The Helmand

143 First St, Cambridge
(617) 492-4646

Recent Reviews Order Online Reserve

Customers' Favorites

Baklava with Ice Cream
Vegetarian Special
Eggplant Appetizer
Mantwo Dumplings
Spiced Potatoes
Aushak Appetizer
Chicken Kebab
Mourgh Challow
Theeka Kebab
Rice Pudding

Menu

Featured items
Bowlawni
Brick oven baked twin pastry shells, one filled with leeks and scallions the other filled with spiced potatoes. Garnished with yogurt and mint.
Kaddo
Pan fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar. Served on yogurt garlic sauce. Topped with ground beef sauce.
Mantwo Appetizer
Pastry shells filled with onions and beef. Served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas, and beef sauce.
Banjan
Pan fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with tomatoes, served on yogurt garlic mint sauce.
Bendi
Okra sauteed with onion, tomatoes, black pepper, and garlic.
Aushak Appetizer
Afghan ravioli filled with leeks and scallions. Served on yogurt mint topped with ground beef sauce.
Mushawa Soup
Lamb, mung beans, chick peas, black eyed peas and yogurt soup.
Laghatac
Eggplant sauteed with onion, tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and turmeric.
Bucklawa
Layers of thin pastry with walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and spiced with cinnamon and cloves, then baked and finished with honey caramel.
Aush Soup
Noodle soup served with beef sauce and mint yogurt.

Appetizers
Bowlawni
Brick oven baked twin pastry shells, one filled with leeks and scallions the other filled with spiced potatoes, garnished with yogurt and mint.
Mantwo Appetizer
Pastry shells filled with onions and beef. Served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas, and beef sauce.
Kaddo
Pan fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served on yogurt garlic sauce. Topped with ground beef sauce.
Aushak Appetizer
Afghan ravioli filled with leeks and scallions. Served on yogurt mint topped with ground beef sauce.
Banjan
Pan fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with tomatoes, served on yogurt garlic mint sauce.

Vegetarian Appetizers
Bowlawni
Brick oven baked twin pastry shells, one filled with leeks and scallions the other filled with spiced potatoes. Garnished with yogurt and mint.
Kaddo
Pan fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar. Served on yogurt garlic sauce. Topped with ground beef sauce.
Vegetarian Aushak
Afghan ravioli filled with leeks and scallions. Served on yogurt mint. Topped with yellow split-peas and carrot sauce.
Banjan
Pan fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with fresh tomatoes. Served on yogurt garlic mint sauce.

Soups
Aush Soup
Noodle soup served with beef sauce and mint yogurt.
Mushawa Soup
Lamb, mung beans, chick peas, black eyed peas and yogurt soup.

Salads
Shor Nakhod Salad
Potatoes and chick peas on a bed of mixed green. Served with cilantro vinaigrette dressing.
Salata Salad
Mixed green salad served with balsamic vinaigrette or pomegranate dressing.

Side Dishes
Sabzi
Spinach sauteed with onions, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Laghatac
Eggplant sauteed with onion, tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and turmeric.
Bendi
Okra sauteed with onion, tomatoes, black pepper, and garlic.
Banjan
Pan fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with tomatoes. Served on yogurt garlic mint sauce.
Kaddo
Pan fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar. Served on yogurt garlic sauce and topped with ground beef sauce.

Desserts
Bucklawa
Layers of thin pastry with walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and spiced with cinnamon and cloves, then baked and finished with honey caramel.
Our Cake
Cardamom and pineapple cake. Served with ice cream with pineapple, dates, and figs on pomegranate sauce.
Feereney
Cream pudding topped with fresh kiwi, pineapple, blueberry, and strawberry.
Sheerberaing
Rice pudding. Served with pistachio and caedamom.
Sheerekh
Ice cream served with pineapple, dates, figs, pistachio, and cardamom.

Featured items
Qabelee
Pallow rice baked with chunks of lamb tenderloin, raisins, and glazed julienne of carrots.
Mourgh Kebab
Char broiled marinated chicken breast. Served with sauteed spinach and pallow rice.
Mourgh Challow
Chicken breast sauteed with spices and yellow split peas, then sauteed with yogurt, cilantro, and curry. Served with challow rice.
Lamb Lawand
Leg of lamb sauteed with onion, tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, fresh cilantro, yogurt, and spices. Served with sauteed spinach and challow rice.
Chowpan
Half rack of lamb marinated, grilled and served on a bed of Afghan bread with sauteed eggplant and pallow rice.
Vegetarian Special
A platter of baked pumpkin, pan fried eggplant, sauteed spinach, and okra sauteed in tomatoes. Served with pallow rice.
Seekh Kebab
Char broiled leg of lamb marinated in puree of onion, sun dried baby grapes, and garlic. Served with sauteed eggplant and pallow rice.
Theeka Kebab
Prime rib of beef, marinated in puree of onion, sun dried baby grapes, and garlic then grilled. Served with sauteed lentils and pallow rice.
Mantwo Dinner
Pastry shell filled with onions and beef. Served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas, and beef sauce.
Chapendaz
Choice tenderloin of beef marinated, grilled with a puree of grilled tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, and cumin seeds. Served with lentils, mung beans, and spinached rice.
Koufta Challow
Beef meatballs with Afghan seasonings sauteed with sun dried tomato, hot peppers, and green peas in a tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Dwopiaza
Seasoned tenderloin of lamb cooked with onions, sauteed with yellow split peas, and tossed with onions lightly marinated vinegar. Served with pallow rice.
Vegetarian Showla
Medium rice, mung beans, black eyed peas, sauteed with onion, tomatoes, garlic, then baked with dill and coriander seeds. Served with poblano pepper filled with spinach, cheese, tomato, and cilantro sauce.
Aushak Dinner
Afghan ravioli filled with leeks. Served on yogurt and topped with ground beef and mint.
Chappli Kebab
Ground beef with coriander flat kebabs. Cucumber and tomato salad with balsamic dressing and fried battered potatoes.
Vegetarian Kourma Challow
Fresh green beans, carrots, cauliflower, turnip, potato sauteed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and cilantro. Served with sauteed spinach and challow rice.
Vegetarian Aushak
Afghan ravioli, filled with leaks and scallions. Served on yogurt, garlic, and mint sauce. Topped with yellow split peas and carrot sauce.
Qoremay Ma-He
Sea bass pan fried, then sauteed with onion, peeled tomatoes, garlic, ginger, sun dried tomato, radishes, and potato served with challow rice.
Vegetarian Sabzi Challow
Spinach sauteed with Afghan seasonings. Served with garlic, mushrooms, okra, and challow rice.
Kaddo and Banjan Challow
Pan fried then baked pumpkin and eggplant served with yogurt garlic sauce and challow rice.

Specials
Qoremay Ma-He
Sea bass pan fried, then sauteed with onion, peeled tomatoes, garlic, ginger, sun dried tomato, radishes, and potato served with challow rice.
Mourgh Salata
Boneless breast of chicken, marinated then grilled. Served on mixed green salad with grilled vegetables and vinaigrette dressing.
Ma-He Berian
Filet of trout pan fried, served with sauteed eggplant and rice seasoned with dates and walnuts.

Entrees
Seekh Kebab
Char broiled leg of lamb marinated in puree of onion, sun dried baby grapes, and garlic. Served with sauteed eggplant and pallow rice.
Mourgh Kebab
Char broiled marinated chicken breast. Served with sauteed spinach and pallow rice.
Chappli Kebab
Ground beef with coriander flat kebabs. Cucumber and tomato salad with balsamic dressing and fried battered potatoes.
Lamb Lawand
Leg of lamb sauteed with onion, tomatoes, garlic, mushrooms, fresh cilantro, yogurt, and spices. Served with sauteed spinach and challow rice.
Qabelee
Pallow rice baked with chunks of lamb tenderloin, raisins, and glazed julienne of carrots.
Mourgh Challow
Chicken breast sauteed with spices and yellow split peas, then sauteed with yogurt, cilantro, and curry. Served with challow rice.
Aushak Dinner
Afghan ravioli filled with leeks. Served on yogurt and topped with ground beef and mint.
Theeka Kebab
Prime rib of beef, marinated in puree of onion, sun dried baby grapes, and garlic then grilled. Served with sauteed lentils and pallow rice.
Kourma Challow
Leg of lamb sauteed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, green beans, potatoes, and spices. Served with lentils and challow rice.
Mantwo Dinner
Pastry shell filled with onions and beef. Served on yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas, and beef sauce.
Chowpan
Half rack of lamb marinated, grilled and served on a bed of Afghan bread with sauteed eggplant and pallow rice.
Koufta Challow
Beef meatballs with Afghan seasonings sauteed with sun dried tomato, hot peppers, and green peas in a tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Chapendaz
Choice tenderloin of beef marinated, grilled with a puree of grilled tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, and cumin seeds. Served with lentils, mung beans, and spinached rice.
Dwopiaza
Seasoned tenderloin of lamb cooked with onions, sauteed with yellow split peas, and tossed with onions lightly marinated vinegar. Served with pallow rice.
Sabzi Challow
Spinach sauteed with chunks of beef and Afghan seasonings. Served with challow rice.

Vegetarian Entrees
Vegetarian Special
A platter of baked pumpkin, pan fried eggplant, sauteed spinach, and okra sauteed in tomatoes. Served with pallow rice.
Vegetarian Aushak
Afghan ravioli, filled with leaks and scallions. Served on yogurt, garlic, and mint sauce. Topped with yellow split peas and carrot sauce.
Vegetarian Sabzi Challow
Spinach sauteed with Afghan seasonings. Served with garlic, mushrooms, okra, and challow rice.
Vegetarian Showla
Medium rice, mung beans, black eyed peas, sauteed with onion, tomatoes, garlic, then baked with dill and coriander seeds. Served with poblano pepper filled with spinach, cheese, tomato, and cilantro sauce.
Kaddo and Banjan Challow
Pan fried then baked pumpkin and eggplant served with yogurt garlic sauce and challow rice.
Vegetarian Kourma Challow
Fresh green beans, carrots, cauliflower, turnip, potato sauteed with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and cilantro. Served with sauteed spinach and challow rice.
Vegetarian Aush Soup
Noodles and fresh vegetables soup.

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Recent Reviews

We celebrated our coworker's birthday yesterday, and it was a delightful experience. The ambiance was cozy and welcoming, with beautiful decor that set the perfect mood. We ordered a variety of appetizers and a few shareable big plates, and everything was absolutely delicious. The service was outstanding, and at the end of our dinner, the restaurant owner came over to ask if we needed anything and even made us Turkish coffee. We will definitely be coming back again!
April 2025
Wait staff was very attentive and respectful. Meal was attractively presented and lamb cooked perfectly to medium rare. Descriptions of the dishes is very helpful. Thank you for a delightful experience.
April 2025
I was disappointed with my experience. While the food is consistently delicious, the service was definitely subpar. We had to wait quite a long time ... to get water. We asked for hot water with lemon. The server left a very hot teapot on our table. No offer to pour a scalding hot liquid; we were left to fill our own cups. The bread was hot and tasty — when we got it 30 minutes after we sat down. It took awhile for them to take our order. The food was lukewarm when we got it....
March 2025

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The Helmand

143 First St, Cambridge, MA 02142
(617) 492-4646