), qorma-e sabzi (greens), and yogurt-braised variations such as lawand. The technique yields rich, comforting gravies central to everyday meals. For soups, shorwa—literally “soup” in Pashto—is the rustic standard, often enriched with bread; noodle soups like aush (see dumplings & noodles) blur the line between soup and main. These bowls show how Afghan cooking turns simple pantry items into sustaining fare.