After having shrimp/seafood alfredo a few times at Italian restaurants, I was sure about one thing: I wanted CHICKEN ALFREDO!!!

My husband offered to take me to a couple of zabiha Italian restaurants, but I decided to try making it myself. It turned out fantastic and is a recipe worth sharing.

Chicken Alfredo

I have a few rules of thumb when it comes to Italian cooking.  My experience is that Italian food doesn’t usually call for as many spices and ingredients as we do in desi food. I have to admit that I don’t follow their style of cooking, and I cook mostly according to my desi style. But for the few ingredient that a recipe calls for, I always make it a priority to use good quality, fresh ingredients, and I feel that that makes all the difference.

So what is the most key ingredient in Alfredo sauce? Parmigiano-Reggiano. We know it as Parmesan cheese, but Parmigiano-Reggiano is far, far superior to regular Parmesan. Known as the King of Cheeses, and one of the most expensive hard cheeses available today, (the tiny block that I used for this dish cost me upwards of $7- err I hope my husband is not reading this), but making this cheese follows such method, detail and precision that it is considered well worth the cost.

Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

When I was first shopping for Parmigiano-Reggiano, I really wanted to get a good quality block, and when I saw one that said ‘imported,’ I happily deduced that it must be good. What I didn’t know then is that there is a reason that certain Parmesan cheese is called Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The story of Parmigiano-Reggiano started some nine centuries ago, when its process was first perfected. This process has been passed down from generation to generation, and cheese makers follow the exact same method today. After the second World War, Parmigiano-Reggiano producers set up formal rules, guidelines and standards for its production to protect the original production process and maintain its quality for the benefit of both the cheese makers and consumers. As a result, each and every single wheel that is produced undergoes rigorous inspection by experts. Thereafter, it is marked and sold to consumers.

The cheese is made exclusively in its place of origin, in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bologna. Only the cheese made here may be known as Parmigiano-Reggiano. So, unless you live in this region, your Parmigiano-Reggiano will always be imported.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is not machine manufactured. Each wheel is made by hand by cheese makers in artisan dairies. They follow strict rules of giving the cattle only natural feed. It is made with raw milk, coagulated only with calf rennet and fermented whey, and aged for a minimum of 12 months. It is sold aged anywhere between 12 months and 3 years. There is a distinct difference in taste, aroma and texture in the cheese at various degrees of aging. It does not contain any additives.

And what does it taste like? It has a strong, rich, fruity, nutty flavor, with a slightly gritty, granular texture. But when you grate it from a block, you will get such beautiful creamy flakes, lighter in color of course than the rind, and the flavor will just transport you and make you want to shove handfuls of the cheese into your mouth like nobody’s watching!

Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Parmesan cheese made in the US is commonly available shredded and is a far cry from the taste and quality of Parmigiano-Reggiano. There is such a difference in flavor and aroma, that I would definitely recommend investing in Parmigiano-Reggiano despite the steep price. My second choice would be to use Italian Parmesan cheese.

And finally, how would you know good quality Parmigiano-Reggiano from bad? Although care is taken for it to be of the highest standards, if you do end up with a sub standard block of cheese, you will be able to recognize it by its bitter taste.

Other than Parmigiano-Reggiano, the recipe requires few ingredients. But if you use fresh garlic and good quality olive oil (quite expensive, but again a significant difference in taste), then you will end up with an outstanding dish.

[The cheese that I used in this dish was aged 22 months.]

Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 heaped tsp salt
• 1 pound dried fettucine
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1½ cup heavy cream
• 1½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to sprinkle on top, if desired
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a pot. Add garlic, salt and red chili flakes and stir fry for half a minute. Add the chicken and stir fry on medium high heat until it is no longer pink. Add ¼ cup of water, reduce the heat to medium low and cover and cook for about 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Uncover and stir fry on medium high heat until all the water evaporates. Remove from the heat and keep aside.

Cook the fettucine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water with 2 tbsp oil until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until tender. Add black pepper and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the Parmesan and chicken and remove from the heat.

Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, set over medium-high heat along with the reserved cooking liquid. Add the Parmesan mixture and toss to combine thoroughly. Adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with more Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Chicken Alfredo

For the Gluten Free version:

Toss the Parmesan sauce with any gluten free pasta of your choice. I just put aside enough sauce to toss with a couple of servings of my daughter’s favorite gluten free rice pasta.

Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo

Notes:

Fettucine tends to stick together a lot, so remember to add some oil to the water you’re cooking it in.

I bought a block that gave me about 2 cups of grated cheese. Knowing the extra would be wasted for sure, I threw all of it in the sauce.

It is very important to serve this dish immediately! As is always the case, after resting, the butter in the dish does separate.

Recipe for the Alfredo sauce adapted from Fettucine Alfredo by Emeril Lagasse.

I would love to have this right now! I think I need to make it…

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Pasta with Meat Sauce

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Shaljam gosht. It’s not glamorous, it’s not served on parties, but being a Pishori, I can only admit that it is one of my all time favorite meals. Shaljam, [or shalgham in Urdu, thippar in Hindko, taperr (tay-PER) in Pashto or gongloo as they are known in Punjabi] were a staple in our house growing up, and I loved them whether they were served with white rice, (a winning combination) or, with roti kootofied (small pieces of fresh made roti mixed into the salan or gravy by hand), with a dollop of yogurt.

Shaljam Gosht with White Rice

When I was around 10, we took a trip to the Northern Mountains. In Kalam, we spotted some freshly grown turnips. There are few crops that can grow in the harsh climate and terrain of the mountains, and root vegetables like potatoes and turnips are two of the most commonly cultivated crops. My father bought about a ton of them and handed them over to the hotel staff to cook for us. While we were waiting for our meal, my brother and I started discussing turnips. I told him that I really liked them, and he said to me that the only time that a turnip can be considered ‘good’ is when it is so tender that as soon as you touch it, it completely dissolves. I emphatically agreed.

Unfortunately, at such a high altitude, it takes forever to cook anything, and a tough vegetable like the turnip? Forget it. Not to mention the very large quantity. We waited and waited and waited, and were finally served the rather less than tender shaljam gosht. Now, just to prove to my brother that I really meant when I said that I liked them, I ate a lot, although I’m sure he wasn’t keeping tabs on how much I was eating. Such a waste! Because I couldn’t look at turnips for a while after that. Kids do silly things!

Shaljam Gosht with Roti Kootofied

The day came when I was making my first shaljam gosht in America, and I did not forget that lesson. They did turn out to be tender, but that was the time when it used to take me a full working day to make one (very dark brown) dish. Somehow, it just wasn’t the yummy taste of my mother’s shaljam gosht. But now finally, AH, six years later, I can say that my extremely vegetable averse husband also happily enjoys my shaljam gosht.

In the Punjab, turnips are made completely mashed, with or without meat. Another popular dish is the shab deg, which is a kind of stew made with meat and turnips, but the special thing about it is that it uses whole turnips, and the stew is cooked on low heat all night long. It sounds very good, but I have to admit that I’m not brave enough to try it at home!

The main reason that I wanted to do this post now is that turnips are in season! Yay! Although you can get turnips all year around, in the spring and summer, the inside of the turnip is dry and webbed. They cook up webbed and stringy too, and are quite unappetizing. These days they are fresh, firm and vibrant, the inside a smooth, creamy white. Enjoy them while you can. I have completely stopped making them out of season.

Turnips

The other very important thing is knowing how to cut them. I have mentioned that they are quite hard. After you are done peeling them, take a very sharp knife, and cut in a sliding motion, cutting with the top of the knife first, and then sliding it down, using your wrist, to cut through. You know, the way chefs do it on TV. So important. If you try to cut through the turnip while holding the knife horizontal and parallel with your work surface, the knife will slip, the turnip will fly and there will be a lot of blood to clean up.

How to cut a turnip

[Note: The turnips are traditionally cut into large chunks for this dish.]

Shaljam Gosht
Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef (or mutton)
• ¼ cup oil
• 2 onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp yogurt (optional)
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 heaped tsp salt
• ½ tsp red chillies
• 1 heaped tsp coriander powder
• 1 heaped tsp cumin
• touch of oregano (optional)
• 1-2 green chillies, halved (optional)
• 5 medium turnips
• 3 tbsp sugar
• Cilantro and ginger for garnishing

Method:
Finely chop the onions and tomatoes and fry them in the oil until they turn a light brown color. Add the ginger, garlic, yogurt, green chillies and all the spices. Stir fry for a minute or two. Add the meat and stir fry for a few minutes on almost high heat until it is no longer pink and gives off a roasted aroma.

Add the turnips and stir fry until well coated with the spice mixture.

Add 4 cups of warm water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat almost to low (the water should still be simmering), cover and cook for about 1-1½ hours or until the meat and the turnips are fork tender.

Half way through the cooking, add the sugar. When they are done, reduce the gravy to your liking (shaljam gosht usually has a good amount of gravy) and adjust the seasoning.

Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and thinly sliced ginger and serve hot with white rice or roti.

Shaljam Gosht

Notes:

We’ve established that the turnips have to be very, very tender. But since it takes them a while to cook, your dish will be in danger of becoming very dark in color. For this reason, I fry the onions to a very pale, just starting to turn light brown, color. Shaljam gosht should be a very appetizing golden color.

Secondly, I throw in the turnips with the meat. Usually, the meat is cooked until tender first, then the turnips and sugar are added, bhoonofied, and then simmered until the turnips are cooked through. But my method saves me some time. Plus, as mentioned before, if you’re cooking the meat first then adding the turnips, then the dish will only keep getting darker and darker.

I don’t use a pressure cooker. I don’t want anything to blow up in my kitchen, because then I’ll have to clean up all the mess and make dinner again from scratch. I have other things to worry about. But if you use it regularly, then it can really save you some time.

Enjoy the  seasonal flavors as they come!

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White Rice

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White rice is a great base for just about every dish in the world. When making white rice, I usually flavor the rice with something. This can be one or a combination of the following:

• halved green chillies
• black and/or white cumin
• pinch of cinnamon powder
• 1-2 cloves
• handful of roughly chopped cilantro
• chives
• green onion
• butter
• fried onions

White Rice

I have one tried and tested formula for making rice that I learnt from my mother. For more on that, and how to obtain the best results and troubleshooting tips, see my Matar Pulao or Peas Pulao post.

White Rice
Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 4 cups water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1½ tsp salt
• any flavoring of your choice (optional)

Method:
Soak the rice in cold water for 1-2 hours.

Add the oil, salt and flavoring to 4 cups of water and bring to a bubbling boil.

Drain the rice and add to the water. Give it one stir to evenly spread the rice. Reduce the heat to medium low and partially cover the pot. Do not stir again while the rice cooks.

Cook until you see bubbles turning into holes on the surface of the rice. At this point, immediately turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes (set the kitchen timer).

Uncover and check the rice. If the rice is not done to your liking, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. The rice should be completely tender, but not mushy; each grain should be separate and it shouldn’t be sticking to the bottom of the pot. When it is done, give the rice one or two stirs in a gentle, folding motion. Turn off the heat.

Variation:
Put 2 tbsp oil in the water. Fry half of a thinly sliced onion in 3 tbsp oil until golden brown. Pour the onion and oil over the rice after it is cooked.

Troubleshooting:

Why does my rice have a bad smell?
Each variety of rice has a certain aroma. It is a good idea to add some kind of flavoring (listed above) to it if you don’t like the smell of the plain rice that you are using. You can also try using basmati rice which is known for it’s wonderful aroma. Sela rice (marked as ‘Parboiled rice’ in desi grocery stores) has a particularly strong, rather unpleasant smell. It should not be cooked using the above given method.

White Rice

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Shaljam Gosht

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I don’t know how to make fish. It’s one of those things that I never really made at home. I want to clarify that I love fish. But here’s what happened: When we first got married, there weren’t a lot of zabiha halal restaurants in some of the smaller cities that we lived in, so we used to eat a lot of seafood when we went out. But my husband doesn’t like the bland tasting seafood served in American restaurants, and eating it completely put him off of fish. As a result, he only wanted to eat chicken and meat at home, so I never learned how to make fish!

That is, until I was introduced to this recipe.

We discovered this recipe in a very unexpected way. My husband was in Las Vegas for a project, and he met with a colleague who was Filipino at his apartment to discuss some work. As lunchtime approached, his colleague offered to make lunch for them. He defrosted a couple of whole tilapias in the microwave, sprinkled some steak seasoning on them and pan fried them. Minutes later, he served them up with white rice. Later on, my husband called and told me about the delicious lunch that he had had. I was in Dallas, and my mother was also visiting.

Frying Whole Tilapia

Now, I really like fish. I’ll take it, bland or spicy, and hearing about his lunch made me crave it, especially since we hadn’t had fish in a long time. That very day I went and got some fresh whole tilapias, and made it exactly per his method. It was so, so easy, and so, so good.

There have been a couple of other times when I’ve had whole fried fish. The first was about 18 odd years ago. We stopped on the roadside on our way to Swat and sat down at tables laid down in a green field. It was batter fried whole fish, and I remember being fascinated that I could see its eyes. There is really so much flavor in the fresh water fish in Pakistan. It was really delicious.

The second time was with my in-laws at Atlanta Fish Market Restaurant in Buckhead, an upscale seafood restaurant. After I placed my order, the server leaned close and warned me that ordering the ‘whole’ fish meant that its head, eyes and all, would be attached, and if I wanted, they would remove the head before serving it to me. Honestly, I don’t really get fazed by such things, and I told him to bring it on! Another delicious meal!

I do know that some people (especially women) get disconcerted by such things. If you are one of those people, then this dish is not for you. Secondly, being from Pakistan, we are very used to eating fish that has bones, compared to skinless, boneless fish fillets. I have to say that this dish has to be embraced and enjoyed for what it is. Head and eyes and skin and bones and all.

Pan Fried Whole Tilapia

So, even though I don’t know how to make fish, this dish has become a staple in our house.

Tilapia mostly has the main skeleton running across its center, and there really aren’t any tiny bones to deal with. I pull the meat away from the skeleton completely from one side, then turn it over and tackle the other side.

I would also like to point out that whole tilapia is very reasonably priced. Because there is no labor involved in cleaning and filleting it, it makes for quite an affordable meal. It may or may not be a quick meal, depending on how many fish you’re frying. If you’re frying 2-4, then it’s quick enough, but if it’s more than that then it will take some time. And don’t forget to open all the windows!!!

Pan fried whole Tilapia
Ingredients:

• Whole tilapia
• Steak seasoning
• Salt
• Oil for frying

 Method:

• Thoroughly wash the fish, making sure to clean out the cavity and remove any blood and innards. Pat dry.
• Make 2-3 cuts on both sides of the fish.
• Lightly sprinkle both sides and the cavity with salt. Now generously season with steak seasoning. (The steak seasoning contains salt as well)
• Heat the oil in a 12 inch frying pan but don’t let it get too hot. (The fish should sizzle when it’s added to the oil, but if the oil is too hot then it will burn right away.)

• Add the fish, and cook on just under medium heat for about 6-9 minutes on each side, (try to turn only once) depending on the size of your fish, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with white rice and a tangy salad.

Notes:

I just want to say that if you use some other seasoning, or desi masala, and don’t like how it turns out, then don’t blame me!

You may use fresh or frozen fish. I prefer fresh. Defrost frozen fish completely before frying.

There’s a lot of news about how there is no strict regulation on how fish is marked, and a very large number of fish are falsely labelled. The benefit of buying whole fish is that you can see what the fish looks like and be sure that you’re getting the right one! (Although you still can’t be sure about things like farm raised vs wild caught, etc).

Pan Fried Whole Tilapia

I hope you enjoy it!

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White Rice

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So, who gets tired of eating meatless/vegetarian/seafood pasta at Italian restaurants? Pasta and meat in a tomato sauce is an awesome combination, and we shouldn’t miss out on it just because we can’t eat it at restaurants!

Growing up watching cricket in Pakistan, I always wanted to visit all those beautiful countries- Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, the Caribbean. And, of course, everyone wants to go to Europe and see all the historic… civilizations… and… art… and natural beauty and… Paris. I did too, although I think South Africa was always number one for me… but all that changed after we went for hajj. Now, I would just like to go on a vacation to a Muslim country. I know, I know!!!!!!!!! That sounds so pretentious and holier-than-thou!!!

But hear me out! I am all for exploring God’s beautiful world- and no doubt Europe etc, are wonderful places one should not pass up the opportunity to visit them. But here’s the thing- food and enjoyment are very, very closely related for me. And in Saudi Arabia, we did not have to stop and consider for one second if we could eat that food or not. We ate everywhere- from the hotel, to roadside restaurants, to international chains like Pizza Hut and KFC to local chains like Al Baik Fried Chicken. And it was a sort of freedom that I haven’t experienced in a long, long time. And I don’t mean to say that every meal has to be five star. Visiting a new country means a lot of exploring, and just grabbing a snack and visiting all the tourist spots- I get that. But I don’t want to have to worry whether they have something halal, or where I can find halal food, or if it has pork or alcohol added to it, etc etc etc. On top of that my gluten free daughter doesn’t even eat seafood. So, basically, she has no options.

That is why Saudi Arabia was so liberating. Anytime we were hungry, the first place we saw, we could go in and order anything from the menu. Awesome! Now that’s what I call a vacation! And there’s so much to explore in the Muslim world too- Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, the UAE and Indonesia for example. Not that I’m going on a vacation anytime soon! But it’s fun to think about it!

Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

But just because I’m not going to Italy in the near future, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy fantastic Italian food!  I love how this recipe has shaped up, and everyone who has had it has also enjoyed it.

I won’t say it’s the easiest recipe because I suppose the easiest way to make pasta would be to toss it with a jar of store bought spaghetti sauce.  But when I came to America, I was under the impression that spaghetti sauce has some non-halal ingredients. So, I always made spaghetti sauce from scratch at home. If I had known, would I have bought it, or made it myself anyway? Even though I’ve been told that vegetarian spaghetti sauce is available, I have never even considered buying it. I quite like my sauce- my recipe has evolved over time and now I feel like I’ve reached a good balance.

It’s so easy! It’s not desi style pasta. But I use desi style cooking and Italian ingredients! For the classic Italian style pasta sauce, you have to simmer the sauce for a long time to reduce it and blend all the flavors together. I don’t have the time. I don’t make the sauce separately, to use whenever I make pasta. The mince meat and sauce are all made it in one pot. Toss it with the pasta! Done!

If you don’t like desi style pasta, then this dish works for you because it only has Italian seasoning. And if you’re only fond of desi style cooking, then you’ll enjoy it too because  the few Italian ingredients used in this dish add some really good flavor to it. It is not bland tasting at all.

My baby cousin was visiting recently, and I made this for her. She quite likes pasta, and I think she was enjoying watching me make it. Just when all the fresh herbs started giving off their wonderful aroma, she said to me, “Take a picture! Put this on your website! This is what people want!”

Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

Ok, so she’s not a baby anymore, but she’s the youngest cousin and will always be a baby to the rest of us. So, for all the pasta loving newlyweds like her, I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your house like it is in mine!

Feel free to substitute penne with your favorite pasta. But for serving guests, I feel like penne makes for a pretty presentation and is easy to eat. Otherwise, I use this sauce with spaghetti, angel hair, elbow macaroni, or shells, whatever I have on hand.

For the gluten free version, simply use any gluten free pasta of your choice.

Gluten Free Macaroni with Meat Sauce for my little princess.

Pasta with Meat Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste with basil, garlic and oregano
• 1 14.5 can diced tomatoes OR 5 roma tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• handful fresh basil + more for garnishing
• 1 tbsp salt
• ¼ tsp heaped red chili pepper flakes
• ½ tsp heaped black pepper
• 1 lb penne pasta

Method:

Fry the onion in the olive oil until soft and translucent. (I always add a little water and cover and cook to speed up the process.) Add the garlic, finely chopped herbs and seasoning and stir fry for a few seconds.

Add the carrot and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the ground beef and stir fry on medium high heat until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of warm water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium low heat for about 20-25 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Stir fry for a few minutes after all the water has evaporated.

Puree the diced tomatoes until smooth. (If you like your sauce to be chunky, then use diced tomatoes.) Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the meat. Add a ¼ of a cup of water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and toss with the meat sauce.

Step it up!

But it doesn’t end there!

The basic meat sauce recipe is great, but another cousin of mine gave me a tip that will just take it to the next level! Especially great if you want to step it up a bit to serve to guests.

• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• ⅔ cup heavy cream

Melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms until done and all the liquid has evaporated,about 10-12 minutes.

Add the heavy cream and just a touch of salt and pepper. (The pasta has already been seasoned, so you don’t want to overdo the seasoning.) Simmer 5 minutes.

Pour over the pasta and toss.

Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.

Penne Pasta with Meat Sauce

Notes:

The key really is to use as many fresh ingredients as possible. The taste of the canned tomato paste can be countered with fresh garlic and herbs, and I’m sure that you will enjoy the flavor. Oregano (ajwaein) and basil (niaz bo) are commonly used in Pakistani cooking as well.

Usually, celery is also added to the tomato sauce but it’s not my favorite so I leave it out.

Do not let the onions brown. I feel like that gives it a very desi aroma.

You will have more sauce than appears in my pictures because I always take some out to mix with gluten free pasta for my daughter.

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Chicken Alfredo

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This might sound like a bad Indian soap opera, but it’s actually a very well loved, Peshawari dish…that my mother-in-law made recently, so I was like, yay! Now I don’t have to make it and measure out all the quantities! So, I conveniently handed her the task of noting down all the steps for me. That she did, and we thoroughly enjoyed the delicious meal. It was so nice to have such a special dish handed to me on a plate, without my having to lift a finger! Nothing like mom’s cooking!

So, what exactly is shola, you might ask? Shola belongs to the khichri family, which includes khichri, maash pulao, and shola. Some people really like khichri, especially my mother’s side of the family, but if like me, you only ate khichri when things weren’t going so well for your tummy, then don’t worry, you can still love shola like I do. Because shola is to khichri what haleem is to daal. It’s fancy. And very, very special. And of course, as the name suggests, it should be fiery in terms of heat! As my brother says, unless there is smoke coming out of your ears while eating, it doesn’t qualify as shola!

Shola

The Peshawari, or Pishori culture that we grew up in, belongs to a simple people. It was very earthy and grassroot, with little attention to formality and protocol, and a lot of attention to (extended) family get togethers and laughter… as my uncle always says, gappan te shappan, khanay te peenaay, haasa te kheda! Don’t even ask me to translate! It’s impossible!

Peshawar is a small city, and when my parents’ generation was growing up there, it was also extremely close knit. Everyone knows everyone. That’s a fact. Every spare moment was spent getting together with relatives, near and far. All the (first, second, third) cousins playing outside in the wide open fields, or in the streets, if they were in the city, all the adults enjoying talking and the women preparing delicious but simple meals, and in all of this, sounds of laughter echoing far and wide.

A large pot of Shola!

And it’s this laughter, this unbridled expression of complete joy and enjoyment, that brings people together and creates a bond, and draws everyone in. So that people keep coming back to share that joy with abandon… that is what people used to look forward to.

Sometimes they would sit together and recite couplets, sometimes the women would sing songs, sometimes they would do the luddi (a folk dance). There was actually a time when all the girls started doing the luddi at a funeral in a room upstairs, where they were all together, believe it or not!!! We have fallen on the floor laughing at this story and it never gets old, and as crazy and unfeeling as it might sound, I think it seemed like the natural thing for them to do at the time! They were a bunch of cousins, all together under one roof, and they thought of something fun to do!

Ok, it’s bizzare, but some story huh? Only in my family…

The thing to take away from this, however, is that the family was one big cohesive unit and it was all about the shared moments and the good times! That was entertainment and relaxation, creating a lifetime of wonderful memories.

And all this happened over one or two dishes, made in a large quantity, rather than a large number of items. Someone would say, I’m making shola, and everyone would converge, and the only thing accompanying the bottomless pot of shola would be a bottomless bowl of raita! No fretting over a chicken dish, and there must be kababs, and a vegetable, and we have to order pizza for the kids! No.

A large dastarkhwan would be laid out in the great room, everyone would squeeze in together, cross legged, or… half of a cross leg. (Yes, there’s that style too, it saves space and I find it very comfortable, actually. I cannot possibly explain what it’s like. I just know that people think that I’m a contortionist when I sit that way.) Everyone would sit around, bowls of shola, yogurt and salaad (sliced tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions) laid out at regular intervals, and everyone eating using their fingers while holding their plate with the other hand.

Accompaniments

Raita

I really enjoy that sense of an archetypal favorite dish. Recently, we got an invitation to a dinner, where the host had made paey. They were phenomenal, and I loved that everyone was there because paey are special, and we know it, and we were all there to savor every morsel of that outstanding dish! No one said… errr… I don’t like paey. They’re sticky. They’re messy. Everyone just got in there and dug in, and got their hands dirty, and had a great time. The entire atmosphere was different from the usual… it didn’t seem like anyone was there to impress anyone, which a lot of us are trying to do at dinner parties, especially as the hosts. There has to be x number of dishes, such and such serve wear, such and such presentation, etc, etc, etc.

Shola is that grand, quintessential item that brought families together for generations, and I hope it continues to do so, in our home and in yours.

This recipe makes a large quantity, enough for 8-10 hungry people. It is meant to be served as the only dish at dinner!

Shola

Ingredients:

• 2 lb boneless beef cubes
• 3 cups basmati rice
• 2 cups whole mung daal (green gram)
• 2 large onions
• 1¼ cups oil
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• 4 tsp corriander powder
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 5 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 22 cups warm water

Method:

• Soak the rice and the green gram in separate bowls for about 2 hours.
• Slice the onions. Fry in the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot until brown.
• Add the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for a few seconds. Add the meat and bhoonofy well. Add all the spices and salt and stir fry some more.
• Add 11 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Add the mung daal and cover and cook on medium low heat until the mung is very tender, but not bursting out of its peel.
• Add the remaining 11 cups of warm water and bring to a simmer once again. Drain the rice and add to the pot. Cover and cook on medium low heat until the rice is very soft.
• Now ghotofy- mix well for a few minutes using a thick, wooden spoon until the mixture is mashed together. Adjust the seasoning.
• Transfer to a serving dish.

Shola

Tempering

This is the most important step! Tempering enhances the flavor of the dish beyond belief!

Slice an onion and fry in 1¼ cups of oil until the edges start to turn brown. Pour the onions, along with the oil, over the shola.

Because of some health conscious guests, however, my mother-in-law served the onions on the side.

Fried onions for tempering

Notes:

Take care not to let the meat get so tender the it dissolves completely. If at any stage, you feel that it is completely tender and leaving it in will cause it to disappear in the dish, then remove it from the pot and keep aside in a covered container. When the shola is ready, mix the meat in. It should be visible and discernible.

Shola is sort of mushy but the texture of the rice and mung should be there. Do not use a blender or any kitchen appliances to mix it together.

Watch the consistency of the dish. It is thick, but not completely solid. Adjust the consistency with water right before serving. It will thicken as it sits. So don’t worry about the large amount of water that the recipe calls for.

Serve with endless raita, achar and a garden salad.

I almost forgot to mention! Shola is eaten with a spoon. Oh, and like haleem, it’s even better the next day!

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A few years ago, when I thought of American cuisine,  I would completely draw a blank. Pizza? Not very original. Hot dogs? Does that even qualify as real food? I think the only thing that I could name with any surety would have been chocolate chip cookies. Ehm.

But it’s the south where you see that a definite cuisine has evolved. There are real ingredients, fresh produce, actual cooking, defined flavors and a distinct character. Southern food draws from many influences, and they have each made their mark in different areas. Some dishes are fantastic but need an acquired taste, if you grew up eating those foods, you would love them, but I think none has the universal appeal that crispy fried chicken does!

One recipe that I particularly enjoyed reading was in the book, ‘The Help,’ by Kathryn Stockett. Set in Jackson, MS, this bestseller turned movie paints a poignant picture of the life of African American maids in the racist South of the 60′s. Interestingly, we were living in Jackson when I read this book, and it elevated my experience of reading it manifold. I was in that very place, walking those very roads…

There’s something about experiencing a story in the place that it is set. My brother was living in Boston when the movie, ‘The Departed‘ was released. I could just hear the enjoyment in his voice when he talked about how much he could relate to the locations, the atmosphere, the accent.

Fried Chicken

Another time I was discussing with a friend who was living in London at the time, about how disappointed I was in the movie, ‘Finding Neverland.’ I had started watching it thinking I was going to see Peter Pan. That’s what everyone used to say! It’s Peter Pan. But it turned out to be a boring, rather depressing, woeful tale about how the author of Peter Pan, J M Barrie, ‘found’ his story, drawing inspiration from a family he met. Anyway, she argued that I had completely missed the point, and I couldn’t feel any connection to the characters or the story because I didn’t know what it was like to actually go to Hyde Park and to sit on that very bench…

Like when I had a great time watching Disney’s ‘The Princess and the Frog’ because I had had such a wonderful time visiting New Orleans! Beignets, gumbo, the bayou, voodoo, there’s so much character in that city. I think I’m the only one who likes that Disney Princess, though! What you associate something with makes all the difference in how you feel about it.

Coming back to ‘The Help’ and fried chicken- I don’t use the recipe given in the book but I have collaborated with another Southern Cooking Queen for my recipe- Paula Deen. Well, she doesn’t know that we have collaborated, but we have.

While searching for a good recipe, I took notes from whatever good recipes I found and put this one together. There are many ways of making very good fried chicken; this recipe is just what I’m using these days.

Notes:

Soak the chicken in buttermilk. Now, supposedly, this will make the chicken very tender, and I have done it many times. No doubt the chicken is tender, but chicken in America, generally speaking, is very tender so if you are asking how much more tender it makes it, I wouldn’t know. I have tried it without the buttermilk too, and can’t say there is a big difference. Your call.

Season the flour. This step is one that does make a significant difference. It adds a lot more flavor to the chicken, rather than having a totally bland coating.

The chicken will turn a couple of shades darker after you take it out of the oil, so don’t over fry it. Fact. It will also get tough.

Fried Chicken

For the gluten free version: Replace the flour with cornflour. I have also tried making it with Masa harina but didn’t like how that turned out. Note that cornflour takes longer than flour to brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 heaped tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup hot red pepper sauce (OR try Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1½ tsp McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Toss to coat the chicken evenly with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Lightly beat the eggs, water and hot sauce together.
• In another dish, combine the flour, baking powder and chicken seasoning.
• Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge in the flour mixture. Coat completely.
• Heat the oil enough that the chicken sizzles when added to it, but doesn’t immediately start to brown. The pieces have to cook completely first.
• Fry in the heated oil until golden brown and cooked through, turning once. I start off on a little under medium heat to thoroughly cook the chicken, and then turn it up a little to brown. Do not over crowd the pan. It takes mine about 5 minutes on each side, (we also get pretty small chickens) but keep in mind that dark meat takes longer than white meat. Check a piece to make sure that the chicken is done.
• Drain on paper towels and serve immediately!

[Adapted from Paula Deen's Southern Fried Chicken.]

Now that was easy, wasn’t it? Remember, don’t let the chicken get too dark. If it’s getting dark and still not cooked through, then lower the heat and cook it for longer. The chicken should just be done when you take it out. If you leave it in too long it will get tough.

Some recipes also call for double dipping in the flour for an extra crispy coating. I have learnt from experience that that is unnecessary. This recipe is good for a very crisp and crunchy coating.

The chicken seasoning makes the crispy coating look very pretty indeed- the flecks of the herbs are clearly visible! But if you don’t have McCormick Montreal Chicken Seasoning, or any other chicken seasoning, and don’t want to buy any, then you could just use salt and pepper and a touch of your favorite herbs.

The other great thing about this recipe is that the hot sauce adds enough flavor that you don’t need to worry about marination.

Update: I love it when people try my recipes because it gives me a chance to learn something new. Thanks to Raabia  who tried the recipe, we now have a few more tips for you!

If you only have whole wheat flour, then mix it with cornflour to lighten it up. Otherwise it will be too thick and heavy.

Nando’s Peri Peri Sauce is a great substitute for the hot sauce!

If the chicken is not cooked through, then finish it in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Author: Insha Bukhari

Food blogger at www.hungerandhawhai.com.

This week, Amina Shah of American food blog, Zabiha Bites, asked to feature one of Hunger & Haw Hai’s recipes on her site.I was flattered and excited. To Amina, thank you, thank you, thank you, because I’m absolutely thrilled!

I’m setting up a super simple burger bar this week because regardless of which side of the Atlantic you’re on, we can all agree on the awesomeness of a big, juicy burger.

The only secret to building a burger bar is this; presentation! Take the time to make it look mouth-watering. It’s fairly simple because all you have to do is bust out a basic, bare-bones burger and arrange all your fresh ingredients on the side as optional toppings. That way, it’s no problem dealing with the “no onions, no tomatoes,” types and that’s really quite the crowd-pleaser.

Super Simple Burgers

I like my burgers fairly simple; soft, lightly toasted bun, moist meat, crisp lettuce and onions, a juicy slice or two of tomatoes and of course, secret sauce. But the beauty of this burger bar is that you select what sides to serve. If sautéed onions are your thing, go for it. Can’t chow down without cheese? Serve up some slices. Let your taste-buds take the lead.

This week, I’ve adapted Mark Bittman’s Favorite Burger. I’m a huge fan of beef, but in Pakistan, beef can have an unpleasant after-taste so I use minced mutton instead. If you happen to be living state-side, skip the substitute and bring on the beef!

The Super Simple Burger Bar (makes approx. 18 mini-burgers)

Adapted from How to Cook Everything: My Favorite Burger, by Mark Bittman

Ingredients Super Simple Burgers

• 1 kg (2 lbs) ground mutton or beef
• 1 large onion, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 slice fresh bread, in coarse crumbs
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 18 mini burger buns, halved

-       In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onions, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, and pepper. I sprinkle salt on top of the patties while cooking because I find it leaves the meat moist and juicy. Also, avoid over-mixing the meat, unless you like hockey pucks instead of patties.

-       Divide the meat into 12-18 meatballs, depending on how big you’d like your burgers. Gently press the meatballs into patties 1 inch thick and about 3½ inches wide. Cover and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, allowing the patties to firm up slightly. This keeps them from falling apart when they hit the pan.

-       In a large frying pan, over a medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Arrange 4-6 patties in the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook approximately 2 minutes, flip, and cook for another 2 minutes and remove from the heat.

-       Once all the patties are cooked, turn down the heat and use the pan to gently toast the buns.

Super Simple Burgers

Ingredients Super Simple Sides

• Fresh lettuce leaves
• Sliced tomatoes
• Sliced onions
• Sliced pickles
• Sliced cheese
• Turkey bacon
• Sauteed mushrooms ( 2 cups sliced mushrooms + 1 ounce butter + 1 teaspoon garlic)
• Sauteed onions (2 cups sliced onions + 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar + 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce)
• Fresh tomato salsa (1 can diced tomatoes + 1 medium onion diced + diced jalapenos + fresh cilantro + ground cumin )

-       Arrange sides in individual bowls.

Ingredients Super Simple Secret Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup mustard
• 1-2 pickles, finely diced
• Salt, to taste

-       In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Until next time, think hard, think deep, and choose to be you.

Super Simple Burgers

To read the entire post, please visit http://www.hungerandhawhai.com/2013/01/simpleburgers.html.

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I come from a family that is kind of crazy about sports. Top athletes in school and everything. I grew up with older brothers in Pakistan. And that can only mean one thing. An endless cricket craze. We weren’t allowed to watch anything else  when there was a cricket match on (well there wasn’t much else to watch either at that time).

Of course most boys watch and play cricket in Pakistan. But it wasn’t just that. Flood lit tournaments, where they played all night long, matches even in the sweltering heat, coming home panting and dripping with sweat. And then getting up the next day and doing it all over again.

And following the seasonal trends. Back then, Cricket tournaments didn’t happen all year around like they do now, so whatever was on- tennis, squash, badminton, table tennis, football (I’m talking about soccer), hockey, they would follow that trend at home too.

Of course, I played a lot as a kid- that’s what kids do. Every evening, my cousins and I would get together and go outside. Running around the neighborhood, playing on the foundations of houses that were under construction, climbing trees and boundary walls, building houses and huts out of everything. Card games, board games, guessing games, running, jumping, skipping, hopping, and following our older brothers into whatever sports they were into at the time. It was a fun and carefree childhood.

We grew up playing outside, making up games using our imagination. I loved making up stories and acting them out. I don’t think there is a single topic in the world that we didn’t make stories out of. We had a wooden ladder that we used for tens of different games. That’s what a child’s imagination will do. One ladder. Endless possibilities. Nowadays, kids watch cartoons about playing outside and using their imagination. I watched cricket and enjoyed it. I actually thought about how I would follow the matches after moving to America. Ha ha.

After I came here and missed the first few cricket tournaments, it dawned on me. Wow. I really don’t miss it at all! I guess my brother’s obsession was rubbing off on me, plus when you’re backing a team whose performance is so erratic- that feeling of elation when they used to win, and then the devastation when they wouldn’t even be trying on the field- spare me the emotional trauma.

Unlike the rest of my family, I am not athletic, and I have slowly come to realize (and accept) that I don’t like watching sports at all. I’ll join in to play for fun, but I’m not a die hard fan of competitive sports. I enjoy playing, but there is a noticeably sad dearth of talent!

Now I admit that I may not be very sporty, but believe me, I understand the importance of sports for an individual, and for a nation. (And don’t take me for someone who believes in just cooking and eating all day long. I’m a very strong believer in being fit- going outdoors, exercising; I also believe in eating all kinds of foods from all food groups albeit in moderation!) It sparks companionship, it’s great for the body and for the mind.

Sports ignites passion and builds camaraderie among people like nothing else. It can bring an entire nation together. When you think about the kind of backgrounds that some of the Pakistani cricket players come from, and the way they are built up to compete and succeed at an international level on the basis of sheer talent, it could really make great sports movies, like the countless ones made in Hollywood- inspiring tales of how the underdogs do well. A lot of times the movies are not even about becoming champions, but about winning one game on heart alone. We could have had hundreds of stories! They really boost morale and raise self esteem; spread positive energy, and can be uplifting for the whole country!

Well, the heroes are inconsistent, and no one is making a movie.

However, even though I left the fan club, it seems like it is still going strong without me! Even in America, Pakistanis religiously follow cricket, friends getting together to watch matches all night long; even some desi theaters play the matches to crowds. And then there are some people like my husband who also loves to follow American sports. Every super bowl weekend, he wants chili and nachos and wings, and I don’t want to do all that for one person, plus it’s no fun for me since he’s just watching the game. So, I like to invite friends over (we throw the worst parties for desis- I mean, the super bowl?) to enjoy the food and have a good time.

Home made mini pizzas

Now, I saw this a few years ago in GQ. (I had a free subscription… long story, but by the way, a very entertaining yet highly informative magazine… notwithstanding ‘the hottest women of the year by ethnicity’ sections- but I mean, it is a men’s magazine; far better than any women’s magazine I have ever read- and I’ve read them all- trash. I learnt a lot from GQ- how to craft the perfect sandwich, leather floor tiles, and am now very well versed in men’s fashion.)

Let me try that again.

In GQ, I read an article about a party idea for bachelors, or a bachelor pad party, I’m sure they made it sound a lot more hip than I am, but the idea was to get a pizza dough, set out a bunch of toppings, and let your friends come in and put together their own pizzas, throw them in the oven and have the food take care of itself while everyone mingles and has a great time.

Pizza Bar!

I loved the idea. It sounded so breezy and rustic and la dee da at the same time. You know- friends walking around, “crafting” their pizzas, which the host has just laid out very casually and is directing them towards the pizza bar to help themselves instead of being in a frenzy all day preparing for and serving dinner guests.

And I think it’s perfect for any game day- whether you’re getting together to watch Pakistan play South Africa or basketball, it’s casual, easy, fun and family friendly (don’t people always order pizza for the kids?). Because you’re watching the game, so you’ll be there for a good number of hours, and you want some finger food, snack type fun party food, and an informal atmosphere.

If you’re getting together with old friends, then you’ll all be comfortable anyway, and if you’ve invited new friends/coworkers, then its really a good way to cut the formality and get in there, use your hands, and feel easy with each other. Participating in any sort of fun activity together helps break barriers and create pleasant memories and a great bond. It’s a catalyst for laughter, and that’s all you want to hear when you have people over!

You can always buy pizza dough from the grocery store, or from a local pizza place, but there’s nothing like home made dough! It’s pretty easy to make, and the taste is awesome! You can make a few batches, depending on the number of guests, (you might want to make a lot- my husband and I can go through half a batch in one go- it’s that good and it freezes well) lay out as many toppings as you like. Just tear a ball of dough, roll it out, throw on any combination of toppings, and try as many combinations as you like, into the oven for 7-8 minutes and there you have it! Your own hot from the oven, hand made, custom pizza. It’s all very gourmet.

Try it. You’ll love it. Your friends will love it. Their kids will love it. Your kids will love it.

Even my little gluten free girl, while not interested in eating pizza, enjoyed choosing toppings and arranging them on the pies.
If you do have gluten free guests coming over, you can get gluten free pizza dough mixes that you can bake before hand, and have them choose their toppings and bake them on a separate cookie sheet.

I strongly reccommend home made dough and fresh cheese. Avoid the pre-shredded variety. Fresh mozarella, and any other cheese of your choice, from the block, will take this experience to a whole other level. We have never enjoyed pizza this much. While there are more and more halal places selling pizza now, you can prepare your own choice of meats and set them out as well.

Pizza Dough Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Pizza Dough Recipe

Ingredients
3 ½ to 4 cups bread flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ cups water, 110 degrees F
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

Directions
Combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil and beat until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.

[Note: I don't have a stand mixer so I use a different method: Combine sugar, kosher salt, yeast, olive oil and water in a bowl. Add 3 cups of bread flour and knead well. Transfer to a clean surface and keep adding about 1 more cup, or until the dough is smooth and comes together nicely.]

Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in a warm area to let it double in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and heat a pizza stone for at least 20 minutes. [I'm scared of 500 so I bake between 450 and 480 degrees.]

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces to make 2 large crusts, or take handfuls of dough to make mini crusts. Cover each with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Pizza Dough

Roll out the crusts, spread with pizza sauce or garlic butter and top with your favorite toppings. Transfer on to the pizza stone and bake for 8-15 minutes, depending on the size of your crust, or until the cheese has melted and the top is starting to brown in places.

Notes:

• Bread flour has a higher gluten content than all purpose four. Using bread flour will give you a much crisper crust. If you can’t find bread flour, you can substitute it with all-purpose flour which will give you a chewier crust.
• Warm water is important to activate the yeast. It should feel just warm enough that you should be able to stir it comfortably with your finger. If it’s too warm, then it will kill the yeast and the dough will not rise.
• Kosher salt is not as ‘salty’ as table salt. Do not use more than 1⅓ tsp of table salt in place of kosher salt.
• I don’t have a pizza paddle, so transferring a large pizza on to the pizza stone would be really hard. That’s why mini pizzas work better for me. Make sure the surface you’re rolling the pizza on is well floured so that it doesn’t stick.
• You can buy a pizza stone by clicking on this link. Mine came with a rack and a pizza cutter. I got the cheapest one but it’s worked really well for me. Do not wash a pizza stone. Just scrape it clean. Sudden changes in temperature can cause pizza stones to crack.

As I said, the pizza bar can be as big or small as you want. The possibilities are endless.

• Mozzarella
• Ricotta
• Swiss
• Cheddar
• Fontina
• Red onions
• Roma tomatoes
• Mushrooms
• Bell pepper
• Olives
• Basil
• Pineapple
• Baby spinach
• Roasted eggplant
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Roasted tomatoes
• Grilled chicken
• Ground beef
• Boneless beef
• Tandoori chicken
• Grilled shrimp

…With pizza sauce or garlic butter.

Pizza Bar

I was skeptical at first about deviating from the conventional pizza sauce, but the garlic butter pizzas turned out to be my favorite!

Pizza Sauce: Adapted from Exquisite Pizza Sauce

Combine all the ingredients over medium heat until well blended.

Garlic Butter

Melt 4 tbsp of garlic over medium low heat. Add 1 tbsp of fresh, minced garlic and stir for a few seconds. Remove from heat.

But the real question still remains- why would you make pizza at home? Just order in!

I was talking to my cousin the other day, who got me started on the garlic butter sauce in the first place, and I was telling her that I probably wasn’t going to cook that day, and she said ‘Yeah, just order a pizza.’ And I said, ‘No! Why would I order a pizza? I make the best pizza at home!” And she’s like, “Amina, that’s your answer for everything- I’ll just make it at home!’

Hawaiian was our favorite with Garlic Butter, Chicken, Pineapple, Red Onion & Mozzarella.

Well- there is no comparison in taste! You won’t know until you try! There is nothing like it! There’s always something wrong when you order a pizza- it’s not oven fresh, there’s never enough toppings, and for zabiha eaters- where’s the meat???!!! It’s hard to find great zabiha pizza. You can load your home made pizza with as many toppings as you like!

And then there’s the all important fun get togethers with friends. Besides throwing formal dinners, sometimes I want to tell the guests to kick off their heels and get in there and get to work! Those dinners are not all bad, but in order to have a real relationship, you have to bring down the barriers. Being a good host is not all about fancy meals and fancy china. In the end, the most memorable parties are the ones with the silliest stories and infectious laughter, and for that, you need to leave the formality at the door.

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Related Posts:

• Super Simple Burger Bar!
• Crispy, Golden Fried Chicken
• Chicken Alfredo
• Pasta with Meat Sauce

The post Sports Mania and a Pizza Party! appeared first on Zabiha Bites.

I would say that Chinese cuisine is the best loved cuisine in the world. It has spread to every corner of the world and adapted extremely well with the local cuisine. But I have to say that Pakistani Chinese is the best Chinese food ever!

Indo-Chinese restaurants (Inchin) are widespread in America, but I haven’t been able to find an authentic Sino-Pak restaurant. So Sad. I really miss that taste. Inchin is, of course, closer to Indian flavor, which is great if you’re Indian. That isn’t to say that I dislike it altogether. Reviews of two of my favorite Zabiha Chinese restaurants will follow soon, IA, but another outstanding (non zabiha) Chinese restaurant that we frequented was in Rochester, NY.

Seafood Stir Fry

Close to our apartment, it offered a finer restaurant experience, with a cozy dine-in interior and a tastefully done Asian decor. The serve wear and china also had a classic Asian blue and white pattern and the food was unbelievable. Not only did we go there to eat off and on, but I loved to order in a big order of shrimp lo mein and chow down on it in front of the TV on Saturday nights. Or a Tuesday night. It’s a different life without kids.

Now I’m about a thousand miles south of Rochester, but I still love having shrimp lo mein. One weekend when I was really craving it, I decided to make a bottomless seafood stir fry, bottomless, because compared to restaurants, you can make a huge quantity for a fraction of the price, and seafood because when I was buying shrimp, I couldn’t resist buying scallops and mussels as well. I used thin spaghetti, because I couldn’t go to an Asian store for egg noodles, but feel free to use the noodles of your choice.

Seafood Stir Fry

I might as well put in a word about the soy sauce that I use. I don’t use ‘authentic’ soy sauce (like Kikkoman) at home anymore… remember why I switched to vanilla beans? (Click to read my Vanilla Beans Post.) Making soy sauce requires fermenting the wheat to make alcohol. A portion of that alcohol remains in the sauce after it is made.

So, now I use ‘fake’ soy sauce, namely, La Choy Soy Sauce! It is not brewed, and contains flavorings and caramel color to make it taste like soy sauce. I know it must not be the same, but I really can’t tell the difference.  I’m not saying that all Chinese food is haram! But when I can take little steps here and there, I go ahead and do it. I’m not trying to make a big deal out of it, but I just want to say that a ‘halal’ version is out there if you so wish to use it.

Seafood Stir Fry

A number of vegetables are used in Chinese food like carrots, broccoli, snow peas, grean peas, chestnut, bean sprouts, onions, bell pepper and so on. I’ve used the ones I like, but go ahead and substitute the vegetables with your favorites!

I don’t use a wok as it’s not easy (for me) to stir fry a pound of noodles with veggies and seafood in a wok. I just use a regular flat bottomed pot.

For the gluten free version, use gluten free noodles of your choice.

Seafood Stir Fry

Seafood Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 lb thin spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 dried red chili
• 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 cups loosely packed shredded cabbage
• 3/4 lb shrimp
• 1/2 lb scallops
• 10 cooked mussels (recipe below)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger

These are the dried red chilies that I use. My favorite spice these days! Very hot!

Method

• Clean, peel and devein the shrimp. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Put into a slightly heated pan on medium low heat, add a handful of water, and cover. Cook for about 3 minutes until the shrimp is puffy and no longer transparent. Remove immediately from the heat. [When it is just done, the shrimp will puff up to its maximum size. As you keep on cooking, the shrimp will get tougher and tougher and start to shrink.] Remove from the pan and keep aside.

• Wash the scallops, and follow the method of cooking for the shrimp, with a small splash of water as they are fewer in quantity. Be very careful not to over cook, or they will become tough and chewy. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pot and add garlic, ginger, red chili, salt and pepper and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

• Add the soy sauce and vinegar and fry for another 2 minutes. Add all the vegetables except green onions and stir fry on medium to medium high heat until all the liquid evaporates.

•  Add the spaghetti and fry well until it is well tossed with the vegetable mixture. Add about a quarter of a cup of the mussel liquid (recipe below) and green onions and cover and cook on medium low heat until done to your liking. Toss with the mussels, shrimp and scallops. If you’re not using mussels, then you can reserve about a quarter of a cup of the starchy liquid that the pasta was boiled in, or just use plain tap water.

•  Serve hot.

Seafood Stir Fry

How to store, clean and cook mussels

To store:

Mussels are kind of tricky. Why are the not so easy to cook? Because you purchase them alive! And you have to keep them alive until you cook them! A dead mussel in your food can make you very, very sick. So, the tricky part is to make sure that you don’t kill them while you’re storing or cleaning them. Here’s what I’ve learnt, and I’m sharing the most conservative method which involves the least amount of risk, because that’s what I do.

1. Buy them on the day that you will cook them.
2. Store them in a bowl covered with a damp cloth/paper towel in the fridge.

To Clean:

Mussels are bottom dwellers, so they contain quite a bit of sand. Wild caught mussels have more sand than farmed mussels. Mussels farmed on ropes shouldn’t have any sand in them.

1. Now I’ve read so much about how to clean them. First, examine each mussel. If the shell is cracked or broken, discard it. The shell should be tightly shut. If it is open, gently tap it on the counter, this should cause the mussel to close the shell in a couple of minutes. If it remains open, then it’s dead, discard it.
2. You can also give them a sniff to see if they smell rotten.
3. Scrub the mussels with a stiff brush and run them under cold water to clean the shells.
4. You’ll see a little hairy mass called the beard near the shell opening. Yank it or cut it to remove it.

Now, the biggest problem- how to remove the sand. I’ve read about many (conflicting) methods. One is to soak them in cold water until all the sand comes out, but some people say that tap water will kill them so don’t soak them! Others say soak them in salt water and yet others say to add corn meal to the water which they will feed on and expel the sand inside the shell in the process. This is all too complicated for me, so I just clean them under running water. Then I proceed to cook them.

To Cook:

1. For this recipe, bring 1/2 a cup of water to a boil in a pot big enough to hold the mussels, preferably with a glass lid. Add the mussels and cover and cook on medium to medium low heat just until the shells pop open. Again, like all seafood, over cooking will ruin them. The mussels will release their own liquid into the broth, which is very flavorful and quite salty. For this reason, salt is not added to mussels while cooking them.
2. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
3. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter to remove all the sand!
4. Now you can use the liquid as directed above.
5. If you’re just making mussels, then make a sauce with the liquid (usually heavy cream and herbs or tomatoes are added) and pour over the mussels. Serve with an Italian bread. Usually, 1 pound of mussels per person is a good estimate.

Seafood Stir Fry

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Related Posts:

• Chicken Alfredo
• Pasta with Meat Sauce
• Pan Fried Whole Tilapia
• Korea Town!

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You know how a lot of people enjoy having breakfast for lunch or dinner? I can understand that- breakfast is a fun meal. I also grew up with brothers who had breakfast for every meal. But I’m more the kind of person who likes to have dinner for breakfast. Chicken, naan, subs, rice!!! I can have any lunch or dinner item for breakfast! Does that sound weird? Well, fortunately, in my defense, I have a whole nation of dinner-for-breakfast eaters behind me! Nihari, paey (beef trotters) and maghaz are all very well loved breakfast dishes in the Punjab where I grew up. Not as common, but one of my inlaws’ favorites, is pota kaleji, or chicken gizzard and liver. (Don’t turn away! I’m just getting started!) Great with parathas! [Learn how to make perfect parathas in my Mom's Golden Parathas Post.] These dishes are equally popular for dinner too.

Maghaz Masala

While all the ‘spare parts’ like maghaz, gurday kapooray (kidneys and testicles), phipra (lungs), kaleji (liver), zuban (tongue), ojri (tripe) etc, are considered delicacies in Pakistan, they are also a little polarizing because people either love them or are extremely put off by them.

But if you grow up eating them, before you really realize what they are, then there is a chance that you will get used to the taste before the strangeness makes you repel it. I admit that I love to eat all of the above, and never really paused to consider in detail about all of their origins. They taste yummy, and that’s all that really mattered to me.

Maghaz Masala

But I do want to give a word of warning. It’s all well and good in Pakistan, where everything is cooked and ready, or you go to a restaurant and it is served up straight out of a karahi with buttery naan, but it’s a totally different ball game when you have to clean, cut and prepare everything yourself.

You don’t want to be holding it in your hand and questioning the very need of consuming it for your next meal. So, even if you think that you love to eat maghaz, do stop to consider that you will be the one washing and cooking a brain. Can you handle it?

Having said all that, Maghaz Masala really is delicious is excellent with hot naan. As with all delicacies, it is expensive, but it’s a great dish for special parties or get togethers. It is also one of those dishes that you can make in a flash. It cooks very quickly, so you can have it ready in a snap. In fact, over cooking destroys it. There are 2 basic steps to it:

1 Boil the maghaz.

2 Mix it with masala.

That is literally it. I keep saying again and again that the best, most impressive dishes are also usually the easiest to make! Yet another low on labor, high on taste dish! So, feel free to take the plunge!

Maghaz Masala

Maghaz Masala Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5 goat brains
• ¼ cup oil
• 1½ medium onions, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp corriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 4 green chilies, chopped
• 3-4 cups water
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ tsp black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Chopped fresh cilantro and ginger for garnish (optional)

Method:

Fry the onions and tomatoes in the oil until golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic, corriander powder, cumin and green chilies and stir fry for a minute. Remove from the heat.

Rinse the maghaz in a colander.

In the meantime, put the water in a saucepan. Add the garlic cloves, turmeric and peppercorns and bring to a bubbling boil.

Judging from the color, I think I also added garam masala to the water.

Add the goat brain and boil for a few minutes until they are cooked. They will turn an opaque white, similar to the way fish changes color when cooked.

Drain immediately, do not overcook.

Cut into small pieces and add to the prepared masala.

Stir fry for one or two minutes on medium heat.

Garnish with ginger and cilantro and serve hot with naan or roti.

Maghaz Masala

Notes:

The few points to be noted are:

The onions and tomatoes should be balanced. Too much onion, and the masala will be sweet. Too many tomatoes, and the masala will be sour.

There is no need to bhoonofy maghaz. It is a very delicate dish, and over cooking or stirring will cause it to dissolve. I prefer it with some visible chunky pieces.

Maghaz Masala

Mmm mm mm!

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Chana mewa pulao- the absolute king of Peshawari Pulaos! A complete meal, much like biryani is in the south. And so grand! When I served it to some friends back in college, they really enjoyed the surprising burst of sweetness that the raisins brought to the very popular but rather ho-hum chana pulao. Chana pulao is extremely popular among Punjabis, but because I was used to chana mewa pulao, it always seemed to me like an impoverished relative.

Chana Mewa Pulao- I always hear my (late) grandmother saying ‘chanra meva pulaa’ in Peshawari when I think of this pulao.

My mother in law tells me that it used to be the meal of choice for funerals, once upon a time in Peshawar, because of its convenience of being a one dish meal. You don’t really need anything with it, it’s great with raita, but rice goes very well with gravies, and I won’t say no to some koftay or chicken on the side!

You have to get used to the insert of the sweet flavor with the savory. I am… well, I grew up with it, but I think I’m able to enjoy the two in a number of dishes, like sweet-sour or sweet-spicy combinations in Asian cuisine, halwa and cholay with poori, and another Peshawari favorite, mixing zarda (meethay chawal) with pulao and topping the whole thing with a gravy like aloo gosht.

Chana Mewa Pulao

First of all, the best pulao is the one that has meat and is made in a meat broth. Add garbanzo beans and raisins to that and voila! A winning, very royal combination, that has only one real competitor: the Kabuli Pulao. I’ll get to that soon, in another post.

If you’re only into conventional flavors, then the raisins might seem off to you. But for Pishoris, it’s all about the raisins. The more, the better. We even have cousins who used to put extra raisins in the pulao and then serve more on the side!

And now, a word on the rice. You can use basmati rice, but the rice of choice for Peshawaris for pulao is sela. Sela, known in English as parboiled rice, is basmati rice that has had its husk removed by partially boiling it. The rice has a slightly yellowish-brown color, absorbs a ton of water, has an extremely long grain, much longer than basmati, and has a certain… scent… that can’t exactly be called aromatic.

Sela (parboiled) rice on the left and basmati rice on the right. You can see that sela has a yellowish color and a much larger grain. It also absorbs a lot of water while soaking.

It comes with the package, and we embrace it with all of its qualities, so let’s just say that even though the pulao masala kills most of it, there is still a slight lingering scent in the pulao. Now, to us, it adds to the character of the pulao, and nothing can give pulao the flavor that sela gives. That’s just the way it is. I’m just saying that for someone using sela for the first time, it might take a little getting used to.

Chana Mewa Pulao

I chanced upon sela in America when I accidentally brought home a bag of parboiled rice. I love using it for meat pulaos, and my husband, also a Peshawari, always says that he it reminds him of the daigi pulaos back in Peshawar. If you’re not feeling that ambitious, then feel free to try it with basmati rice!

The idea is to make a meat stock and to cook the rice in it to impart all that flavor into the rice.

Chana Mewa Pulao

Chana Mewa Pulao Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sela (parboiled basmati) rice
• 1 lb beef with bone/mutton
• ½ cup oil
• 2 small onions
• 2 small tomatoes/2½ tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• A few sprigs of cilantro (optional- I love the herby aroma in the broth)
• 1 heaped tsp salt
• ½ heaped tsp red chillies
• 1½ heaped tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2½ tsp garam masala
• 1 16 oz can garbanzo beans
• 2 green chilies (optional)
• 1 12 oz box red raisins (2 cups)

Method:

• Soak the rice in a large bowl and a lot of water for 4-6 hours.
• Put the meat, garbanzo beans, salt and cilantro in a pot. Add 5 cups of water and bring to a simmer.

• Cover and cook for about 50 minutes or until the meat is melt in the mouth tender. Turn the heat off. I add the garbanzo beans so that they get really nice and tender too.
• Fry the onions and tomatoes in the oil until golden brown. Add the ginger, garlic, green chilies and all the spices.
• Take the cooked meat out with a slotted spoon and fry in the spices on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring carefully but frequently. The idea is for it to fry a little but not to let a hard crust form on it.

• Add the garbanzo beans and raisins and give it a few stirs.
• Measure out 6 cups of liquid, first using the meat broth, and then using water for the rest, and add it to the masala.
• Now, taste the broth. It should taste just a little too salty. Adjust the salt accordingly.
• Cover and bring to a bubbling boil.
• Drain the rice and add to the broth. Give it 1 or 2 light stirs to spread the rice evenly. From here on, do not stir the rice. Cook, partially covered on medium low heat until the liquid is level with the rice. First you will see bubbles forming on the surface and then you will see holes. As soon as you see holes, cover the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest low and cook for about 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat. All the water should have evaporated, but the rice should not be sticking to the bottom, and should be tender. Now, carefully turn the rice over using a folding motion so as not to break the grains, so that the rice at the bottom of the pot does not overcook from the heat of the pot.

For trouble shooting tips relating to cooking rice, please see my Matar Pulao Post and my White Rice Post.

Chana Mewa Pulao

You can serve it with raita or any of your favorite gravies like koftay, chicken, or saag.

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Ok. Enough is enough. Once you let your life take over your… life, there’s never time to blog! But I have to tell you all about one of the glorious perks of having Mother-in-law around: getting to eat paey (beef trotters) every other week!

I was not a paey fanatic growing up, but again, it’s become one of those things that I miss now that I don’t get to eat it that often. But I just love  it when I can go to my MIL, hand her a notebook and pen, ask her to document the entire recipe, and then go off to enjoy my day! That leaves her with all the pressure and responsibility of penning her guesstimate recipes absolutely accurately to share with thousands of people! The best part is that she tackles all her tasks very meticulously, so I know I will have a recipe to treasure for all time.

We all love having paey so that’s definitely on top of our request list when she comes. Now, aren’t you all glad that I had her note it down for me? It’s such a hit- not only do I use it, but now she also uses it because it’s so perfect! I find that really funny, but I do that too; once I note a recipe down, I feel like it’s been emptied out of my head.

The thing about paey is that they are messy. Because of all the gelatin, they are really sticky. If you don’t like getting your hands dirty, then they are not for you. We were invited to a ‘paey party’ once, and I think I might have mentioned this before, but it was a great party because even though we were new, everyone else was good friends and that created a very warm and friendly atmosphere. You have to be good friends, at least, if you’re going to be eating paey with someone! And we dug in the bowls after bowls of endless paey. I think a very good measure of how genuine your friendship with someone is to ask yourself, would I be willing to eat paey with this person? Can I let my guard down enough in front of him/her, just be myself and enjoy this great dish together?

Did I ever tell you that I haven’t visited Pakistan for 8 years? 8 years!!! That’s a LONG time!! For one reason or another, I just haven’t gone back. Now, especially when I see ‘around the town’ type of pictures of Lahore, I feel heartbreakingly motherland-sick and miss it excruciatingly. I just want to share a few pictures of one of the best paey places in Lahore, and I’m not talking about a high class restaurant. Just a local, grass-root, known-for-taste-not-hygiene type restaurant. In the Punjab, paey are a popular breakfast dish, and I think this restaurant is sold out by 6:00 am! So, enjoy the ambience of Manno Paey, and the yummy, yummy recipe.

Manno Siri Paey, Sultanpura Road, near Chamra Mandi, Lahore. Pictures: Afrin Hussain. Left: Manno himself, Top right: people lined up at 5:00 am for paey breakfast.

Paey are easy! (Just like evvvverything else on Zabiha Bites!) The recipe is for beef paaye but I have successfully used this recipe for goat payas as well, adjusting for the smaller quantity, of course. Compared to beef paaye, goat paaye are all bone and no meat ;). But they’re great in their own way.

Paaye Recipe (For a printable version of this recipe, please click on the ‘Print’ button below)

Ingredients:

• 2 beef paaye
• just shy of ½ a cup of oil
• 2 large onions
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 3 heaped tsp corriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 10 cups water

Method:

Chop the onions and fry in the oil in a large pot on medium-medium low heat until golden brown.

Add ginger, garlic and all the spices and stir fry for a few seconds.

Add paey.

Mix them a few times to coat with the masala. No need to bhoonofy.

Add water and let it cook, cook, cook, cook the night away. Oh! I forgot to mention- because of the long cooking time, paey are traditionally cooked all night long. I’m way too scared to leave the stove on and go to sleep so I prefer to cook them all day.

Bring to a simmer and cover and cook on low heat for 5-8 hours or until completely and absolutely tender but still attached to the bone. If they become detached, then you overcooked them. They will still taste fine, but that’s not how they should look. It shouldn’t be halwa, they should be holding their shape but but the meat should slip off the bone very easily when you eat them.

Uncooked payas look and feel like they’re all bone. When payas are completely cooked, the meat on the bone will get soft and puffy.

Adjust the thickness of the gravy according to how you like it. If you want it to be more thick, then increase the heat, remove the lid and let some of the water evaporate. If you want it to be more thin, then add some water and bring it to a boil. If you’re not sure, then leave it the way it is. Once you eat it, you will figure out how you prefer it :).

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with naan.

[Note: After refrigerating, the gelatin will cause the paaye to become a solid mass. Once you reheat it, it will be fine.]

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Did I ever tell you about Surayya? She’s our cook back in Pakistan. A very, very… an exceptionally talented lady, and her talent extends far beyond cooking. She’s smart, quick on the uptake, and always 2 steps ahead. Extremely observant, and of course a very good cook. My mother taught her a lot, but she was no novice when she came to us either.

AUTHENTIC Surayya’s Chicken! Rolled in breadcrumbs- unbelievably crispy!

My appreciation for her dedication and hard work grew manifold after I moved to the US (of course). It would take me all day to cook one dish, and I would be too tired to make the bed or do the dusting. Pathetic, I know.

This chicken was rolled in flour.

I have learnt a lot from her, that I will IA share here, and I’ll start with her fried chicken recipe. I’ve already shared a fried chicken recipe on the blog, you can go to that post here > Crispy, Golden Fried Chicken. It’s a great recipe, but I’ve been making it for ages and I was totally ready for a different flavor.

I love the flavors that Surayya uses. They’re simply outstanding. Fried chicken is so easy, and such a great meal. And there’s nothing to it!

Fried Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

• 1 chicken cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar/lemon juice/combination of the two
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 jalapeño pepper (or 3-5 green chillies, depending on how hot you like it)
• 1 tsp salt (or according to your taste)

For frying:

• 1 egg
• Oil for deep frying

Coating:

• 1 rounded cup flour
• just shy of ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp red chili powder

OR

• breadcrumbs (this is what Surayya uses)

 Method:

Blend all the ingredients of the marinade except the yogurt in a grinder or food processor. (I have also just chopped them up and used them, but grinding brings the flavors out more… I think.) Mix in the yogurt and marinate the chicken in the mixture for a few hours or overnight.

When you are ready to fry the chicken, crack an egg into the chicken and mix it in with a spoon or a fork.

In a shallow dish/plate, mix the flour, salt and red chilies. (Or, you can just use breadcrumbs which I didn’t have on hand.)

Heat the oil until hot but not smoking.

Roll the chicken in the flour mixture..

…and put it in the oil to fry. Do not over crowd the pan.

Fry the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side.

Drain on paper towels and transfer to serving dish.

Serve hot, with ketchup, of course.

Notes: Do not over fill the pan with oil, otherwise it will bubble up and over flow when you put the chicken in. (Don’t ask me how I know that.)

How to make the chicken crispy: A number of people have asked me this on my previous fried chicken post. The trick is to cook the chicken on medium for the first few minutes, and then for the last few minutes, turn the heat up to medium high/high, and really let the crust get crisp. You know the expression, ‘burnt to a crisp?’ We don’t want to burn it, of course, but it takes a certain degree of heat to get the crispiness in. Keep that in mind. At this point, you will see that the edges are starting to turn brown.

The edges are turning brown.

Turn the chicken over, reduce the heat again and repeat on the other side.

Just be careful not to brown it too much, and try to maintain that appetizing golden brown color. It will also turn a shade or two darker when you take it out.

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I’m from Peshawar. And it would be safe to say that undeniably, Peshawar stands absolutely unrivaled in its famous chapli kabab (annoyingly called chappal kabab by some non Peshawaris). I don’t know why they are called chapli kabab, but I do know that their flavor is beyond compare.

Authentic Peshawari Chapli Kabab. Yes, they are quite dark on the outside. I added the tomatoes and onions on top. 

I grew up in Lahore, and on every trip that we took to Peshawar, we were served chapli kabab by most of our relatives. Most people will be familiar with the sliced tomato in the center of each kabab, but my favorite were the ones with mikh (marrow) in the center, (compare the idea to the super special nalli nihari).

Another little known gem of Peshawar is the citrus fruit, narinj. It lies in the happy space between a lemon and an orange, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to chapli kabab. In the famous Islamia College in Peshawar, where my grandfather was the librarian and where my mother grew up, narinj trees lined the entire campus. And let me tell you that if there is one scent on Earth that feels like it came straight from heaven, then it is that of the orange blossom.

Orange blossoms, known as ‘karna.’

My parents loved and missed the narinj so much that my father planted 2 narinj trees in our front yard, and I was the luckiest person in the world this year because when I went to visit Pakistan in March, the blossoms were in full bloom! The air was so laden with their scent that I felt like I could squeeze it out of the air and collect it in my hands. It spreads through your entire being with every breath that you take and fills you with joy.

My mini chapli kabab. 

Now, about chapli kabab.

Let me be straight with you. I have good news and bad news.

The bad news is, and I hate to say this, but in all my life, no one I know or heard of, has ever been able to even remotely duplicate the taste of the authentic chapli kabab served on the streets of Peshawar. No one makes them at home in Peshawar, they just order  them, of course, since they have easy access to this specialty. And outside of Peshawar, no one even knows what a real chapli kabab  is, so I mean, just forgetaboutit.

I also know through reliable sources, and of course, we all know that restaurants have some ‘secret ingredients,’ including certain ‘spare parts’ that are used as flavor enhancers, because of which their flavor cannot be replicated at home. Moreover, they are fried in tallow, which adds to their distinct flavor. 

The onions, tomatoes and egg are clearly visible in the store-bought chapli kabab. 

Having said that, the good news is that the recipe that I have for chapli kabab is pretty awesome. I’m not making tall claims here about giving you that other worldly, unmatched flavor, but I always get asked for the recipe when I make these, so I decided that it was time that I finally shared it.

You will love it .

You can make this recipe dairy-free and gluten-free, (both of which I often do), and they still come out perfect.

 Grind the onion, tomato, green chilies, garlic, ginger and cilantro. 

Add it to the ground beef along with the rest of the ingredients. 

Mix it in lightly. 

Heat the oil in a 12″ frying pan. (Or whichever size you have. It just takes less time to fry it all in a bigger pan.)

I measure out equal balls with an ice cream scoop. Shape them into kababs. 

 Fry them on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. 

Flip them over and fry them on the other side until cooked through and nicely browned. 

 Drain on paper towels and serve hot. 

Enjoy!

Chapli Kabab

2014-08-02 23:06:45

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Ingredients

1. 1 lb ground beef (lean)
2. 1 medium-large onion
3. 1 roma tomato
4. 2 green chilies
5. good handful cilantro
6. 3-4 cloves garlic
7. 1 inch ginger root
8. 1 rounded tsp salt (or to taste)
9. 1 heaped tsp coriander powder
10. 1 tsp cumin
11. 1 tsp garam masala
12. 1/2 tsp red chili powder
13. 1 egg
14. 2 tbsp masa flour
15. a nice dash of heavy cream/olive oil
16. Oil for pan frying

Instructions

1. In a food processor, coarsely pulse the onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, green chilies and cilantro.
2. Add to the ground beef along with all the spices, masa and cream.
3. Heat about a tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the egg.
4. Scramble it until half cooked and quickly add to the ground beef.
5. Mix it all up with your hands, but don't over mix.
6. Heat the oil in a 12 inch frying pan.
7. Fry about a teaspoon full of the mixture and taste to make sure that the seasoning is to your liking.
8. Measure out the kabab mixture with an ice cream scoop and flatten and shape them with your hands.
9. Fry in the oil (about 1/3 cup oil) for about 5-7 minutes each side on medium heat until browned on both sides.
10. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Notes

1. I have also made these kabab with non-lean ground beef. In that case, I leave out the heavy cream.
2. You can substitute the masa flour with breadcrumbs.
3. Over mixing causes the kababs to become tough. (I'm just saying this because all the pro chefs say it. But honestly, the pro chapli kabab makers only very lightly mix all the masala in at the last second before frying.)
4. Chapli kabab are flat and about the size of the palm of your hand. However, this is my go-to quick-fix meal, so when I'm in a hurry, I make small, thick kababs so the entire mixture fits into the pan in a single go, and in 10 minutes, my meal is ready. Otherwise, the bigger kababs cook 3 at a time, and you might have to replenish the oil as you cook them too.
5. If you don't want to half cook the egg like the pros, just throw in a raw egg. Hakuna matata.
6. I didn't mention this before, but I grind my own spices. Technically, you should use whole spices, like the cumin, coriander, garam masala and chilies, then grind them and then mix them in to bring out the best flavor.
7. Optional: I slice a roma tomato and/or an onion into rings, and after frying the kababs, I stir fry the onion and tomato all in the same oil for a few minutes and top the kababs with it.

By Amina Shah, zabihabites.com

Zabiha Bites http://zabihabites.com/

Oh, I almost forgot about the mint chutney that I made with these kababs. 

Mint Chutney

2014-08-02 23:32:11

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Ingredients

1. handful mint leaves
2. handful cilantro leaves
3. 1 cup yogurt, thinned with water
4. 1 green chili
5. salt to taste

Instructions

1. Grind the herbs and green chili.
2. Mix it in the yogurt and season with the salt.

Notes

1. I'm not too particular about picking each and every leaf from the stem. I throw parts of the stem into the grinder along with the leaves.

By Amina Shah, zabihabites.com

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 This.

Sometimes you find inspiration in the most unexpected places. 

I was doing some grocery shopping for my daughter’s birthday party, still undecided about what kind of pasta I wanted to make for her party. I had been thinking about it for days, but was completely uninspired, when I saw a small tag promoting a certain brand of pasta. It was pretty small, around 4×5, and there was a small picture of angel hair with zucchini & red bell pepper on it.

Yes! That was it. It was spring-y, (I love primavera) and a combination that I had never tried before. I was pretty excited about it. Fortunately, it turned out better than I had hoped, and I’ve been making it regularly ever since. Even kids love it, and it’s an awesome way to get them to eat vegetables.

I also use this method for making pasta primavera, which is pasta made with spring vegetables. Because of this reason, you will see overlapping pictures of both pastas in this post. For the longest time, I couldn’t understand how chefs just toss some salt, pepper and vegetables together with pasta, and it’s supposed to taste amazing. But ever since I experimented with this method, I’ve died and gone to pasta heaven. Now I can make pasta with just about anything and I just love it. 

Now, I’ve made this recipe with and without chicken, depending on my mood and what else was on the menu. If I’m only serving this, then I prefer to make it with chicken. 

It’s very simple.

Sometimes I make it with zucchini and red bell pepper…

Chop the vegetables and toss them with salt, pepper, olive oil and herbs. Spread them on a baking sheet and broil until nicely roasted. 

… And sometimes with every vegetable that I can get my hands on!

Cook the pasta of your choice (I’ve tried this recipe with all kinds of pasta). 

Toss together the pasta and vegetables (and chicken, if you’re adding it) and that’s it!

 

Zucchini & Red Pepper Pasta (Pasta Primavera)

2014-08-28 20:19:46

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Ingredients

1. 3-4 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
2. 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
3. ¼ cup olive oil
4. 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
5. 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6. 1 tsp dried basil/ 4-5 sprigs fresh basil
7. ½ tsp fennel seeds (You can also use a little freshly chopped fennel instead)
8. 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed & chopped
9. 2 cups cooked chicken pieces, optional (I prefer grilled chicken)
10. 1 lb pasta of your choice (I like Barilla) Use gluten free pasta for the GF version (I prefer Ronzoni)*
11. ½ cup grated Parmesan (optional)

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Spread all the vegetables on the baking sheet, and toss with salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil, basil and fennel.
3. Broil on 'Hi' for 20-25 minutes until nicely roasted, and their edges are starting to char.
4. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
5. Return the pasta to a large pot, and toss with the vegetables (making sure to add all the oil and herbs), chicken, and enough reserved liquid to moisten the pasta and bring the flavors together. (You can also use chicken broth instead.)
6. Adjust the seasoning, and transfer to a serving dish.
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional) and serve hot.

Notes

1. In the case of pasta primavera, I use 1 zucchini, half red bell pepper, half yellow or green.
2. I also add 1 diced onion and 8 oz sliced mushrooms.
3. You can also add cherry/roma tomatoes, or any combination of vegetables of your choice.
4. Broil all these vegetables together with the zucchini and herbs. It will take a little longer, since there are a lot more. I just watch for the charred edges that start to appear.
5. Then, toss with the pasta and adjust the seasoning!
6. Delicious!
7. *Hurray! Mainstream brands like Ronzoni and Barilla have also introduced gluten free pastas! But I prefer Ronzoni because it is made with four grains: white rice, brown rice, quinoa and corn, whereas Barilla only uses white rice and corn. Ronzoni gluten free pastas come in yellow boxes and taste pretty great.

By Amina Shah

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 This is the simplest meal ever, and yet it’s second to none in popularity. It’s enjoyed in every household, and I too opt for it, especially when I’m short on time and don’t want to slave in the kitchen. It basically cooks itself. It requires very little effort, and tastes amazing. 

Dal chawal in our house meant masoor dal (split red lentils), white rice and tomato chutney. Here’s what masoor daal looks like in raw form:

Now, in the Punjab, tomatoes are usually added to the dal, but in the North, it is not the norm. Skipping the tomatoes is another step eliminated, so it makes it even easier. However, the tamatar chutney was a must, it is so good with dal chawal!!!

Everyone has their own favorite accompaniment with dal chawal, like achar, kachoomar salad, onions, garden salad, green chilies, etc but let me assure you that you will be astounded at how amazing tomato chutney tastes with dal chawal. 

Another one of my favorite accompaniments, that I saw at a relative’s house in Peshawar was onions soaked in vinegar. It’s delicious, and i think goes very well with all kinds of rice. I think dal chawal really requires that tang to go along with it, which is why achar is very popular with it. People also add lemon juice to the dal itself, for that reason.

Ok, I sliced the onions way too thick here.

 So, on to the unbelievably simple dal recipe, with my favorite accompaniments. I’ve already shared my white rice recipe in an older post, you can see it by clicking here >> White Rice Recipe. 

Masoor Dal (Tarkay Vali)

2014-08-21 14:57:08

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Ingredients

1. 1 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
2. 3 cups water
3. 1 tbsp minced ginger
4. ½ tsp minced garlic
5. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
6. 1 tsp salt
7. ½ tsp red chili powder
8. 1 tsp coriander powder
9. 1 tsp cumin (I grind cumin and then use it)
10. ¼ tsp oregano

For tempering (tarka)

1. ⅓ cup oil/ghee
2. 2 cloves garlic, smashed & sliced
3. ¾ tsp garam masala (or, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of cloves, a pinch of black cardamom, all powdered)
4. 3 dried red chilies/2 green chilies/1 jalapeño pepper
5. 5-7 fresh curry leaves (optional)

Instructions

1. Put all the dal ingredients in a small pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Reduce heat to low and cover and cook for about 1 hour until the dal has thickened and the water has just about evaporated. (This is when you'll see the daal bubbling on the surface. Watch out for the bubbles. That's when I start stirring.)
3. Give the dal a good, thorough stir using a wooden spoon.
4. Slowly add about a cup of water while stirring, bringing the dal to the thickness that you prefer.
5. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.

For the tarka

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the tarka ingredients. Fry for a few seconds until they give off their aroma. Immediately pour over the dal. Put a spoonful of dal in the frying pan, to coat any of the remaining tarka oil and pour pack into the dal.
2. Serve hot with white rice or roti.

Notes

1. Adding curry leaves to the tarka is a totally South Indian touch that I've adopted because I just love their smoky, peppery aroma. While it is extensively used in South Indian cuisine, I feel that it goes very well with a few dishes like dal, eggplant and biryani.
2. Along with garam masala, curry leaves can be added to the dal in the initial cooking process, rather than with the tarka. But I prefer to fry them and then add them because I feel like it brings out the best flavor.

By Amina Shah, zabihabites.com

Zabiha Bites http://zabihabites.com/

 

Tomato (Tamatar) Chutney

2014-08-21 19:31:34

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Ingredients

1. 3 tomatoes
2. 6-8 sprigs cilantro
3. 2-4 sprigs mint
4. 2-3 green chilies
5. salt to taste

Instructions

1. Puree the tomatoes, herbs and green chilies in a slow grinding machine, like a food processor or a food mill. Fast grinding will make it foamy and destroy the color.
2. Pour into a serving bowl and stir in the salt.

By Amina Shah, zabihabites.com

Zabiha Bites http://zabihabites.com/

Onions in Vinegar

2014-08-21 19:45:54

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Ingredients

1. 1 White or yellow onion
2. 2 cups white vinegar

Instructions

1. Peel and thinly slice the onion into a bowl with a lid.
2. Top with the vinegar until the onion is completely immersed.
3. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Notes

1. Store in the refrigerator for a few days.

By Amina Shah, zabihabites.com

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In Peshawar, which has a huge population of now assimilated Afghan refugees, you see Afghani culture everywhere. All the naan shops are Afghan owned now, Afghani wedding couture shops with their western style wedding gowns stand out in my memory and the absolutely awesome, transports-you-to-another-place Kabuli pulao. 

Afghani Wedding Couture in Peshawar

You can make it with lamb or beef, although in Peshawar it is made with beef alone, but it must be made with sela (parboiled) rice. See my Chana Mewa Pulao Post for more about the difference between sela and basmati rice. 

Simply, you fry the meat, add the spices and cook it, reserving the stock. Then cook the rice in the stock and top with carrots and raisins.

Sautéed, caramelized carrots & raisins.

However, these days I just prefer to make ‘yakhni pulao’ in general, so I use that method to make this pulao too, and it’s kind of like taking the above method and flipping it over on its head. Either way, you end up with a killer pulao… haha this reminds me of the Afghani cloth sellers doing business in Lahore, who sometimes described the really vibrant colors as ‘zakhmi‘ or lethal! It’s a lethal pulao! Lethal! One bite and you will be in culinary heaven! 

The lethal shopping experience of Lahore. (Photo: Yasmin)

The most important thing is for the meat to be of good quality, and for it to be fall off the bone, melt in your mouth tender! I have even used nihari gosht for this pulao, for the unbeatable quality, although I generally prefer meat with bones for pulao for its flavor. 

Oh, I’m sure you all realize that it’s named for its place of origin: Kabul, Afghanistan.

Kabuli Pulao

2015-02-01 20:53:08

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Ingredients

1. 1 lb beef with bone
2. 2 cups sela rice
3. 1 small onion
4. 1 tbsp minced garlic
5. 1½-2 tsp garam masala (cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom)
6. 1-2 bay leaves
7. 1 tsp cumin
8. 4-5 whole peppercorns (I just love these in pulao)
9. 1 tbsp salt
10. ½ tsp red chili powder
11. ⅓ cup oil
12. 1 cup shredded carrots
13. ½ cup raisins (NOT golden raisins)
14. ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in a generous amount of water for at least 4 hours. It will really increase in volume.
2. Chop the onion and fry in the oil until browned.
3. Add the salt and give it a stir.
4. Add the meat and sear on both sides on medium heat until nicely browned.
5. Add the rest of the spices and garlic and give it a little stir but don't let the spices burn.
6. Add about 3½ cups of water and bring to a simmer.
7. Cover and cook on low-medium low until the meat is absoluuuuuutely tender. Some liquid will remain; the rice will be cooked in this stock.
8. In the meantime, fry the carrots in a couple of tablespoons of oil to caramelize the sugars. Stir fry on medium low until tender. Add the raisins and stir fry for another 5-8 minutes.

For the pulao

1. Once the meat is tender, measure out about 3¾ cups of the beef stock, adding plain water if there isn't enough. Add the meat.
2. Taste the soup. It should be slightly over salted, to compensate for the rice that will be added. Adjust the salt accordingly.
3. Bring it to a bubbling boil.
4. Once it's boiling, drain and add the rice. Give it a light stir to distribute it evenly.
5. Partially cover the pot, keeping the heat at medium low.
6. Cook until the water level drops to just under the level of the rice; you will first see bubbles on the surface of the pulao, and then holes.
7. When you see holes, cover the rice and reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
8. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked through.
9. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the carrots, raisins and also almonds if you like (I didn't put in almonds because of food allergies in the house).
10. Serve steaming hot!
11. If you are leaving it in the pot/not serving it straight away, then very carefully, using an appropriate spoon or spatula, fold the rice 2-3 times, otherwise the bottom layer will keep getting softer and softer. Redistributing it will keep it even.

Notes

1. I will be honest. I rarely stick to the original recipe for this pulao.
2. I always add a small tomato/2 tbsp yogurt.
3. And I always add coriander powder, a pinch of fennel and a touch of oregano.
4. These days I am using the yakhni pulao method, recipe below.

By Amina Shah

Zabiha Bites http://zabihabites.com/

 If you want to make it yakhni pulao style, then follow the recipe below:

Yakhni for the pulao.

Fry the meat in the masala.

Kabuli Pulao

2015-02-01 21:32:00

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Ingredients

1. 1 lb beef with bone
2. 2 cups sela rice
3. 1 small onion, chopped
4. 2 tbsp yogurt
5. 1 tbsp salt
6. 1 tsp garam masala
7. 1-2 bay leaves
8. 1 heaped tsp cumin
9. 1 tsp coriander powder
10. ¼ tsp oregano
11. ½ tsp red chili powder
12. 4-5 whole peppercorns
13. A pinch of fennel
14. 4-5 stalks of cilantro
15. 3 cloves garlic
16. 2-3 green chilies (optional)
17. ⅓ cup oil

For the topping

1. 1 cup shredded carrots
2. ½ cup raisins
3. ¼ cup sliced blanched almonds

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in a generous amount of water for at least 4 hours.
2. Put the meat in a pot with the garlic, half the salt, cilantro, peppercorns and 3½ cups of water.
3. Bring to a simmer and cover and cook on medium low-low until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
4. In the meantime, fry the carrots in a couple of tablespoons of oil to caramelize the sugars. Stir fry on medium low until tender. Add the raisins and stir fry for another 5-8 minutes.
5. In another pot, fry the onion until browned. Add the yogurt, salt and remaining spices.
6. Add the cooked meat and garlic and fry on medium heat without stirring too much otherwise it will fall apart.
7. Lightly fry it- the garlic will dissolve in the masala.
8. Strain the meat stock (if you want- I don't) and measure out 3¾ cups of liquid, adding water if there isn't enough stock. Add to the meat.
9. Taste the soup. It should be slightly over salted to compensate for the rice that will be added. Adjust the salt accordingly.
10. Cover it and bring it to a bubbling boil.
11. Drain the rice and add it to the soup.
12. Give it a light stir to distribute it evenly, lower the heat to medium low and partially cover the pot.
13. Once you see holes on the surface of the rice, cover the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the rice is cooked through.
14. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the carrots, raisins and nuts. Serve immediately!

Notes

1. The color of the pulao depends on how much you brown the onions. For a brownish color, you will have to brown the onions. If the onions are golden, then the pulao will be a light color.
2. You can skip the regular masala and just use garam masala and cumin if you like.
3. I also have to admit that I have used 1 lb of beef for making pulao using up to 3 cups of rice (there are 2 cups of rice in this recipe). There is less meat to rice ratio in that case, but I do that when I am serving it with another meat dish or kababs.

By Amina Shah

Zabiha Bites http://zabihabites.com/

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Hailing from Peshawar, our idea of good food is meat with meat and some more meat. 

We love to grill at home and we grill a lot! 

Also, we dislike Shan Masala with a passion, so it’s never in the marinade. 

It’s not that I want to bad mouth the company. It was very revolutionary, and it has grown so much that desi women (mostly) rely on it in every corner of the world. People who never went into the kitchen all their lives can instantly start making dishes like nihari and Shahi korma. 

I also understand that it’s easy and saves time and takes the thinking out of cooking. You just need to follow the fool proof directions on the box. I’m sure for that reason it’s very convenient for people who work and have to prepare meals for the family. 

But having said all that, it has its down side as well. It has this very distinct… taste. And this smell… that hits you as soon as you take the first bite. And then there are the after effects later on. 

Let’s just say that it is not for the discerning palette. 

It has also taken away from individuality and creative thinking. Everywhere you go, you find Shan biryani, Shan haleem and Shan nihari staring at you. These dishes have lost their distinctive quality and grandeur. They have become so run of the mill. What should be treated as the crown jewels of our cuisine now grace every table at every event like the most ordinary and effortless items. Unfortunately, they taste like that too.

I have nothing against serving them together, but some pride can be taken in crafting and preparing them.

And it can be done. Believe it or not, these dishes are very easy to make, and almost everything can be made with just the few basic spices that you have lying around.

Moving on to grilled chicken and the visceral reaction I have when I see it marinated in Shan tikka masala with Red 40 and artificial flavors. You can make such great tandoori masala at home! That recipe will follow soon too ISA.

The thing is, I have been making that so much that the other day I was just tired of it. I couldn’t bring myself to put the same ingredients together one more time. I was bored of it. So, honey chili chicken was born. 

Now, we, as a family, do not eat too much spices. In fact, people from Peshawar in general are not big on spicy food. But if you are big on spices, then this chicken is great for you because it can get quite hot! But in this case, I love that combination with the honey.

Speaking of which, a little word about honey. 

I’m a little obsessed with finding the perfect honey. Honey is so unbelievably beneficial for your health. I am always on the lookout for raw, organic, local honey, and thankfully have come across some good options. Please stay away from processed honey. The best honey for you is the one that is made locally, because the bees are using local pollen, which will help you a lot with pollen allergies. 

And if you are thinking that it should have soy sauce, then, yes, I think that could have been a good addition, but because of allergies in the house, I did not want to add it. And after making it a few times, I would definitely say that I do not miss it. It’s a very simple recipe with very few ingredients, and sometimes less is more. It’s a great combination and a keeper! 

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