Kangina: Afghanistan's Traditional Mud-and-Straw Method for Preserving Grapes

Kangina (Dari: کنگینه, lit. 'treasure'), also called Gangina, is the traditional Afghan technique of preserving fresh fruit, particularly grapes, in airtight discs formed from mud and straw.

The centuries-old technique is indigenous to Afghanistan's rural center and north, where remote communities that cannot import fresh fruit eat kangina-preserved fresh grapes throughout the winter.

Merchants use kangina to safely store and transport grapes for sale at market.

Grapes preserved using kangina in modern Afghanistan are typically of the thick-skinned Taifi or Kishmishi varieties, which are harvested later in the season and remain fresh in the mud vessels for up to six months.