Caramel Popcorns

Caramel popcorn !!! 

This is something that you either love or hate, there no in-between for this. I happen to love these!

I look forward to going to the movies so that I can have these :D (life of a foodie, what can I say)

Didnt take step by step photos of this, but they are pretty easy to make.

Recipe adapted from: Gordon Ramsay

You'll need:

1/4 cup of Corn Kernels (or 1 packet of microwave popcorns)

For the Caramel :

1/4 cup of Sugar 

a pinch of salt

1 tsp butter

1/4 tsp baking soda

Method:

If you are using corn kernels, Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add the kernels and cover. They would start popping in a minute or two. Take off heat when no more popping sound comes.

If you are using microwavable popcorns, just follow packet instructions. 

Empty the popcorns in a big bowl.

To Make The Caramel:

Add sugar to a heavy bottomed pan. 

cook till melted. Dont stir while the sugar is melting, it will result in formation of crystals and we certainly dont want that.

Be very careful, as the sugar is very very very hot, it can burn you severely.

As soon as the sugar melts take it off the heat and add salt, butter and baking soda.

This will result in a little bubbling of the sugar, dont panic, its just the baking osda reacting with the sugar. 

Put it on heat for a second or two and then just pour it over the popcorns. Mix with a spoon.

When its warm to touch, separate it when your hands.

Thats it.

Super easy.

Enjoy !

Khausey

Khausey is a Burmese dish, which have been adopted by the Memon community of Pakistan, and modified to suit our palettes.

Its hearty and delicious.

It does require a bit of work, but its well worth the effort.

I got this recipe from my Sister-in-law, and she got it from somewhere on the internet.

It basically comprises of 3 components, Karhi (either gram flour karhi or coconut karhi), Chicken Masala and Noodles. I'm making gram flour karhi here.

Servings: 2 

So, for this you'll need:   

For The Karhi:

1-2 tbsp of Gram Flour (Besan)

250 grams of Yogurt

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp of Red Chili Powder

1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder 

1/4 tsp of Cumin (Zeera)

1/2 tsp of Lemon Juice

For Chicken Masala:

250-300 grams of boneless Chicken (cubed)

1 medium Onion sliced

1 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste

1 tbsp of Tomato paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp of Red Chili Powder

1/2 tsp of All Spice Powder (garam masala)

1/2 tsp of Coriander Powder

2 tbsp of Yogurt

Other Ingredients :

1/2 packet of Spaghetti

1 Medium Onion fried till golden brown

1-2 Spring Onion chopped

Lemon wedges

Potato crisps (i used doritos :D) 

Add all the ingredients, except lemon juice, for the Karhi in a heavy bottomed pan with 2-3 glass of water. Cook for 1 and a half to 2 hours on low flame. Add lemon juice in the end.

Heat a little oil in a pan, add Onions, Fry till light golden.

Add chicken, ginger garlic paste,

Tomato paste,

Salt, All spice, Red chili powder, Coriander powder. 

Cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add a bit water and leave to cook for 30 minutes.

When the water evaporates. Add yogurt.

Cook on high flame till saucy and thick. Check seasoning.

Boil spaghetti.

Prepare Condiments.

To serve, Add noodles in the bottom of the bowl, pour karhi on top, place chicken masala in the center.

Top it off with condiments.

Super delicious !! 

Enjoy !! 

Rogan Josh

I found this recipe while my husband was going through the tv channels. It came up on a show called "Food Safari" on fox traveler. It was one of those recipes that they fast forward and make in like 5 minutes.

I usually don't like mutton, but this recipe is amazing, the meat literally falls off the bones. 

So tender and juicy.

But definitely not something that you'd want to make often, as there is a lot of oil involved. But a great crowd-pleaser at a dawat or get together. And a great recipe for Eid-ul-Adha

For This Recipe You'll Need:

750 grams of Mutton

1/2 cup of Oil/Ghee (I used oil with 1 tbsp of Ghee)

2 large Onions chopped

1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste

1/4 tsp of Black Peppercorns

1/4 tsp of Cloves

2 Cinnamon sticks

3-4 Black Cardamom

2 Bay leaves 

2 tsp Red chili Powder (adjust according to taste)

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Dried Red chilies (Kashmiri mirch/Talhari mirch)

1 cup of Yogurt

1/4 cup Milk

a few sprigs of Saffron

1/2 bunch of Coriander

Soak dried chilies in hot water for 15 minutes. Blend to make a paste. Keep aside.

Mix Red chili powder, Turmeric, Coriander powder and Garam masala powder in a little bit of water (to prevent burning in the pan). Keep aside.

Heat oil. Add clove, black peppercorns, bay leaves and black cardamom. Cook for a minute.

Add finely chopped Onion.

When golden, add ginger garlic paste. Cook for a minute till fragrant.

Add the masala with water and red chili paste. Cook for a minute.

Add mutton ad salt. Cook till it changes color, than add water and let it cook on low flame till tender.

Add yogurt.

Cook till the oil comes on top.

Than add the amount of water you want for gravy.

Soak Saffron in milk. And add this as well. 

When ready to dish out, add coriander.

Serve with rice.

Linking the recipe to Meat Lovers Month

Baked Pasta

Hey you all !

I know its been a long time since I've posted anything. I went to Pakistan to spend Eid with my family, came back a few days ago. And than i got the flu, so a lot has happened.

 The packing and unpacking kind of takes a toll on me. What to take from here, and what not to. Gifts for everyone. Going from Oman, i thought i wouldn't have a lot of luggage to bring back, as i'd give all the gift there but wrong again, me and J had 43 kgs of extra baggage :/ pretty crazy. And than after THAT ordeal we come here and we had to unpack, it took me about a week to do so. I was so tired by the time i was done !

It was the first eid after my wedding, so this trip was already really tiring. But there's one good side to all this, we did get a lot of Eidi (from my side of the family, lets make that clear :D ):D haha :D

Anyways, I made this recipe in Ramadan, hoping to post it sooner but just couldn't find the time. So here it it.

You'll need :

2-3 cups of RED MEAT SAUCE ( You can find the recipe by clicking on the link)

For White Sauce:

2 tbsp of Butter

2-3 tbsp of All Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cup of Milk

1 cup of Chicken Stock (made with chicken powder or chicken cube)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp of Black pepper

a pinch of Dried Thyme

a pinch of Dried Oregano

Other ingredients:

1 Carrot diced

1 Capsicum diced

2-3 Spring Onions chopped

1 cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded

2 cups of Pasta

Make RED SAUCE, keep Aside

Stir fry Vegetables in a little oil with a bit of salt and pepper. Keep aside.

Boil any type of pasta you like. Keep Aside.

For the white sauce: Add butter in a pan, when melted add flour, cook till fragrant. keep stirring to prevent burning.

Add milk little at a time to prevent lumps from forming. It will instantly starts to thicken. If lumps are formed, dont panic, add a little bit more milk and blend everything together and pass through a sieve.

Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Let it cook till it reaches a saucy consistency (not too thick, as you'd be pouring this over the pasta)

Grease a baking dish with butter/oil.

Add the meat sauce to the bottom of the dish.

Cover with pasta.

Add the stir fried Vegetables

...the white sauce

Top it with mozzarella cheese 

Bake at 180 for 25-30 minutes.

Take out and Enjoy !

Linking the recipe to Back to School Lunch Ideas

Sindhi Biryani

And here we are, at the topic of biryani again :D

i'm clearly obsessed 

This we made for iftar. its only been 11 roza's and we are already fed up of pakorey

so we are trying to add everyday food for iftar as well.

For This Recipe You'll need:

1 kg of chicken

750 grams of Rice

2 large/3 medium Onions

1 tbsp of Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 bunch of Coriander leaves

1/2 bunch of Mint leaves

5-6 Green chilies

8-10 Cloves

1/2 tsp of Black peppercorn

1 Cinnamon stick

2-3 Black cardamom

2-3 Green Cardamom

3 large Tomatoes

Salt to taste

2 tsp of Red Chili powder (adjust accordingly)

1 tsp of Coriander powder

1/2 tsp of Turmeric powder

1 cup of Yogurt

1 Potatoes, peeled and cubed

Fry Onions till light golden. Take out and keep aside.

Make a coarse paste of mint, coriander and green chilies. Keep aside.

Heat oil, add Ginger Garlic paste. When fragrant, add cloves, peppercorns, black and green cardamom, cinnamon. Cook for a minute.

Than add coriander,mint and green chili paste.

....

Add chicken. When it changes color...

...add red chili powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder and 2 out of 3 tomatoes. (keep 1 tomato aside)

Cook for 5 minutes, than add in potatoes. Add a little water and cook till the potatoes and chicken are done.

Cut the remaining 1 tomato in slices, fry with a little bit of oil. 1 minute per side. take out and keep aside.

When the chicken and potatoes are done, add the browned onion...

...and yogurt. Cook on high flame for about 4-5 minutes.

Turn off them flame, and add sliced tomatoes and sliced lemons.

Layer the korma with Boiled rice. Add mint leaves, saffron milk (i did add zarda color) and onion tarqa on top.

Cover and put on dam for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with raita and Salad.