Some unspoken thoughts that keep rambling in my mind. Some imaginary stories that are raging to get real. Some life lessons that direly need to be revised. Some love of words that needs to spread.
Out of every 10 people, at least 15 love eating pasta. (My math isn’t that weak, I totally made that up, thank you) The day I made this pasta, two of my uncles came to visit us. My mom asked me if I wanted to serve this dish too and I just couldn’t resist showing off a tad bit (Hey, who doesn’t like appreciation?) And so, when they ate their first bite, they were both pretty impressed. Huhu, scored!
Anyways, one of my uncles commented, “This is a pretty simple recipe, you just added pasta to already cooked meat from the last night or something,” and that was enough. I said, “Hello? I spent like 15 minutes making this meat sauce… how could you?” And then I realized he was ONLY kidding. Bad jokes, ugh!
Well honestly, it is a pretty simple and finger licking good recipe. If you love herbs and spices like I do, you’ll definitely give this a try and show off your cooking skills, like I did.
Ingredients:
1 cup penne pasta
1 tbsp oil
1 chopped onion
5 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (available in the markets)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp parsley
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 pound minced beef (Add garlic/ginger paste, pinch of salt, chili powder prior to cooking)
Instructions:
Boil the pasta according to the instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet heat the oil. Add the Italian seasoning, chopped onion and red pepper flakes and fry until the onion has softened.
Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper and cook until you smell the aroma of garlic. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a pan and cook the beef until it is brown.
Add the cooked meat to the pan with the seasoning.
Add the sugar and tomato paste and cook for another 15 minutes.
Now it’s time to adjust the seasonings of your sauce. You can increase the amount of tomato paste if you find it a little dry. Add salt and pepper. Add more sugar if you find it a bit too sour.
Finally add the pasta and sprinkle with parsley.
Do try this recipe and let me know if you liked it or not. I love feedback, yo!
I write this post, brimming with terrible anger and piercing frustration, with the hope that you, for one, would re-evaluate your self and try not to be a “jerk of a relative.”
When was the last time our so called “blood relatives” left us alone at the time when we actually needed them and plunged into our personal matters with their elongated noses at the time we needed to be alone? I would say, every-bloody-time!
There is a reason why Pakistani relatives are hated so much among our younger generation. And gradually, through heinous experiences, I have realized why it is so common.
It is because of one simple reason: Our relatives, generally speaking, love comparing our life with another totally different person and point out to us what charms we are missing out on in our life. Actually, let me rephrase it: present to our parents what a loser of a child they own and how many people have reached mount Everest in the past few years whereas their own is stuck feeding off their own nibbles.
I don’t get it. Really? All this “career craze” has gone to unbelievable lengths. Enough with this shit!
And I have some particularly badass comebacks and arguments for you “relatives.” You just wait… or not. Keep reading.
Okay first of all, please clarify because we are a bit baffled here: Are you “relatives” following the Eastern side or the Western side? Like for one, you want everyone in your family to work in multinational companies with a huge name and what not (just like the WEST) and on the other hand, you’d grind your child’s ass if they chose their own life-partner, totally out of your community, family or whatever (just not like the WEST.) What exactly are you on about, eh? Set your priorities straight at least, would you?
Years back, your own grandparents didn’t mind when you ate off of their tables or rather dastarkhuwaans andyour women didn’t work. There was no concept of being independent and there was happiness, even then. So why is it such a huge issue all of a sudden? Oh, what did you just utter? “It’s the 21st century,” did you say? Oh-kay. Then what about that time when your own daughter said she wanted to wear a gown and your almost killed her with your typical Medusa-glare? It wasn’t 21st century at that moment or what?
I mean, not every one wants to work in a multinational company, don’t you get it? There are people still in this world who would want a simple job, less money but true happiness in whatever they are doing. Not everyone treasures money, like you money-hungry freak! Do you want us to spell that out for you or you know what I’m trying to say because I don’t know, you’ll probably tell our parents we are crossing limits…? (which you sure as hell, cross very often)
You don’t know anything about anyone’s life. So stop right there. Stop judging. Stop telling others what to do. You often teach others to mind their own businesses, why not try practicing it yourself first?
Your mere “good intentions” can break someone’s heart. No, some people don’t want, what you call your”kind advice.” And that’s because you are not kind. You try to bring them down with your words. If someone has chosen ARTS as their field, how dare you tell them to “choose something sensible”? HOW DARE YOU? Who are you again? A mere relative, right? You are not that person’s brain or heart. You are definitely not the owner of their soul. You have absolutely no right to tell them what they should do with their lives. You can’t dictate anyone’s life.
Keep your experiences to yourself. It doesn’t matter if you are aged over 80 and have all the maturity in this world stuffed in your brain, if you break someone’s heart or bring them down, or try to create any sort of dispute when you clearly know it’ll cause trouble of some kind in that person’s life, you definitely are in trouble. It doesn’t do good taking advantage of your age, dictating everyone’s life, making “better decisions” for other people when they clearly despise it and expecting a leap into the Heaven. No sir/madam. That is not how it works. Your niyyat matters no doubt, but your words matter more. At least have the decency to explain your point in a way that is not mocking.
Every person is different, remember that. Every person has a story you can never imagine. We all hide our demons. We all smile like nothing’s wrong but we all have terrible stories, waiting to be heard or forgotten. We all have experiences that mold us into a person who is standing in front of the mirror. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone learns. To err is human, isn’t it? Let everyone learn on their own accord. Let people experience what they want. They can always change, whenever they want to. Sometimes, your niceness can tear someone apart. One mocking sentence, one jeering remark at their career choice and you can destroy someone’s peaceful life. You would leave their place, satisfied, thinking you have done a good job, helping others. When in reality, you have accidentally thrown a burning matchstick near a haystack in a wooden hut and now gradually, it will all burn into ashes. You don’t realize that, do you?
There are tons of people in this world, who have either chosen the wrong career, or the wrong life partner and now, even if they have parted their ways with that apparent mistake, it lives with them. It moves with them. It’s a part of their shadow. Wherever they go, their mistakes will be dug up, so often that they decide to stay within the confinements of their home, where they feel the safest. Don’t be so harsh that you drive such people into madness. There’s a limit to everything.
Yes, they chose a wrong life-partner. Yes, they chose the wrong career and are not pursuing it anymore. So what? Respect their decisions, would you? Stop asking “WHY did that happen?” Instead, start asking “HOW do you want me to help you now?” That, my dears, would earn you loads of fans.
What may seem like a useless life to you, might actually be way better than yours. You should keep that in mind. Also, learn to realize when your opinion is required. It’ll definitely make the path to Heaven much easier for you, trust me.
One fine day, I WAS DYING TO EAT KFC CHICKEN and I had no idea how to sate these random intense hunger cravings. (Like sheesh, give me a break tummy!)
But seriously, at that moment I thought I definitely needed to learn how to cook KFC style chicken pieces myself because one thing I was sure about: if I got my hands on that perfect recipe, I could stop worrying my a** over being broke and not being able to quieten the growling hunger.
And so my hunt for the recipe began.
It wasn’t much of a hunt to be honest, and after a bit of research, I finally got the hang of it. Just a few special ingredients and you’ve cooked for yourself, exactly the same chicken, ABSOLUTELY FREE!
And now let me tell you why I cooked these vinegar and onion chips.
Because I LOVE CHIPS! Who doesn’t, for God’s sake! I love making flavored chips and I wanted to try it the moment I bought “a certain ingredient.” *winks*
Okay, enough of the background stories. Let’s get back to food business, shall we?
Ingredients for KFC Chicken:
8 chicken wings (cleaned & washed)
50 gm all purpose flour
50 gm bread crumbs
1 egg (beaten)
2 tbsp curd
1 tsp red chili powder
1 green chili (cut these into the tiniest pieces possible)
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp oregano (powdered)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions:
Wash the chicken and let the water drain from it.
In a medium sized bowl, mix curd, egg, 1/2 tsp chili powder and salt.
Marinate the chicken wings in this mixture for 4 to 5 hours.
In a another large bowl, add the flour, green chili, pepper, basil leaves, oregano, onion powder, ginger powder, garlic powder and the rest of the chili powder.
Cover the chicken wings well with this spicy mix and then with the bread crumbs.
In a large frying pan, add enough oil to grease the base. I prefer not to deep fry it and rather just fry it. If you want to deep fry the chicken, adjust the amount of oil.
Fry the chicken until it is crispy and golden brown.
EAT IT !!!
NOOOO WAIT.
Let’s cook the chips now. How can you even THINK of enjoying this delicious chicken without chips? Just hide the chicken somewhere for a while; the fragrance is sure to attract a lot of people. Huhu.
Ingredients for Vinegar/Onion flavored Chips:
Potatoes (Duh!)
Vinegar
Onion powder (this is the ingredient I was winking about, remember? No? Fish memory!)
Salt
Instructions:
Slice the potatoes into the thinnest round shape possible. It is pretty easy to do if you use a chopping board and a sharp knife (just like your tongue, heh!) You can keep the skin if you want.
In a large frying pan, heat oil. Like I said before, I prefer using the least amount of oil and it does no harm to the dish being cooked, trust me.
Fry the potatoes till they are golden brown.
Add the salt, vinegar and onion powder seasoning to the chips right after you take them out on a paper to dry. That way, the flavor will be absorbed.
What are you waiting for? EEEAAAAATTTT!!!
This is probably the best weather to try out these dishes. Dryness makes it more crunchy. Also, I have learned from my experience that garlic, onion and ginger powder are some ingredients you should always have in your kitchen. You can add them to ANYTHING for an excellent flavor.
Please do let me know when you try out these recipes. I love knowing if you enjoyed them or you wanted to push me down a cliff for wasting your time. Haha.
People nowadays, are facing major health issues because of inadequate nutritional values in their food intake. Even the slightest deficiency or excess of some important elements in our body, like potassium, sodium etc., can lead to dangerously fatal disorders. Therefore, it’s very important to make sure your family has a proper nutritional diet. Keeping this under consideration, it is advised to eat all kinds of meat as well, along with vegetables & fruits, unless you’ve been advised, otherwise, by your doctor.
Before I start though, here’s a general question: What’s the best thing about herbs/leaves? Minimum calories, is the answer. If you’ve decided to lose some weight, the best idea is to add more leaves to your food instead of starving yourself. Choose from the following:
Arugula (Rocket, Rucola)
Salad of Arugula Leaves (www.health.com)
Arugula is commonly known as qulfa in our language. It’s a highly under-rated, Mediterranean herb. It has an acidic taste and a strong fragrance and is usually used in salads. But in some desi families, it is cooked along with potatoes, lentils etc. and eaten with bread.
Benefits:
Arugula has shown to have lowered blood pressure levels and increased athletic activities.
Scientifically it has been proven that people who consume this vegetable have lower risk of cancer, mainly of colon, & lung. The bitter taste of these vegetables is due to the presence of cancer fighting compounds in Arugula leaves.
Arugula is rich in Calcium and thus helps in preventing osteoporosis.
It also helps in decreasing the glucose levels, thus very beneficial for Diabetic patients.
Tips to increase Arugula intake:
Add Arugula leaves in different pasta to give it a strong taste along with minimal spices. It can also be added to pizza.
Add a handful of Arugula leaves to your omelette, sandwiches or even cooked bread.
You can also sprinkle Arugula leaves in your juices or smoothies.
Parsley
Making Parsley Tea (www.teamajesty.com)
Parsley goes by many names in Urdu, mainly dhaniya and ajmooda. Prasley also has a slightly bitter taste and is often as a garnish to bring freshness to delicacies. This vegetable is rich in Vitamin K, A, C, Iron and Folate and is very much unappreciated despite being highly nutritious. It is advised to use fresh parsley instead of dried parsley because it has a stronger flavor.
Benefits:
Being rich in Vitamin C, it is helpful in preventing the progression of asthma, colon cancer and diabetes.
It is also helpful in the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis & osteoarthritis.
Parsley leaves can be used to avoid heart attack and stroke.
Tips to increase Parsley intake:
Parsley leaves can be added to salads, lentils or any other cooked vegetable or meat.
You can add Parsley to your pasta for an enriched flavor.
Parsley can also be added to omelettes, soups and herbal tea.
Lettuce
Lettuce leaves (www.mynortherngarden.com)
Lettuce is known as salad patta in Urdu. So basically, it is used in salads. Lettuce has a succulent, juicy taste and has quite a few varieties, the most common being Romaine. Lettuce has been appreciated since ages and guess what? Chinese people consider lettuce gives good luck so they consume it on special occasions!
Benefits:
Lettuce contains compounds which have relaxing properties. Thus, it is a perfect vegetable for insomniacs.
It helps preventing the production of cholesterol & plaque.
This is one of the best vegetables for the people who are trying to lose weight.
Tips to increase lettuce intake:
People use lettuce leaves in smoothies and desserts.
Lettuce leaves are perfect complements for cheese, mayonnaise, oil, peppers, onions, eggs & vinegar. Now let your imagination explode and make something delicious!
Basil (Saint Joseph’s Wort)
Basil leaves (www.almanac.com)
Basil is more often known as tulsi or niaaz boo. Basil is a key ingredient in Italian cuisines, typically pesto sauce. Jews believe basil gives strength to them when they are fasting. It is known as a royal herb by the French. Basil has medicinal uses. It is of various types, most common being sweet basil which is used in Italian cuisines. the other types are lemon and lime basil, which are rich in citrus fragrance.
Benefits:
Basil has the ability to reduce swelling and inflammation.
It is a stress reliever and a great ingredient for anxiety patients. (WOW!)
Women use basil water for beauty purposes, like the removal of blemishes on their skin. Also, dear ladies, it is a beneficial ingredient during THAT time of the month. It helps fighting bloat.
Tips to increase Basil intake:
To relieve stress on a hot, tiresome day, add a few leaves to your tea, either green or iced.
Who doesn’t like sauces and pasta? Make your favorite pesto sauce with basil leaves and eat it with pasta.
You can add basil leaves to your soups, salads and stir-fried vegetables to experience an extraordinary flavor.
Mint (Mentha)
Mint leaves (www.greensmoothiecommunity.com
Mint is commonly called podeena. Mint is one of the most commonly used leaves, not only in cuisines but in various market products such as toothpastes, soaps, air fresheners and even candies. It is rich in anti-oxidants. Mint has a cooling taste, which itself is a mystery (how can “cool” be a taste?!) It is fresh green in color and has a strong aroma. It has multiple varieties including spearmint and peppermint. Mint has excellent medicinal properties.
Benefits:
Mint has compounds that can combat seasonal allergies like inflammation, cold etc.
It is a valuable appetizer and helps in digestion.
Some people suffer from severe bouts of nausea and headaches. Mint is a great remedy for these ailments.
Mint oil is great for skin, specially breast feeding women.
Peppermint chewing gums are very common and it has been shown in studies that people who chew these gums have higher cognitive abilities. (Keep it going!)
Tips to increase Mint intake:
To get the best out of these leaves, it is advised to use them raw or uncooked and should be added to the dishes at the very end.
Mint leaves can be added to cooked vegetables, soups and meat.
Mint can be used in tea or smoothies along with honey and lemon juice.
If you’re just in a mood to laze around, you can simply chuck in a few leaves to the water you’re about to drink.
I had been sitting behind the steering wheel of my car, head resting on my hand, the front two windows open, since the last 10 minutes. The air around me was thick with excitement and everything, from the traffic on the roads to the confines of my house, was in a state of tumult. Eid was just days away and it seemed, just like it had always been that everyone postponed their shopping till the very last week. Of course, this was nothing unusual in a huge metropolitan city like Karachi. Here, odd was the new even.
It was sometime after 12 p.m. People occasionally threw an antagonized glance up at the sun, and it defiantly glared back, even more ablaze. Everywhere the temperatures were running high and tolerance was consistently decreasing. On the boundaries of the roads were vendors or thailay walay, selling a variety of juices, ice-creams, popcorns, gol gappay and the mouthwatering French fries, which nobody in their right minds would ever pass by without giving a second glance to. Ah yes, if not shopping, more than half of the people were around the stalls, filling up their tummies as if it was their last day on earth.
I had no intention of wasting my day in this heat, hunting for a pair of new sandals, which I didn’t even desire to buy in the first place. It was solely my mother-in-law’s wish that I wear a new pair of sandals on this Eid, as according to her, “This would be your first Eid with us, you should look fantastic and absolute gorgeous from head to toe.” No matter how much I protested that it would be an utter waste of money and I had already bought like 5 pairs of new sandals (against my will, of course) for my wedding, which was 4 months back, the old woman just wouldn’t budge. Alright, I know she cares about me with all her heart, just like a true mother, but these were the kind of arguments I used to have with my own mom, all the time. And this was definitely my fate that I had to spend the rest of my life, hunting for shoes and clothes a week before the occasion, when the old women finally noticed that I wasn’t prepared at all. My second mom, that’s how I’d like to refer to my mother-in-law from now on, was in no state of getting up from her beloved rocking chair and leaving her knitting needles alone for one hour. Ergo, in the end, with much despair and an irresistible longing for the coolness of my room, I ended up driving – alone – to this huge shopping mall.
I decided to get out of the car and get over with this annoying duty as fast as I could. Finding the perfect sandal size for me is yet another issue. Back in the days when I used to go shopping with my own parents, it was a Cinderella-sort-of-hassle. My feet are… okay, I’ll just say it – small. It is a tragedy that is not a single more dignified term reserved for people who have feet like me! We used to spend hours, running from shop to shop, finding sandals that would fit me perfectly. And then there is another thing: I just wouldn’t set for anything less and therefore, I wouldn’t buy a “flat” sandal. Thus the hunt began again to buy a perfect sized pair of 3 inch platform heels. No wonder, this infrequent but entirely draining search, developed a kind of contempt for footwears inside me. Just for the record, I’m not to be blamed for this hate it is the nature’s fault. And now, I was dreading this trip because of the same reason.
I walked towards the entrance of the mall, at the same time, thinking of some reason to delay or completely cancel this search when my eyes fell on a young girl, aged almost 10. She was dressed in filthy clothes, probably the dirtiest kid on the streets I had ever seen. Her hair was light brown with streaks of golden color and she had green eyes, confirming that she was a Pathan descendent. My eyes saw the yearn dripping from her eyes to her body language, to enter the mall and have a look at the unknown world inside. But of course, the security guards being the toughest and the roughest, kept her almost 20 feet away from the gleaming glass doors. As occupied I was with my current dilemma, my eyes fell on her feet. The shabbiest piece of plastic (or was that rubber?) partitioned the ground beneath her and the soles of her feet. I was struck with a sudden idea and I approached that young girl with a new spark.
“Hey, would you like a new pair of sandals?” I asked her in Urdu, hoping she’d understand. She didn’t say anything & just looked at me with wide eyes, clearly bewildered by my abrupt boldness. “Listen, I’ll take you inside with me and I’ll buy you a new pair of sandals… as an Eid treat.” I added with a smile. She smiled back. Win.
We entered the mall, the guards looked at me suspiciously but not daring to stop me. You can say, I was resolute that I won’t spend the money on myself when I didn’t need it, period. There won’t be any further arguments about it and who ever stands up against me or opposes me would face my wrath. Okay not exactly my wrath but more like my stubbornness. Anyway, as we made our way inside, I was suddenly aware of all the glances we were attracting. “Oh come on, she is a human too,” I tried to convey this message by means of my eye to a totally burger woman. This was unbearable and disappointing. I looked at the little girl; her eyes were looking at everything but the people. She was beyond awed. This made me smile inside. Human nature is funny; it always gets dazzled and tempted to the things which are beyond its reach. Just like I get dazzled by bookshops. My husband looked at me the same way then, like I was seeing this little girl right now.
Finally, I found the shop I was looking for. I had learned two things in my life about this shop: Its splendor was not to be taken for granted & that you should’ve extra cash with you just for one pair of footwear. I stepped inside with the little girl after me. Her mouth was open and she was gaping around in a complete trance. Better to just buy her the stuff and not let her get used to it.
After almost one hour – yes, it was completely tedious because I couldn’t decide which sandal suited her best, but in the end, we found her pair of really cute blue colored sandals with multi colored flowers lacing its straps and guess what? The heel was 2 inched! As I paid for it, the little girl had no words to say but her shining eyes expressed what was going on inside her. She was about to burst with happiness. It made my day.
On the way out, I was thinking about my second mother’s reaction if I went empty handed. She would take it as a personal insult of course, that I had not followed her “command” but who cares, right? I had no intention of telling her this little secret of mine. I was happy that the money was used for a useful cause, be it just a pair of sandals, and that it made two people smile with pleasure & satisfaction. In other words, it made the aura of festivities around us more enjoyable.
She stood at the roof ledge, eyes closed, breathing in the air and letting the memories of her life cascade in full flow, for the final time. She wasn’t afraid, not even one bit. All she desired was freedom; freedom from the dark thoughts of the past, blur thoughts of the present and dank thoughts of the future. The wind was blowing in gusts, but she stood firm, rooted to the spot. No strength, not a single one, could move her today, not when she didn’t want to. She now experienced this sense of self control, for the first time, since years, as far as her mind could take her. It was exhilarating, an alien but magnificent feeling.
Moments passed by. Nothing changed except the position of the sun and the clouds, draped all over the sky. She felt the warmth of the sun, slowly travelling from her right cheek to her left. Her legs didn’t ache, she didn’t feel tired at all. Her hair were flying in all directions, a light curtain of black. She fluttered her eyes open, after what seemed like ages, and let the beauty of nature sink in her soul, for the last time. She looked all around her, the sun, the sky-high buildings, the silly shapes of the clouds, the birds singing along the wind, the kids playing on the roads beneath, their laugh shrill & full of elation. Her mind wandered off to her own, rather quiet and cold childhood. She let her mind feel again, the stab of pain that shot across her body every time she was hit. She looked at the dull purple bruises on her body, repeatedly getting hit made the bruises last forever. She didn’t feel the agony now, not anymore. It would all be over soon.
She wanted her last moments to be happy, a feeling she wasn’t very used to. She thought of the moments when she had, however mistakenly, believed he was the one. She had felt truly happy at that time, no matter how short lived it had been. It never really mattered before & it won’t now, ever.
For the last time, she looked beneath her, the rush of the traffic, the kids & the height at which she was standing. She felt numb now, she wanted this to be over. She spread her arms on both her sides, took a deep breath closed her eyes & took a step forward.
I googled long-chirray recipes, one fine evening while having tea, and I was astounded that there was absolutely no mention of this recipe anywhere online. I decided that instant, I had to share this recipe with you people. It will be an utter loss for the foodies if you die before you taste it. Trust me.
Before I type the recipe, I would like to introduce the dish first. My family is pretty “chatori” i.e. we love spicy foods and different fried stuff ranging from samosay to pakoray to karri (though I don’t like karri) to different chatneys (Oh, you’ll find a variety of them if you ever open our refrigerator). That’s partly because our taste-buds are very desi. And partly because of the fact that our grand-grand parents and generations of them have spend their lives in India and these recipes have been passed on and cherished, much to our delight.
Long chirray, was a dish my maternal granny used to make in huge amounts, as my mom narrates, specially for the aftari arrangements in our granpa’s mosque. So, naturally, my mom grew up seeing this dish. Later, when she got married, she prepared this dish when one of my paternal uncle’s family came over to the newlyweds’ place for lunch. And voila! They absolutely loved it and it became an instant hit. Bonus points for Ammi! And since then, it remains as one of the most love-able dishes, all thanks to my mom, at my paternal side.
Long-chirray, are basically soft, chickpea flour fritters, garnished with a sweet-sour-&-spicy chutney which eventually, makes the time cease for you and you can’t help closing your eyes, dreaming of love for food and savor the taste on your tongue.
I hope this intro is enough to increase your appetite and your curiosity.
Ingredients:
Chickpea flour (basen) (1 cup)
Roasted cumin seeds (1 tsp)
Carom (Ajwain) (1/4 th tsp)
Salt
Oil (for frying)
Water (2 cup)
Chutney (sauce):
Pulp of Tamarind (imlee mixed in water) (1/2 cup)
Sugar (2 tsp)
Roasted cumin seeds (1/2 tsp)
Ground red chillis (1/2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)
Instructions:
First of all, prepare the chickpea mixture/dough. Add water to it & mix, to an extent that it isn’t as thin as you prepare for the usual chickpea fritters; this flour needs to be a bit thick so that it is easy to give the fritters a good shape and to keep them soft. Add the other ingredients and salt to taste and mix it well.
In preheated oil, add one fritter at a time. Don’t use a spoon; trust in the powerful art of your hands and it’ll give you cute, endearing, squiggly shapes. Fry them until they turn brown. Make sure, while frying, the fire should be medium. Pro tip: The best fritters have small holes.
Put these fritters in a bowl of water. Let them soak as much water as they can until they are soft. The better & softer the chickpea mixture, the softer would be the fritters in less time.
Take them out in a dish and prepare the chutney.
The chutney or the sauce, is all about your taste. You can add more sugar if you like sweeter sauce or you can add more chillis if you need a little more spice. Mix them up and chill the sauce for a while.
Garnish the fritters with the sauce. Make sure all the fritters have at least 3 drops of the sauce. It would be good not to use the whole sauce at once; save some and present it in a small bowl along with the dish.
Finally, the dish is ready. It is an excellent mouth watering delicacy, a must have for your beautiful table on the next dinner/lunch you prepare for masses. I can guarantee you that the flavor will leave you craving for more and it would be hard to stop eating it once you have started.
Do give me your feedback & share it with your friends and family, please, if you like this dish. It would be a great help. 🙂
Here’s the first recipe, as promised. Indonesian rice are pretty tasty. When I cooked these the first time, I invited my uncle’s family over for graduation lunch. Oh boy, it was fab, I’m telling you. I made tons of other stuff, but we’re focusing only on the rice dish, right now. Sooorrryyy.
I found this recipe in a cooking book by Zubeda Tariq. The best thing about her books is that everything, ranging from ingredients to the cooking instructions, is perfectly explained. In short, the best gift for amateur cooks.
Without further ado, let’s move onto the recipe. It’ll take about half hour to completely prepare this dish. Results will be delicious! *fingers crossed*
Pehle aap zara dish ki shakal dekh leyn, takay aapki bhook chaar guna zada barh jaaye. Aaaah, that’s right!
Don’t drool on my dish, please. Hosla rkheyn.
Ingredients:
Boiled rice (1 cup)
Green chilli (2 medium sized, chopped)
Spring onion (2, chopped)
Red chilli (1)
Salt
Oil (2 tsp)
Sauce:
Red chilli (4)
Capsicum (green/red, or both) (1/2, roughly chopped)
Onions (2, roughly chopped)
Garlic (4 cloves, roughly chopped)
Oil (1 tbsp)
Instructions:
Let’s first prepare the rice. For that, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium fire and add the spring onions, green chillis and the red chilli. You can add any other thing you like, maybe mushrooms or corns. Fry them for 3-5 minutes. In case of corns, check if they are tender. Add the rice to the pan and add salt to taste. Fry these for 5 more minutes. Keep them warm.
Now make the sauce. Fry oil in a pan on medium fire. Fry the red chillis, capsicum, onions and garlic in the pan for around 2 minutes. After this, add these things to the chopper and grind them together until they take the form of a thick paste. If you want bit of a color, you can add more red chilli but keep in mind they are very strong. Finally, add this paste to the rice. Mix well. Heat the rice before serving.
And finally…
Ta-daaaaaaa! Indonesian rice are reaaadyyy!!!
“Let the feast, beginnnn!” *Spreads hands like him* (He was so cool, right?)
Heh! I hope you all like it. Please share your feedback. Oh, and please make sure you wash the vegetables well. Specially the leaves. And the red chillis.
How are you all? Long time, huh? I’ve been busy making iftaris in Ramzan and after iftari, I just didn’t have the energy to blog (itni zooooor ki neend ana shuru hojati hai magically, wtf). And then Eid, jis se yaad aya….
***fireworks***
EID MUBARAK GUYS!!!!
***fireworks***
Nah, I won’t ask did you reach your Eidi targets, because apparently, Eidi is a touchy topic nowadays. Even more touchy than asking a girl on her period, how she is. I know right? So damn serious.
Anyways, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I should start writing about. I’ve had different ideas and very cool ones. (NOT bragging!)
I’m thinking of introducing my recipes here. I’ve found many people on the internet who, like me, enjoy cooking and love eating new dishes (desi or foreign). So it’s kind of good, sharing your ideas and recipe with others (takay mere kuch friends food k bahanay se hi bn jayen 😥 Yeah, I’m a broken devil). I love experimenting with food. And the thing about my cooking is, I just can’t stick to one recipe with the same ingredients. Gosh, it gets so boring. I keep trying new ingredients and new sauces, which to be honest, produce delicious results most of the time.
I’ll add a category here, with the name of “Accio Food!” For those who don’t know, ACCIO is a summoning charm used in Harry Potter. Haha.
Okay then foodies, see you in the cafeteria! Take care!
My Proliferating Thoughts 