Kangina sells two Afghan apricots, and the difference between them is worth understanding before you choose. Both are sun dried, unsulphured and free from added sugar. Here is how Ashtaq and Chapa Namak differ.
Ashtaq: dried whole, with the stone in
Ashtaq apricots, also known as Kishta Shakar Para, are dried whole with the stone still inside. Drying this way keeps more of the fruit's natural sugar locked in, which is why Ashtaq is the sweeter, more intense of the two, with a deep toffee and honey flavour. You simply eat around the stone, the way you would a fresh apricot.
Chapa Namak: seedless, ready to eat
Chapa Namak apricots are de-stoned by hand, so they are seedless and ready to eat or cook straight from the bag. That extra labour is why seedless costs a little more. They are softer and milder, ideal for chopping into dishes, baking and lunchboxes where a stone would get in the way.
Why they look darker than the supermarket
That bright orange supermarket apricot gets its colour from sulphur dioxide, a preservative. Ours have none, so they dry to a natural deep amber or brown. The darker colour is the sign of the real thing, not a fault, and it is a relief for anyone sensitive to sulphites.
Which should you choose?
Choose Ashtaq if you want the sweetest, most natural apricot to eat by the handful and do not mind the stone. Choose Chapa Namak if you want seedless convenience for cooking, baking or children. Many households keep both.
How to enjoy them
Eat them as they are, stuff Chapa Namak with a walnut for an instant sweet, chop either into tagines and porridge, or simmer into a compote. Both pair beautifully with cheese on a grazing board.
The honest difference is sweetness and convenience, and both start from the same clean, sun dried fruit.
Taste them side by side. Shop Kangina Ashtaq and Chapa Namak apricots →
