One of my gardening buddies in the community garden is a recent refugee from Afghanistan, and he brought what looks like an interesting leek with him. It doesn’t have a name, ‘Afghani Leek’ is my name. He’s given me some plants, and this is what I have growing in my garden now:
I know to some of you this won’t look like a leek, but don’t be fooled by first impressions! Even though it looks like chives or something similar, it’s not, it’s a leek.
You have to understand my method of communication with this gardener is Dutch, which is neither of our first languages. It’s sometimes hard to understand him.
What I understand is that I first have to let it grow in a clump, but use a pair of scissors from time to time and trim the top. After a while, most of the shoots will rot and die, and I’ll be left with one larger one. He says you can eat the trimmings, and they do taste like leek!
This is a picture of his garden where he has it growing:
The middle bed is full of clumps of these leek plants.
Here is a close-up of one of his more mature plants:
Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?
Hopefully I’ll have some seeds soon if anyone else wants to try growing it.
It looks like some sort of a perennial leek, many varieties are circulating in Europe, but it’s very hard to tell the exact variety (allium ampeloprasum).
That’s a good point Frank. I’ll ask him if it’s perennial. I have no idea.
Could it be Allium ampeloprasum Tarreh Irani or a close relative, or maybe a Kurrat?
Very interesting, maybe you can get the afghan name for this leek.
I think the correct writing is taree irani, this usually produces a mixture of flowers and bulbils, I don’t think it’s that one.
It could be a kurrat, but I’ve never seen one of these, maybe a picture of the flower will help, IF they will produce some sort of a flower, off course
My husband grew up in Afghanistan and remembers the food which we try to duplicate. I have been searching for Gandana which is the Afghan leek. Would you be willing to share bulbs or seeds. I would pay a fair price to see if this is what he remembers.
thanks
kim
Hi Kim,
This hasn’t been doing well in my garden, and I haven’t been able to save any seeds from the plants. They are still growing, and I’ve just moved them to another spot where they may do better, so I might be able to save some seeds this year.
I’ve also asked the other gardener who’s plants are in these pictures for some seeds, but I don’t have any from him yet. We don’t see each other very often, and he hasn’t remembered to bring seeds for me. I’ll keep trying, and ask him for some seeds for you too.
I’m sorry I can’t be of any help right now…
Hi, kim where do you live? They sell the seeds in Afghan stores in bay area Fremont, CA
Also they sell the afghan leak most of the year in the afgan stores it’s $1.99 lbs I get it all the time.
This is called Gandana in Farsi and is used in Afghanistan in Bolani, a stuffed flat bread and also in Aushak, which is like a dumpling. I’ve been looking for seeds for these in the U.S., but have had no luck. We are currently using leeks and green onions as a substitute, but gandana has its own distinct flavor that I miss 🙁
HI LOVELY, I BROUGHT SOME SEEDS BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN AS WELL BUT, SOME HOW IN LONDON I CANNOT FIND THEM IN MY SUITCASES ANY LONGER I WOULD LOVE TO GET SOME SEEDS FROM YOU AND HAVE BOLONY AND ASHAK FOR MY FAMILY THIS SUMMER MY MOTHER IN LAW LOVES IT EVEN IN A SALAD.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.
Hi Shazma:
I’m sorry, I don’t have any seeds. Does anyone else know where you can buy seeds?
This store generally has the seed in stock:
Afghan Market
1500 Monument Blvd Concord, CA 94520
(925) 825-2344
Oh my god !
It’s an old post but I try… Do you have still some gandana seeds ?
I have some friends here in Switzerland who are afghan refugees and they miss the flavour of gandana.
It’s impossible to find it here ! I will be glad to offer them some seeds.
Can you help me please ?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Nilu,
No I’m sorry, I don’t have any seeds and don’t have any suggestions other than what’s suggested above.
Patrick
Afghani Leek is a proper name as well. If Iranians call this taree then its an Iranian name for it. And it doesnt mean Afghani Leek is incorrect.
What you have is called Gandana it’s local to afghans and used in my dishes . The best thing you can do is , don’t crop it for a few days and let it flower . Once it’s flowerd let the flower go get mature and you can pick the seeds out of the flowers and plant them again . You can get lots of seeds from only one plant . Good luck
I found seeds on ebay today-5/3/2019. There weren’t many left, and it was the first time I’ve seen them. Good Luck!
Hi. I think you had had communication issues with your Afghan friend. This plant is very close to garlic chives. Just grow them outdoors straight away. You don’t need to grow them indoors first. Interestingly, you don’t have to plant new seeds next year. Most of the ones from the previous year will grow again. You can just then fill the gaps with new seeds.
11 years on, any further comments on this variety? Would love to know how it tastes, disease resistance, scape formation frequency etc.
All the best.
Hi Gabriella, thanks for the comment. I’m not growing it anymore, but maybe some others can comment more on it?
Hi from London, Patrick, & thanks for this. You seem to be just about the only person to have posted about growing gandana in Europe. An Afghan refugee friend has had some seed brought from Kabul, and we’re going to try it. Afghans in exile miss it!
If anyone else wants to link up about growing gandana in European or similar conditions, it would be great to hear from you on timevans [at] gn[dot]apc[dot]org or twitter [at] pudgypaths
Here’s an interview with Afghan refugees growing it in Vienna, July 2020. A summary translation by my friend can be found in the comment today 13/3/21 by HackneyMartian (me). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNEskyLy8Uo
Hi i grow afghan gandana seeds. Grow straight outside in a sunny position and water well every other day even when it sprout. It will look wispy and thin when it first grow but you have to cut it when its 5/10cm in length. The first cut you do not use but throw away. Cut it quite close to the ground every time you need cut it. After that you let it grow and it will grow back thicker and grow bigger. It needs watering every 2nd day all through hot weather and don’t let it grow too long or it will turn to seed. Once grown it will re grow each year providing you cut it on time and keep well watered in hot conditions. Spread chicken manure pellets over it in late autumn or early spring if needed after 1st year growth. Keep weed free and in spring, use a small fork to pierce the soil and give the roots some air pockets. I do this in uk as over winter the heavy rain/snow compact the earth and make it grow back yellow or not at all. Once it grows it is easy to look after.
Yes – its Afghan gandana – it grows well here in Northern California and there is nothing quite like it! It’s flavor is sublime – and I think what your gardening friend was trying to say is to cut leaves around the center apical growing part to keep it perpetual – to my knowledge only the leaves are used in cuisine.
Kate, do you have a source for gandana seeds in the US? I pre-ordered some on Etsy in January, but they still haven’t arrived, and are now posted as unavailable. Can’t find them anywhere else, and was hoping to grow some for newly arrived Afghan refugees in our area.
Spoke with some Afghan refugees. Tareh is the same as Gandana. Just ordered so no feedback yet, but here’s the source that we are using: https://www.kalamala.com/products/leek-seeds-for-planting-tokhm-e-tareh?variant=40094413193367¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2021-01-20&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gclid=CjwKCAjwgr6TBhAGEiwA3aVuIWLv4qICzIgsouMnV_Gg3zKwAl9v_kZjPodcldYdC72MzMDEPRlNRRoCrHUQAvD_BwE
I’m not sure if tareh is the same, but I found this seller on ebay: https://www.ebay.nl/itm/115140464684 I don’t know how long it will last…
I bought the Gandana seeds on etsy.com from a seller in the US. I live in upper Bavaria in Germany. The plants grow excellently in balcony boxes. I use potting soil or soil from coconut fibers. Okay, the plants are a little small, but it works. The last winter was mild. All plants have survived the cold in the pots.
Now, in the second year, they bloom. Very many insects buzz around the flowers. It is magnificent.
I was able to get some from a person who sells on Etsy. He sends the seeds in a pretty hand made fabric pouch. His name is Mastuurah. If you look for Gandana on Etsy you can find it.