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

GOL GAPAY WALA AAYA - :D

One of the most yummiest and chatpatta  snack of all times in Pakistan, India etc. :D
Do try out the recipe and let me know how you liked it :)
Before the recipe, listen to "Golgapay wala aya" below :D










Gol gapas are easy to make with very basic ingredients plus some patience when you are trying it at home. Puffing the gol gapas is possible by following these steps:
1. Rolling the dough as thin as possible.
2. Don't let the bulk dough or the rolled dough to dry up! Cover the dough with a damp kitchen cloth properly throughout.
3.  The oil must be sufficiently warm for frying the gol gapas.
4. While you put the puri (gol gapa) in oil to fry, use your frying skimmer to to gently pat the puri so that it puffs up. Flip the side and pat the puri again! (it helps to puff the gol gapa quickly and easily)
5. Not all the gol gapas would puff up completely. So, have patience :D


INGREDIENTS:


Puri:

• semolina (suji) 3/4 cup
• flour (maida) 1/4 cup
• Flour (aata) 1/4 cup
• water 1/2 cup or as reqiured

Pani:

• tamarind pulp 1 cup
• mint leaves 7-8
• green chillies 1-2 
• lemon juice 4 tablespoons
• black salt 1/2 teaspoon
• plain salt 1/2 teaspoon
• roasted and ground zeera 1 tablespoon
• ground sugar 6 tablespoons
• black pepper 1/2 teaspoon
• chaat masala 1 tablespoon
• water 4 cups (adjust to taste)

Filling:

• potatoes 2 medium sized, boiled and cut in cubes
• chick peas 1 cup boiled
• onions 2 medium sized sliced
• flour dumplings (pakorian) 1 cup soaked in water

Mix the potatoes, onions, chick peas ans strained pakorian. Add a little chaat masala if desired.

PROCEDURE:

Pani:

• For pani, blend green chillies and mint leaves to a paste.
• In a bowl mix together tamarind pulp, lemon juice, black salt, plain salt, ground zeera, sugar, black pepper and chaat masala. Add into it the green chillies and mint leaves paste. Dilute it with water to taste.
• The water should be chilled and spicy. Keep it in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Puri (Gol Gapay):

• In a bowl mix together semolina and both the flours.
• Knead it with water to make a stiff dough.
• Keep it aside for 20 minutes and knead it again.
• Make marble sized balls with little oil in your hands. Roll out in a puri with rolling pin, secure between two layers of wet cloth. Roll out all of them and leave it aside for ten minutes.
• Deep fry on medium heat and pat the puri with your frying skimmer till it puffs up.
• Fry till they are light brown to golden in colour.
• Don't place the hot fried puris one over the other or else it would become soggy.
• If puris become soggy heat it in oven to make it crisp again.

To Assemble:

• Puncture the gol gapa with the tip of your thumb. 
• Add 1 teaspoon of filling and top it with sour pani.
• You also add a little sweet taste by adding plum chutney before adding the pani. 

 The freshly fried gol gapaz :D

The gol gapas ready to be eaten :)

ENJOY :)

Chicken Boneless Handi

Chicken Boneless served in a handi

the closer look :D

more zoomed in :D

Handi is a traditional clay pot used for cooking in the Subcontinent.
Chicken boneless handi is among one of the favorite dishes whenever people want to eat Desi Pakistani Food :) It is creamy with the perfect aroma of dried fenugeek added to it! and yes its easy to make :)

okay so the recipe now :)


INGREDIENTS:

• chicken boneless cut in inch cubes 1/2 kg
• onions finely chopped 2 medium sized
• ginger and garlic paste 4 tablespoons
• tomatoes 3 medium sized finely chopped
• red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
• salt 1 teaspoon
• Kasuri methi (fenugeek) 1 teaspoon
• green chillies 3 cut 
• garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
• white zeera (cumin) powder 1/2 teaspoon
• yogurt 1/2 cup
• fresh cream 1 cup
• coconut powder 2 teaspoon
• cooking oil 1/2 cup
• Ginger and coriander to garnish

PROCEDURE:

• Warm oil in a pan and add to it chopped onions and fry it to golden brown.
• Add to it the ginger and garlic paste and cook the onions well in it.
• Now add into it the chopped tomatoes and mix it.
• When tomatoes begin to tenderize, add into it the chicken, green chillies, salt, zerra powder, red pepper, garam masala and mix it plus cook it well.
• Add the yogurt and water about 3/4th cup. Now cover the pan till the water dries up and the ingredients are properly cooked.
• Cook until the masala dries up and chicken is tender.
• Turn off the flame and add 1 cup of fresh cream, coconut powder and kasuri methi. Stir it well and turn on the flame to medium. Cook the masala till it leaves oil.
• Now dish out in a Handi and garnish with ginger and coriander.
• Serve with naan and chutni :)

ENJOY :) 

Beef Chapli Kebab

Beef Chapli Kebab served in a clay platter with cucumber, onions, tomatoes and lemon :)

yum :)

Happy mutton and beef season :D

Black Eyed Peas Chaat :P

Ingredients:

• black chick peas 1/4 kg (kalay chanay)
• 1 medium sized tomato
•  potatoes 2 small sized
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 green chilies
• coriander leaves 1/2 bowl
• yogurt 1 bowl
• tamarind pulp 1 bowl
• chaat masala  1 teaspoon
• salt to taste
• lemon to garnish
• sugar 1 tablespoon

Procedure:

• Soak the black peas in water for two hours. Boil them.
• Cut tomato, onions,chilies and coriander roughly.
• Boil potatoes and cut them in cubes.
• Mix the yogurt with the tamarind pulp. add to it chaat masala, salt and sugar and mix all well.
• In a large bowl take the boiled black chick peas and boiled potatoes. To this add the cut vegetables and the yogurt mixture.Mix all well.
• Garnish it with green chilies, lemon and coriander.
• Serve cool and with additional imli (tamarind)  sauce:D
• Serves 5-6.

The Pakistani style pasta:D

Tired of everyday chicken menu???? want to try pasta in mutton and Pakistani spice:D 
here it goes!


Ingredients:
1 medium sized onion chopped
garlic and ginger paste 3 table spoons
1 cup mutton mince (previously boiled)
1/2 packet pasta (previously boiled)
olive oil 2 to 3 tablespoons
salt to taste
red pepper 1/2 teaspoon
black pepper 1/2 teaspoon
mace 1piece (jawatri, A pakistani spice:P)
cinnamon 1 piece (daarcheni)
nutmeg 1 piece ( jaefal)
coriander powder 1/2 teaspoon
cardamom 1 piece 


Procedure:

• Grind together mace, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamom to turn it into powdered form.

• warm oil in pan and add to it sliced onions and cook it till light brown.

• add to it garlic and ginger paste and mix and cook well both.

• now add the boiled mutton mince into the pan and cook it till the water dries. Cook till the aroma of ginger n garlic blends well with the onions and mutton mince.

• after the water dries, the mutton and onions would look like this

• add the ground spices, salt, red pepper & black pepper to the mutton mince and saute the ingredients well.

•  Add the boiled pasta to the pan and mix all the ingredients well.

• the pasta after being mixed and cooked well with the rest ingredients:)

• The dish after being served and garnished:)

• Garnish it with tomato and diamond shaped cut green chilies:) 
• Enjoy with tomato sauce:)

The very simple chicken roast :D

If your'e not in a mood to engulf large amounts of oil in fried chicken, this one is a must try:D


Okay the ingredients you would need for this recipe is:

Chicken 1/2 kg cut in medium sized pieces

half a pack of Chicken roast masala available in the market of different brands(do read out the quantity of meat it could marinate before you ruin your dish:P)

vinegar 3-4 Tablespoons

Lemon juice 1 tablespoon

yogurt 1/2 kg ( use it for marination plus mint chutni)

cooking oil 2 tablespoon

salt to taste (if the prepared masala doesn't have salt to your taste, although it won't be required)

FOR MINT CHUTNI:

1 green chili

few leaves of mint

Salt to taste

black pepper a pinch of it

PROCEDURE:

• Take the chicken pieces and poke it with a fork so that the masala penetrates into it well.
• Put the chicken pieces in bowl and add to it 2/3rd of the yogurt. Mix it well.
• Now to this add the roast masala packet.
• Pour in the vinegar, lemon juice and oil..Mix all the ingredients well and marinate the chicken for at 2 hours.
• Preheat your oven at 200 C, 30-45 minutes before placing your chicken into it.
• Grease the dish with cooking oil and and place the chicken pieces on it. Carefully pour the left over material to the chicken pieces so that it is completely covered.
• Cook the chicken in oven for 45minutes to 1 hour. Keep rotating the sides of the pieces so it gets cooked from both the sides well.
• Use a knife to check whether chicken is cooked properly or not.

Now the chutni:

Blend the yogurt with mint leaves and green chilies. Add salt and black pepper.

Serve the chicken with the chutni!

My chicken roast was not properly garnished due to the aftari rush:(