Member-only story
In Kabul, Naan Endures
Through coups, invasions, and battles, the demand for bread is as strong as ever
With additional reporting by Ajmal Omari
It’s 4 a.m. on a cold November morning and still pitch dark outside. The streets of Kabul are deserted, and the only souls on the street are the few Afghan soldiers patrolling heavily militarized checkpoints nearby. But there is a bustle of activity ongoing in the small bakery run by 64-year-old Assadullah, who like most Afghans goes by only one name. The brightly lit shop stands out in the otherwise dark, empty street in the war-torn city, as eight men work in perfect rhythm, mixing flour; kneading, rolling, and marking the dough; and baking a variety of breads in a large clay tandoor, a traditional oven.
The unmistakable smell of bread wafts through the small workshop and into the streets as customers start approaching the glass window as early as 5 a.m. for their first serving of naan, a staple in every Afghan meal. Shiny, round, soft and chewy, naan is about 20 centimeters in diameter and costs 10 afghanis, or 13 U.S. cents, per piece.
“Naan is very important part of Afghan life, not just as food, but also as a social ritual,” Assadullah says as he helps pull several breads out of the tandoor and display them on the storefront. He points out the…
