I'm at a black-tie Valentine's Day party. I get to talking with a family of hoteliers who mention, "a woman from Afghanistan" who "lives down the road" and "is always cooking." I get a phone number from them, but the phone number doesn't work. I knock on some doors down the road. Finally, the woman in the picture is the one who opens the door. "I know this is unusual," I begin, and basically ask for a cooking lesson. She invites me in. Everyone, meet the wondrous and kind, Shamayel Kargar, who welcomed a stranger in for tea and gave her a much needed lesson on what's good about Afghanistan. Click at right for the story, the recipe, and how-to-photos. the beautiful photo: Stacey Cramp
