If you check my posts from the beginning of this month, they have all been posts related to challenges. Somehow, I am liking that my juices are flowing and I am doing some new recipes, even though the process is literally making me feel rusty at times. The summer has hit us hard and cooking is the last thing on mind. The humidity has been sapping. I really can’t wait to hit back home at the beginning of the next month, provided that the climate there is friendly. It is supposed to be monsoons, but unfortunately the rains haven’t been that heavy. Considering that we had a situation at hand last year, nobody would want the rains to come with full flow this time. But the summers have been harsh and it is worrisome that water shortages are foreseen. Sometimes I wonder who to blame – nature or humans,…
Cucumber Milkshake
If you have been following my blog since long, you will know that on the tenth of every month, we run the Muslim Food Blogger Challenge. Last year, we all decided we will take breaks for months where participation will be expected to be minimal. Accordingly, we took a break from posting last month, due to Ramadan and Eid. We are back this month with a very simple theme, which will be followed by another two months of break, due to school closures, holidays, travelling, etc. When that happens, the blog is always the last thing in mind. 🙂 So this month, the theme chosen was “Refreshing Drinks”. We have a bunch of bloggers living all around the world, so instead of concentrating on hot or cold, we allowed them to choose and make something that goes with the weather in their particular country. Since UAE is on…
Honey Labneh Pannacotta with Honey Walnut Sauce
If you think I am going overboard with challenges these days, then please feel free to think so! 🙂 Next month, I am travelling home, so I am going to leave an empty blog behind for you, but making sure that there is plenty to read and explore for all of you out there. I am participating in the AtoZ challenge this month. The challenge is hosted by Vidya and Jolly, and happens every two months, where we follow the alphabets, cook with an ingredient that is supposed to be the star of the dish. You can find the challenge posts done previously here. This month, the letter is “H” and the ingredient I chose to cook with is nothing but “Honey”. I am sure there is no home that doesn’t have a bottle of honey hiding somewhere in the pantry. Apart from being a natural sweetener, it…
White Chocolate Goji Berry Blondies
At times, ideas play constantly in your head for a long period of time, but it doesn’t necessarily get materialized immediately. It always happens to me. Before I used to put into immediate action any craving or any idea I would have. But now, due to time constraints and other priorities, I often put my ideas onto the back seat. Sometimes I note it down, sometimes I simply forget. This white chocolate blondies were one that have been playing in my head since very long. I had picked up a couple of packs of cooking white chocolate that was up for a good deal. I had this pack of goji berries that Zerin had given me some time. The girls wouldn’t eat it since it had a sour after taste. I would nibble on them when I would remember that it was sitting in the fridge. When the…
Eggless Nutella Brownie Shortbread Bars
I actually had other plans for the second post for the theme, “Bring Some Brownies” for this week of Blogging Marathon #102. I was in fact planning to make some gluten free brownies with rice flour, since I have been intrigued by it for quite some time. But then the plan was not supposed to pan out as such, I suppose…. Ever since I had baked the Brookies, I wanted to try an eggless version. I mean it always helps to have options all the time, right? 🙂 During the similar time, my head was telling me to bake some Nutella brownies for the girls. Somehow, what happened is that both my thoughts amalgamated into one bake, and that is what I am going to post today. 🙂 Last Saturday, we had a lovely time at Fajee’s house. It had been long since we had all met…
Peanut Butter Brownies
This Sunday night, my girls went home. I was under so much stress over this past week due to this. I had few sleepless nights and thanks to that, I landed up with a massive headache. I must blame myself for not doing complete research before I took the tickets. My elder one is 12 and is automatically now an adult as per ticketing terms. Based on this, I booked both of them together, only to realize that for the eight year old to travel, she needs to be accompanied by an adult who is 16 years and above. I did try through all my channels to see if there were any family travelling on the same flight, but I received no good news. Once we went inside the airport, we realized that everyone was scattered and that made it even more challenging. HD was trying to keep…
Murg Malaiwala | Creamy Chicken Curry
I had already marked up in my mind that if the state for this month’s Shh Cooking Secretly Challenge would be Punjab, I would make it a point to participate. Why not? The food of Punjab is always said to be rich, warm and welcoming. Whether it is the Butter Chicken, Palak Paneer or Dal Tadka, every dish evokes a lot of gastronomic feel in anybody who eats it. As soon as the announcement was up and I waited patiently for my assigned partner. Punjab is a beautiful state in the north that is mainly known for their agricultural prowess. The word “Punjab” means, “five rivers”, signifying the five rivers that run through the state. The state has gone through a lot during historical times and now part of it lies in Pakistan. Punjab shares its capital Chandigarh with its neighboring state Haryana. The food of the state…
Cheesy Yeastless Foccacia
While I was deciding on the posts for the “Savory Bakes” theme for this week’s Blogging Marathon #101, foccacia was playing in my mind. My girls love Foccacia, especially the younger one. She would walk up and down the kitchen till she finishes eating majority of the bake, just the way Rasha would walk up and down to finish a chocolate cake! Each time I have baked the yeast foccacia, and then I landed up on this link which gives you a foccacia in flat 1 hour. It has no yeast and comes together so quick. Who wouldn’t like to try such a recipe? But I wasn’t without any apprehensions while making this recipe. I read through all the comments and made sure I stuck to the recipe without playing around too much with it. To my surprise, you wouldn’t miss the yeast at all. The bread rose…
Simple Egg Muffins | Breakfast Egg Muffins
Making these egg muffins have been on my agenda since God-knows-when. Somehow, it just wouldn’t happen. So when I chose the theme “Savory Bakes” for the Blogging Marathon #101, I had told myself that I have to bake this somehow for this series. Even though this is the second post of the series, I had baked it only last week. Eggs are a good source of protein and fat, and we all know it. It has recently shed all its bad name and come into the group of super-foods. A couple of eggs in the morning or as evening snack can keep you satiated for quite a long time. I love eggs and eat at least two every day, especially after I have started my weight loss journey. If there is something that is present 24×7 in my pantry, then it is eggs. Most of the time I…
Spinach Labneh Rolls
Usually when the themes for the Blogging Marathon is declared, my attention always go on what I can make sweet, even though I don’t eat much or avoid eating nowadays. I guess that has been my tendency ever since I have started blogging. After all, what is my blog name? 😉 I have always loved sweets and will always love them, but just that the dimension now is changed from what it used to be before. Even though I still enjoy an occasional sweet indulgence, my focus has moved to have quality over quantity, and if I do love what I make, then I like to eat little of what is there rather than enjoy half the quantity cooked. I hope that makes sense. 😀 So when the Blogging Marathon #101 themes were out, I instantly jumped into selecting “Kid’s Delight: Savory Bakes” as one theme. Ramadan was…
Be My Guest – Anday Cholay Ka Saalan
Back with another guest post this year… 🙂 Just like I perused Usha for a guest post from last year, Maria was another blogger I have been behind for a guest post for the blog. Do I sound like a stalker? I don’t think I am. Maybe I am nice, well mannered stalker. 😉 Maria is the blogger behind “Foodaholic“. I love her blog for the simple fact that she shares simple Pakistani dishes. I love Pakistani food and have tried a few recipes by myself, though I would like to cook more of it in the coming future, InShaAllah. Her recipes are easy to follow and her pictures are very comforting. There are so many dishes that I have already bookmarked from her blog, like the Dhwan Dahi Ghosht, Pakistani Fish Karahi (to be made after my girls go on vacation this month end 😉 ) and Suji…
Besan Kheer
For the Blogging Marathon #101, while I was deciding to make a sweet dish for the theme “Cooking with Besan”, my first intention was making some barfis or laddoos. I was planning to make it during Eid, since my cousins would be around and it would be easier to finish it off rather than make something that I am not sure my children would eat. But that didn’t happen. During the mad rush of those five days, time flew and I was still left with the task of having to make a sweet dish with Besan. I do make besan ka doodh occasionally, which is a hot thin concoction of milk and besan. That was when it clicked me, that there must be a kheer in those lines. My guess wasn’t out of place. Besan Kheer is prepared during the winter seasons in Punjab and some North Indian…
Capsicum Zunka | Shimla Mirch Sabzi
For this week’s Blogging Marathon #101 theme “Cooking with Besan”, after a lot of thought, I decided to make this dish, that has been in my mind for quite some time. Zunka is a dry dish with besan, made on its own or including vegetables, and is a part of the cuisine in Maharashtra and some northern states. I didn’t want to make a gravy on its own, because I was vary of the interest of my folks. So I ended up making it with capsicum. Capsicum is a vegetable that I have been eating almost everyday ever since I have cleaned up my diet. Not that I am diligently sticking to it and being a saint on a daily basis, but if I don’t eat at least a vegetable a day, I feel as though I am missing something. I have become this from a person who…
Besan Dahi Bhalla ~ Gramflour Dumplings in Yogurt Sauce
My intention of signing up for this month’s Blogging Marathon, which is in its edition #101 (wow!) was my usual thought – of pushing myself to cook some dishes and get some motivation to blog. Ramadan is actually a good time to try new recipes, since we have short working time and plenty of sunshine to ensure that we can click in daylight. But then whatever plans I had went totally derailed following the death of my elappa. Somehow, it disturbed my internal peace. It is expected, isn’t it? Somebody who you think is too young to depart from the world is not considered so by the Almighty. That makes me think how vulnerable life is. We plan days and years ahead, when we have no clue if we will even live to see that moment… However, I didn’t want to withdraw. There was enough time to recover…
Cuca De Banana | Brazilian Banana Coffee Crumb Cake
This month, starting from today, you will see a lot of challenge related posts. I really wanted to give a push to the blog, so sometimes I just need to go overboard with my sign-ups. 🙂 I am a part of the Recipe Swap group, which is managed by Mir and guess what? For this month, I got assigned her blog! Now Mir’s blog, “The Schizo Chef“, is like an ocean. She is a truly cooking affectionado, who doesn’t shy away from trying any cuisine, even if it means out of her comfort zone. From her native Caribbean cuisine, to South American, to African, European and Asian, she is covering almost the whole world in her blog, one step at a time. If you really love international cuisine, then do hop in to her blog and be surprised! 🙂 I had a little tough time trying to figure…