Bite into the tastes of Afghanistan

After a successful Canada Day World Fair, Manija Shirzad looks to bring a new food truck to Fort St. John

Manija Shirzad had the Afghanistan booth at the World Fair on Canada Day.
Manija Shirzad had the Afghanistan booth at the World Fair on Canada Day.

Good news for everyone who enjoyed the food sampled at the new Afghanistan booth at the Canada Day World Fair: Manija Shirzad is opening a food truck.

“People here aren’t too familiar with Afghani food. So I’ll make a new food for them with just enough spices that everyone can enjoy it.”

Shirzad served mantu, a meat dumpling topped with spiced tomato sauce, sour cream and dried herbs, to long lines of parade-goers alongside booths sharing food from Indonesia, Japan, Switzerland, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Thailand and Nigeria.

She moved to Fort St. John just over a year ago from Edmonton and is in the process of getting a business license. She’ll open for business as soon as possible.

Originally published July 3, 2016 on Alaska Highway News.