Firni ( Rice Pudding)

Pakistani sweet dishes are not tough as in recipe but patience is the way to bring out its best taste. The only thing Pakistani Halwas, Kheers and Firnis want is perfect stirring throughout the cooking!

Firni is a kind of rice pudding made with powdered rice almost similar to kheer which is made of whole rice grains. Usually it is flavored with cardamom or saffron and garnished with crushed nuts and dry fruits! Serving firni in Pakistan is usually done in traditional Earthenware/Clay pots called "Tothian".

So the recipe now :)

INGREDIENTS:

•  6 tablespoon Rice
• 2 liter milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup khoya (dried whole milk)
• 2-3 drops Khewra Essence
• dessicated coconut for garnishing
• 10-15 chopped Almonds 

PROCEDURE:

•  Soak rice in 1/2 cup milk overnight and grind it to a smooth paste.
• Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan (to avoid sticking at the base). Add sugar and dissolve it completely.
• As the sugar dissolves add in the ground rice paste.
• Keep stirring it well to mix the rice paste in the milk.
• With constant and slow stirring add khoya and cardamom powder to the milk.
• Boil the milk with everything in it while frequently stirring it, till it starts getting thick & the rice is all cooked.
• Keep cooking the firni at low flame with constant stirring to avoid lumping and sticking at the base.
• Cook till the firni thickens to desired consistency (appearance of thick bubbles indicates its thick enough)
• Switch off the heat and add 2-3 drops of Khewra essence.
• Serve in Clay pots that were soaked in water overnight. (clay pots should be soaked in water overnight as it absorbs water)
• Garnish it with chopped almonds and dessicated coconut.
• Serve cold :)

 the filled 'Tothian" :)

 all set and ready :)

the three :D

 other view :P (blurred one )

the closer view :D (don't mind the rental add :P newspaper was used just to keep the place tidy) 

Finally the "tothian" are covered one over the other and tied with a rubber band :D

some Firni in the bowl :)

ENJOY :)

 

Chicken Nihari

A week more to Eid-ul-Azha.There are so many people around who have red meat phobia.
For all those Chicken lovers who will be on chicken diet on Eid-ul-Azha, Chicken Nihari is the dish of the day!
Nehari is one of the very traditional Pakistani dishes preferably made in beef but as people nowadays are more inclined towards white meat, it is made in chicken as well.
Okay so the recipe now!

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized onions
• 1/2 kg chicken
• 1 cup oil
• 1 medium sized piece of dried ginger (soont in urdu)
• 2 Tablespoon fennel (soonf in urdu)
• 2 Tablespoons ginger garlic paste
• 1 Tablespoon red pepper
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ground Hot spices (garam masala)
• sliced ginger for garnishing
• coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure:

• Cut onions in very thin slices.
• Warm 1 cup oil in cooking pan and fry onions in it. Do not over fry the onion slices till golden brown.
• Take a piece of clean white cloth and wrap dried ginger and fennel in it. Tie the cloth into a loose wrap. (the "potli" is made to give aroma to the gravy and it is removed in the end)
• As the onions get soft add in the wrapped fennel and ginger potli. 
• Add the chicken and saute it till the water dries and chicken tenderizes.
• Mix ginger garlic paste with 1/2 cup water and add it to the chicken. Saute and cook it.
• Add 1 tablespoon red pepper and saute it well.
• When chicken is slightly golden brown and tender add in the salt.
• Pour 1litre(1litre-1.25litre for half kg meat) of water to chicken and mix well.Cover it and cook the chicken at low flame.
• When water boils, low the flame further and add in flour dissolved in 1/2 cup water slowly till the gravy thickens. (don't pour the flour mixture all together. Pour the flour slowly with stirring till the gravy gains consistency)
• Mix ground hot spices in little water and dissolve it properly and add it to Nehari gravy.Mix well and cover it for 5-6 minutes.
• Remove the potli (cloth wrap having fennel and dried ginger)
• Turn off the flame and keep the pan covered for 10-15 minutes till the oil comes up. ("tarri" or oil on top is a sign of good Nehari)
• Garnish it with finely sliced ginger and coriander.
• Enjoy with kulchas (Pakistani flat bread)  :)

 top view :D

the closer one :)

Mint Tamarind Slushie :D

This is one refreshing drink for AFTAAR after fasting 15 hours in the Holy month of Ramadan :D

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup tamarind pulp
• ground cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
• sugar 8-10 tablespoons (depending on how sweet you like)
• black salt 1/2 teaspoon
• chilled water 1.25 liters
• lemon juice 2 tablespoons
• mint leaves 6-8

METHOD:

• Blend in the tamarind pulp, cumin seeds, sugar and salt.
• Add in the lemon juice, 2-4 mint leaves and chilled water and blend it well.
• Serve chilled with ice.
• Garnish with mint leaves.
• Enjoy :)

 

serve chilled and enjoy <3

Maggi noodles with vegetables and crispy fried chicken

Trying something different with the same ingredients is the fun part of cooking. Instant Maggi noodles with new biryani spices is available in Pakistan now. This one was a random idea with maggi noodles :D

INGREDIENTS:

• maggi biryani noodles or two packs simple chicken noodles
• onions two medium sized cut in cubes
• capsicum two medium sized cut in cubes
• green chili one chopped
• chicken250gms
• vinegar 1/2 cup
• barbeque masala 1/4 pack
• flour 1/2 cup
• bread crumbs 1/2 cup to coat chicken
• salt to taste
• oil 2 Tablespoons  

METHOD:

• Boil maggi noodles in 3 cups water. Add in the tastemaker (chicken/biryani). Dry the water.
•  Warm oil in pan and toss in onions and capsium for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add these fried vegetables to maggi noodles and miz properly.
• Marinate the chicken pieces with vinegar and barbeque masala for half hour.
• Warm oil for frying. Fold in the chicken pieces with flour and bread crumbs. Cover the chicken properly. Fry the chicken at low flame till golden brown.
• Serve the noodles in a platter with fried chicken at one side.
• Garnish with green chilies.
• Serve hot with chili garlic sauce :)

 ready to eat :)

ENJOY <3

hinahunya: Honey Wings :)

hinahunya: Honey Wings :): Honey wings is one of the easiest and yummy starters one could have :) INGREDIENTS:  8 chicken wings 1/2 cup honey 3 teaspoon so...

Honey Wings :)

Honey wings is one of the easiest and yummy starters one could have :)

INGREDIENTS:

•  8 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 teaspoon soya sauce
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

METHOD:

• Take a bowl and add honey, soya sauce, salt , black pepper in it and stir it well.
• Marinate the wings in the honey sauce for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven at 200 C for 30 minutes.
• Line an oven tray with butter paper and place the wings on it. Add the left sauce on it.
• Cook it in the oven for 35-40 minutes till golden brown.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
• Serve hot with barbeque sauce.
• Enjoy sticky honey wings with sesame seeds :)

Sticky Honey wings served  :)

Enjoy :)

strawberry dipped in chocolate with choco cupcake:)

the strawberry special :D

closer view :P

enjoy :):)

dark chocolate muffins with edible paper customization :D

forget the frosting, try simply edible paper decorations :)

Chocolate Muffins

After a long baking experiments, this one was a real bliss <3
This recipe is one of the easiest ones as it doesn't requires vigorous beating or mixing.


The recipe now :D


INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 and 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (mine was Hershey's)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• chocolate sprinkles 1/2 cup

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven at 190 C.
• In a large bowl add flour, brown sugar and cocoa powder. Remove lumps if any.
• Now add in baking soda. baking powder and salt. Mix all the ingredients well with a spoon.
• Add in the chocolate chips.
• Take another bowl and add in the eggs. Whisk it.
• Pour the 3/4 cup of milk, vanilla extract and melted butter to the eggs. Whisk all the ingredients well. (beating with the electric beater is not required)
• Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients with the help of spatula. Do not over mix the batter.
• Place muffin liners in your muffin tray.

the muffin trays with muffin liners, my recipe notebook and scooper :P

• Fill the liners with chocolate batter up to 2/3 of it.

filling up the liners :D

the filling in progress :D

done :)

• Add pinch of chocolate sprinkles on each liner.

ready to be baked :)

• Bake it in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

the baked chocolate muffins :) <3 

 the closer view :)

yum and moist :) 

Enjoy :)

Hawaiin Potato Salad

It's long since I posted some recipe on my blog. I tried this one a week ago with chicken pulao.




INGREDIENTS:

• potatoes 2 medium sized
• 1 cup pineapple 
• 1 red onion
• 1 green chili
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise cream
•  salt to taste
• pepper 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

• Boil potatoes and cut it in wide cubes.
• Slice pineapple.
• Slice the red onion and soak it in water for 15 minutes. Drain it.
• Chop the green chilies very finely.
• Chop green onions along with the green part.
• In a bowl mix together the potatoes, pineapple slices, red onion slices, chopped green onions and green chilies. 
• Add salt, black pepper and the mayonnaise cream. Mix all well.
• Dish out and cool it before serving.

 blurred one :-/

the salad days :D

enjoy!! :)

Laal - Surkh Ghata (Lahore Awakens) posted by Lahorenama

The Hanging Bottles

 the inverted water bottles at PUCAD :D

 so many water bottles but still the barren ground :-o

Nestle pure life and HBL :P