Friday, September 19, 2014

Zafrani chicken pulao yellow rice.



Zafrani chicken  pulao 
yellow rice.
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This simple rice goes wonderful with dal or vegetable curry.
The beautiful yellow color is pleasing and eye catching .my kids love this rice because its taste yummy with too much spices and they call it yellow rice.
So here you go next time you want to make something easy and want to please elders and kids at the same time make this yummy yellow rice.


Ingredients:




1-1/2 cup basmati rice
3-cup water
1/2 tsp saffron strands, soaked in 3tbsp hot water
Salt to taste
1/4-cup canola oil
1 large onion chopped
1 medium size chicken cut in 16 pieces
1 medium size tomato chipped
1tsp cumin seeds
2 whole cardamoms
7 whole black pepper corns
3 cloves
1 stick  cinnamon, broken
1tbsp ginger and garlic paste 

Method:


Start by washing and soaking rice for 5 minutes. Drain and add to cooking pot or rice cooker. Add 3 cups of tap water and the saffron mixture and salt. And start cooking them on medium heat.
Meanwhile in large frying pan or pot add oil and onion and stir fry on high heat just until light golden add chicken and cook until there is no pick color on the chicken add tomato and the rest of ingredients and cook for 7 minute.

After 7 minute pour this mixture on the rice and cover until the water dries and the rice become fully cooked .fluff the rice and serve it with any spicy  curry and Mint Raita

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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Sweet Vermicelli Sevaiya





Sweet Vermicelli Sevaiya
Sweet vermicelli  is my kids favorite ,and its way easy to make and much healthier then a cake or candy. my daughter ruqayyah always wants these yummy sweet vermicelli as we call them manchi.
Hope you will try it .the vermicelli that I use in this recipe is available at any Indian ire Pakistani store the best are from national, or Shan. there are many way to cook but this is the lighter version .

This is the way my mother in low cook vermicelli, yummy out of this world.
 Ingredients
4 TBS canola oil
3 cardamoms, crushed
1 whole pack of vermicelli[break them in half ]
3 TBS sugar
1/2 C. water
Method: 

In a large saucepan heat oil and add cardamom. Add vermicelli and roast for 1minute on low.
Stir in sugar, and then add water and mix well until the vermicelli becomes soft.
Cover and cook on low, stirring until the sevaiya cooks and water evaporates. Serve with tea (can also be served for breakfast). 

Preparation time: 5
Cooking time: 15to20minutes.
Serves: 4

Friday, May 23, 2014

Pashteeza /healthy peshawari pizza


Pashteeza My friend wardah ask me to make Peshawar pizza which called pashteeza .when I see the picture on facebook I remember ,that many people in Peshawar specially those who have the clay oven in their home they make this in the end when they cooked there naan bread they add chopped tomatoes and onion and make this for the kids . In my village I spend my vacation to learn to cook on tandoo the clay oven .at the beggaring it was a fun for them to see a modern college girl ,who wear gloves to wash the dishes, use sunscreen lotion .it was a joke ,the people of my village were strong they have no fair of anything. Making on the clay on was not easy; you can burn your hand easily. you have to chopped the wood add to the clay oven fire it up when it’s really hot get a clean wet towel and quickly run around oven to clean the walls so when you stick you naan it won’t be black and stick easily. Then you will make a big dough that cannot be fit in your hand no wooden boards or rolling pin , wet your hand and make a big naan with beautiful
ul motions .then wet the dough and stick it on the hot wall press it hard. Do the rest and in few minutes the naan will be ready.
 I remember when I tell the lady that I want to cook she say oh no you can’t its really hot but I did try she make me a smaller dough I follow her direction ,I did burn my elbow and the naan did stick to the wall she fix the sides though ,but that was my first naan I did make it every day all my vacations .and every time I make them I feel that I did something ,just like I win the prize ,even after coming back to home I did have those burn lines on my hand . So this recipe is for all those hard working ladies of my village .and for my friend wardah I hope you will like it.
 Pashteeza /healthy peshawari pizza
Ingredients: 1-cup warm milk or water 2-tsp yeast 2-cups all-purpose flour pulse extra for dusting and rolling 1/4-cup bread flour 5-TBS basin Salt to taste 3tbsp olive oil 1tsp honey 5 green onion/scallions thinly chopped 1/2-cup chopped cilantro 2-cloves of garlic minced garlic 1tsp freshly ground black pepper 1tsp cumin seeds 1 tomato thinly sliced 1 green chili thinly sliced .
Method:

1. In a food processor, or electric mixing bowl, or bread maker, combine the milk, yeast, both of the flour, basin, salt, oil, and honey and run the machine until the dough form a ball, keep kneading for 15 minutes. After 15 minute stop the machine and add the chopped green onion, cilantro, garlic, pepper, and cumin seeds and let it mix for 10 minutes. 2. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray, remove the dough from the food processor shapes it a round ball and place the dough in the bowl. Cover it with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise in warm, draft-free place until double in volume, about 1 to 2 hours. 3. Punch down the dough and make 6, equal size ball and keep aside on a lightly floured plate for 15 minutes. 4. Place a large baking sheet or pizza stone, on the center oven rack, preheat the oven to broiler Lightly sprinkle a working surface with little flour ,flatten each ball into round circle ,topped each bread with thinly slice of tomato and green chili and transfer the circle to the baking sheet or pizza stone and bake 1 to 2 minutes or until the top lightly brown serve hot with salad and cold drink
. Note. If you are in hurry cook bottom of the bread on iron skillet then carefully transfer to broiler and the top will cooked in oven very fast.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

pakistani home cooking: Kari Pakora

pakistani home cooking: Kari Pakora: .    Kari Pakora Kari pakora is a beautiful dumplings in a creamy yogurt sauce. Which have a beautiful combination of creamy...

Kari Pakora



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 Kari Pakora

Kari pakora is a beautiful dumplings in a creamy yogurt sauce. Which have a beautiful combination of creamy,smooth  yogurt sauce which is out of this world.
You can serve kari with rice or just eat with spoon.


 Ingredients

1 small onion
1 C. plain yogurt
3 TBS gram flour
2 C. water
salt and pepper
For pakora:
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 C. gram flour
3 TBS water
salt and pepper
1/tsp cumin seeds
oil for frying
For bagaar
5 TBS oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
5 curry leaves 

In blender add half onion, yogurt, gram flour, turmeric, and water; blend into smooth sauce. Strain the sauce, then add this mixture to pot. Add salt and pepper cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
Now make a mixture for pakora by adding baking powder,gram flour water salt and pepper and cumin seed mix and fry a teaspoon full in oil until golden and keep aside. When curry gets thick, add fried pakora and cover. In a small frying pan heat oil add 1/2 chopped onion, cumin,garlic, and curry leaves. Pour over curry and serve with white rice. 

curry pakora with white rice

Preparation time: 10 minute
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The Best of Brunch: Organic, Vegetarian, Edible Simplicity by Ayesha Khan
The Best of Brunch: Organic, Vegetarian, Edible Simplicity
by Ayesha Khan
Link: http://amzn.com/1479278483 
   

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

1. simple homemade Garam Masala.

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  1.   simple homemade  Garam Masala.
                Garam masala is one of the most commonly used spice mix, and home made is way batter then ready-made store brought .

Ingredients:

1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp whole black pepper
3 whole black cardamoms
1 tsp cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leave optional
4 tsp white cumin
1/2 tsp nutmeg and mace crushed
Method:

Put all the spices and an electric grinder and grind them into fine powder.  Store it in airtight container.
Note:
Garam masala can be used in almost all Pakistani savory meals. It has great medicinal properties, great flavor and aroma especially in the rice and meat dishes or any curries.