Gosh-e fil is an Iranian and Afghan fried sweet pastry that is popularly nicknamed elephant's ear due to its shape. The main ingredients in the dough are flour, sugar, eggs, and milk, which once it's kneaded and rested, is thinly rolled and only shortly fried in oil, about a few seconds on both sides.

An additional element of flavor and texture is added by sprinkling these crunchy pastries with icing sugar, powdered cardamom, and crushed pistachios, as well as the optional rose petals.

Firnee is a traditional dessert that is believed to have originated in India, where it is known as phirni. Afghan firnee is usually made with cornstarch (instead of ground rice in the Indian version) that is cooked in a mixture of milk and sugar, and just like Indian phirni, it is typically flavored with aromatic spices such as cardamom, saffron, and rose water.

The traditional version calls for sprinkling the dessert with finely ground pistachios, but these days it is often enriched with pieces of seasonal fruit, dried fruit, or coconut flakes. Similarly to Indian phirni, Afghan firnee is also traditionally prepared for special events and festivities such as weddings and religious holidays like Ramadan and Eid. 

Although it is believed to have its origins in Persia, zulbia or jalebi is an international dessert with variations that spread throughout the Middle East, India, and Asia. In its basic form, this sweet dessert is created by combining flour with yogurt or ghee, as well as baking soda or yeast to create a batter which is then poured in circular patterns directly into the sizzling oil.

The final result is a crispy treat that is then doused in a thick syrup, which can be flavored with rosewater, saffron, honey, orange blossom water, or cardamom. In both Iran and India, zulbia is served on special occasions, and it is usually sprinkled with chopped pistachios or saffron threads. 

Sheer yakh, meaning frozen milk or cold milk in Dari, is a traditional dessert that uses the same ingredients as the Indian kulfi ice cream but is prepared differently. The ice cream ingredients such as milk, sugar, and flavorings are all added to a metal container, which is then placed inside another metal container filled with ice and salt.

The person who makes the ice cream continuously rotates the vessel holding the ingredients manually within the stationary ice-filled container and occasionally stirs the creamy mixture until it becomes frozen. Typical flavorings include cardamom, rose water, and salep (wild orchid powder). 

Samanu is a sweet dessert made from wheat germ, akin to pudding, commonly prepared in Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries, especially during Nowruz (Persian New Year). It symbolizes abundance, sweetness, and prosperity and is often shared among family and friends.

The dish is made by sprouting wheat germ, grinding it, and cooking it slowly with water and wheat flour. The natural sugars from the sprouted wheat give samanu its sweet taste, requiring no additional sugar. It has a thick, pudding-like consistency and a rich, caramel-like flavor. 

Sheer pira, meaning sweet milk in Dari, is a traditional dessert made with a mixture of full-cream milk powder, ground cardamom, rosewater, and ground or chopped nuts combined with hot sugar syrup. The creamy mixture is added to a lined or greased tray or a deep dish, smoothed out, and then sprinkled with additional chopped or powdered nuts.

Typical nuts used for the dessert include walnuts, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, or almonds, which are often roasted for added flavor. Once the dessert hardens to a fudge-like consistency, it is cut into diamond-shaped slices or squares before serving. 

This Afghan dried fruit and nut soup is traditionally prepared the evening before Naw Roz, the Afghan New Year celebrated on the first day of spring. Haft mewa literally translates to seven fruits and is made with green and red raisins, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, dried apricots, and oleaster berries, all soaked in either water or sweetened rosewater.

In Afghanistan, to start off the New Year on a fresh and sweet note, the flavorful haft mewa is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast.

Khetayee are traditional cookies hailing from Afghanistan. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, powdered milk, baking powder, icing sugar, oil, and ground pistachios. The flour, powdered milk, baking powder, and icing sugar are mixed into a dough with the addition of oil.

Once prepared, the dough should be soft but firm. It is rolled into smooth balls that are slightly flattened by hand and an indentation is made in the center of each cookies. Once baked, the indentations are filled with ground pistachios and the cookies are served once they have completely cooled. 

Kolcheh Nowrozi are traditional cookies originating from Afghanistan. They're made only for Nowroz celebrations (Iranian New Year), hence the name. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, rice flour, eggs, rosewater, butter, salt, and icing sugar.

The butter and sugar are beaten until creamy, then mixed with the eggs, rosewater, both types of flour, and a pinch of salt. The sticky dough is kneaded, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated until it firms up. Later on, the dough is rolled into smooth balls that are flattened into disks and pressed with a fork to create shallow grooves on top.