Silk Road Leads to Laili

Laili opened its doors to receptive Santa Cruz diners in October 2010, adding a tasty new cuisine to the town’s culinary scene.

Owned by Afghan-American Wafi Amin, Laili features delicious appetizers such as Pumpkin or Eggplant Boranee (an Afghan spread), hummus and vegetarian or beef dumplings, all served with addicting naan. For entrées you’ll find lamb kebobs, chicken with pomegranate sauce and pomegranate eggplant—all offered at reasonable prices.

Cooking up Tradition and Freshness

Laili Chef Ryan Isaak explained that many of the dishes are created from Amin’s family recipes.

“Wafi even brought in his family for me to cook with, which enabled me to understand the techniques and flavors of Afghan cuisine,” Isaak said. “From there I’ve mainly worked on presentation and utilizing local produce and goods. I try to stay away from changing the flavors. I want the food to speak for itself.”

Using fresh, local ingredients is an important part of Isaak’s cooking at Laili.

“It’s a challenge that every restaurant should be trying to accomplish,” he said. “At times it can be difficult, due to seasons changing, availability and even pricing, but the drive and will to make it work as best and as much as possible is very important.”

An Early Passion

I was curious about where Isaak’s passion for cooking came from.

“I grew up in the Central Valley of California,” Isaak said. “Food was always around and in abundance. Food was served family style, and everyone had to gather at the table. My interests started young and continually developed from there. Main influence was Dutch/German cuisine.”

However, Isaak never considered himself a chef with a capital “C.”

“I’ve been given the title as my job description, but for the most part I’m just a guy who loves to cook and loves the power of food. It’s an ever-evolving experience; you can always learn something new about food, people and ultimately about yourself.”

Tastes of the Silk Road

The food at Laili is unique, and covers several cuisines along the 5,000-mile Silk Road, but for now Isaak will concentrate on Afghanistan for his main influence.

“Afghanistan is the … starting point for Laili,” he said. “The reception has been incredible, and I can’t wait to keep expanding the food and culture to different regions.”

It must be exciting to cook new flavors, learn new techniques. I asked Isaak what he enjoyed most about cooking at Laili.

“The creative freedom Wafi has given me here is unprecedented,” he said. “I can never thank him enough for that. On top of that, the location and guests that come in have been amazing. It really is unique having this tight-knit of a community to serve. You really get the chance to create something special, not just for our customers but for ourselves as well. I’ve grown so much being here.”

Chef's Night Out

I always wonder where chefs dine on their nights off, so I posed the question to Isaak.

He laughed. “Well, I usually don’t have a free night out. One of these days I’ll be able to see firsthand what Santa Cruz has to offer. I really would like to eat at Gabriella’s Cafe. The menu always looks and sounds amazing.”

And so does the menu at Laili!

Here is a traditional Afghan stew perfect for chilly winter evenings.

Chelo Nachodo

(Chicken & chick-pea stew with crispy-bottomed rice)

Serves 6

Stew ingredients

    * 4 chicken legs and

    * 4 chicken thighs

    * 2 T olive oil

    * 5 cups water

    * 1 cup canned and drained chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

    * 2 medium onions, chopped

    * 1 celery rib with leaves, sliced

    * 1 large carrot, sliced

    * 1 zucchini, sliced

    * 1/4 t ground cumin

    * 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

    * 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

    * 1/4 cup lemon juice

    * salt and pepper to taste

Rice Ingredients

    * 4 cups water

    * 1 t salt

    * 2 cups uncooked basmati rice, well rinsed

    * 1/4 cup corn oil

 Directions

1. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil, and then brown the chicken on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove chicken and set aside.

2. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet and sauté onion, celery and carrots for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. To prepare stew: In a large soup pot, boil water. Add chicken, onion, celery, carrots, chickpeas, zucchini and cumin. Cover pot and simmer over medium-to-low heat for 45 minutes. Add cilantro, dill and lemon juice, and then simmer another 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare rice: Boil water in a medium size pot or pan with a cover. Add salt and rice and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain rice in a colander and rinse with cold water. Return rice to pan and pour oil evenly over the rice. Cover pan and cook over low heat for a half hour. The rice will develop a crisp bottom layer.

To serve, add a serving of rice to each person’s bowl and cover with the stew.