Indian-style cuisine, based on rice. Most modern restaurants in Kabul offer international cuisine as well as Afghan specialities.
Things to know: Afghan dishes can be very good, but spicy. Vegetarians are not well catered for in Afghanistan. Cutlery is not normally used, and food is eaten with the right hand, often using bread (nan) as a scoop.
National specialities:
• The most common dish is pulao - steamed rice with raisins and carrot. This is usually served with a side dish of meat, vegetables or beans.
• The most popular variant is qabli pulao (sometimes mistakenly called Kabuli pulao), served with lamb.
• Soup (shorma) is common, as are kebabs.
• Afghanistan abounds in seasonal fruit, most notably melons from Mazar-e Sharif and Maimana, grapes and pomegranates from Kandahar and oranges from Jalalabad.
National drinks:
• The most common drink is tea (chai).
Tipping: Service is normally included.

Special purchases include Turkman hats, Kandahar embroidery, Istaff pottery, local glassware from Herat, nomad jewellery, handmade carpets and rugs, Nuristani woodcarving, silkware, brass, copper and silverwork.
Note: Many craft items may only be exported under licence. Shopping hours: Generally Sat-Wed 0800-1200 and 1300-1630, Thurs 0800-1330.