Rich and Creamy Falooda

Nothing beats the heat better than a big glass of cool and creamy Falooda! Now you can make some for you and your family within the privacy of your air-conditioned habitats (no leaving home – yipee!). A timeless classic, this recipe is a sure-shot hit amongst family and friends. As intimidating as it looks, it takes very little time and effort to prepare it.

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 1 kg Milk
• 5-6 tbsp Sugar
• Few strands Saffron
• 2-3 Cardamoms (powdered or thinly chopped)
• 1 tsp Agar-agar Powder (China Grass)
• 2 cups Water
• Few drops Food Coloring (any color other than red)
• Few drops Essence (Rose or Strawberry)
• 1 pack of Instant Jelly (Strawberry flavour)
• 1 liter Ice Cream (Strawberry, Vanilla or Tutti Fruiti)
• 1 tbsp Tukh Malanga soaked in water (OPTIONAL)
• For Garnishing: Cherries, Whipped Cream, Condensed Milk, Rooh Afza, Thinly chopped Almonds and Pistachios

Method

1. Cook milk, sugar, cardamom, saffron and few drops of essence in a sauce pan until the milk reduces to 60% of its original quantity and gets a slightly yellowish tint; keep in the refrigerator to cool
2. Prepare 1 pack of Instant Jelly and put it in the refrigerator to set
3. Heat water in a pan and mix in the china grass powder with some food color; once mixed properly, put in the refrigerator to set
4. Once everything has cooled down, take about 1 cup of reduced milk in a glass
5. Now take out the China Grass mixture and grate it; take some and add to the glass
6. Cut the jelly into cubes and put it in the glass
7. Take some tukh malangas and add them to the glass – you can skip this if you don’t like them or can’t find them
8. Add a scoop (or two – depending upon the capacity in your glass) of Ice Cream in the glass
9. Garnish on top with condensed milk, rooh afza, whipped cream, cherries, pistachios and almonds
10. Serve immediately with a long spoon and a straw!

I’m making myself a glass as soon as I break my fast; and you?! :p

See ya!
Yousuf

 

Ghanwlas (A Pakistani version of pancakes with a twist)

My mother has been making these for as long as I can remember and they are absolutely amazing. This flour-egg-based concoction is ideal to satisfy your sweet-tooth during Ramadan, especially at the time of breaking your fast. This family secret that has been passed on from generation to generation is now being presented for your eating pleasure by yours truly.

Ingredients

For Batter:

• 1 liter Milk
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 6 Eggs
• 6 tbsp Flour
• 3 tbsp Condensed milk
• ¼ tsp Rose Essence (you can use vanilla or any other flavor instead)
• Few drops Yellow food color
• Few strands of Saffron
• Oil or Ghee (Vegetable shortening) for cooking

For Filling (optional):

• Fruit Jam
• Chocolate – coarsely chopped
• Candy – cut in small chunks

Method

Batter

1. Put milk, sugar, condensed milk and saffron in a pan, and cook on a low flame until the entire mixture reduces to about 75% of the original quantity
2. While the milk mixture is cooling, beat all eggs with a whisk and gradually add 5 tbsp flour; make sure that the consistency of the eggs remains liquid-like (if you think the consistency is too thin, you can add up to one more tbsp of flour)
3. Mix in the food color and the rose essence in the egg mixture
4. Once the milk mixture has cooled down to room temperature, add in the egg mixture with a whisk
5. You need to keep this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours so prepare it well in advance

Cooking (see video for details)

1. Take a non-stick pan and put it on low-medium flame
2. Once hot, add some oil or ghee and grease the pan
3. Add 1/3 cup of the mixture into the pan and spread it evenly; if you miss out any spots, add some mixture just to fill up the holes
4. Add a few drops of oil or ghee around the pan so that the ghanwla can easily be removed
5. After about 10 seconds or so, start folding the ghanwla with a flat-ended spoon
6. This step is optional – once you have folded half of the ghanwla, add the filling of your choice (Kitkat and Bounty are personal favourites)
7. Fold the rest of the ghanwla and dish it out on a platter
8. Enjoy while hot!

Ciao,
Yousuf

 

Vegetable Samosas (Aaloo kay samosay)

Vegetable Samosas

I’m sure all Pakistani/Indian Cuisine enthusiasts must have had these samosas at least once in their lives. This Ramadan, I bring you a recipe for making these at home with very little effort. If you wish, you can use/create your own chicken/beef-based filling for these samosas.

Please do try them at home and say a silent prayer for me!

Ingredients

1. For Envelopes

• 2 cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Ajwain (or Thyme)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 2 tbsp Ghee (or Vegetable Shortening)
• Water – to knead

2. For Filling

• 3 medium Potatoes (boiled)
• 2 tbsp Peas (boiled) – OPTIONAL
• 1/2 tsp Dried Pomegranate seeds (anaar daana)
• 1/2 tsp Blackseeds (kalonji)
• 1 medium Onion (thinly chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (haldi)
• 8-10 Mint leaves
• 5-6 Coriander leaf stalks
• 4-5 Green Chilies (thinly sliced)
• 1/4 tsp Coriander seeds (coarsely chopped)*
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilies (coarsely chopped)*
• 1/4 tsp Cumin (zeera – coarsely chopped)*
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Oil or Ghee

Method

1. Envelopes

1. Add all ingredients and knead it into a slightly thick dough – use water sparingly (see video below for dough consistency)

2. Filling

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion to it; fry the onion until translucent – don’t let it change color
2. Now add Pomegranete seeds, Kalonji, Turmeric Powder, Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green Chilies, Coriander seeds, Red Chilies, and Cumin seeds to the frying onion
3. After about a minute, add little chunks of the boiled Potatoes and the peas to the mixture and cook until everything is properly mixed
4. Add Lemon juice to the mixture and take it off the flame – let it cool before making the samosas

3. Folding

Enjoy!
Yousuf

* My mother uses these three ingredients quite frequently so she always has a mixture of these three spices ready; if you want to make it yourself, use equal quantities of coriander seeds, red chilies and cumin seeds.

Vegetable Samosas

 

Chicken and Vegetable Patties

Puff Pastry is very versatile and is used to make sweet and salty biscuits, patties and pies. Popularized as 24×7 snacks, 70% of the people I bump into the bakery come in there to by at least one puff-based item. My wife and I tried making these patties at home for a friend’s get together and they turned out real nice, just like the ones sold in the bakery. For some people, making the puff can be quite a chore since it requires a lot of kneading and rolling, so it’s better if you get some (uncooked) from your local baker. If you still wish, I will post the recipe for you.

Vegetable Patties

Vegetable Patties

Ingredients

• 3 medium Potatoes (boiled)
• 1/2 tsp Blackseeds (kalonji)
• 2 tbsp Peas (boiled)
• 1 medium Onion (thinly chopped)
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (haldi)
• 8-10 Mint leaves
• 5-6 Coriander leaf stalks
• 4-5 Green Chilies
• 1/4 tsp Coriander seeds (coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilies (coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp Cumin (zeera)
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Egg

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion to it; fry the onion until translucent – don’t let it change color
2. Now add Kalonji, Turmeric Powder, Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Green Chilies, Coriander seeds, Red Chilies, and Cumin seeds to the frying onion
3. After about a minute, add little chunks of the boiled Potatoes and the peas to the mixture and cook until everything is properly mixed
4. Add Lemon juice to the mixture and take it off the flame – let it cool before making the patties
5. For making the patties, roll the puff to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut in square pieces
6. Fill the center of the square with some filling
7. Beat egg and apply a little along all the sides of the square using a pastry brush
8. Fold the diagonal sides to make a triangle and press along the edges
9. Brush a little egg on the top of the patty
10. Put all patties in a pre-heated oven at 350 °C for about 20 minutes or until nice and orange

Chicken Patties

Chicken Patties

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken breast
• 5 Green Chilies (thinly chopped)
• 4-5 medium Onions (cut into rings)
• 4 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/3 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp MSG (Monosodium glutamate – Ajinomoto)
• 1 1/2 tsp Corn Flour
• 4-5 tbsp Oil
• 1 Egg
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil Chicken Breast in water with 2 thinly chopped Green Chilies and some salt
2. Once boiled, take out the chicken, shred it and keep it aside
3. Put Oil in a pan and saute the onions until translucent; don’t let it change color
4. Add to the onions, Soy Sauce, Black Pepper, MSG, the remaining Green Chilies and some Salt
5. Now mix the shredded chicken to the onions
6. Finally, sprinkle the corn flour to give it a creamy texture (just like the bakery filling)
7. For making the patty, roll out the puff pastry to a 1/8 inch thickness
8. Using a cookie cutter, cut the pastry in circular shape (3-inch diameter)
9. Take one pastry circle, put the mixture in the center, and cover it up with another pastry circle
10. Firmly press down the edges and apply egg on top of the patty
11. Put all patties in a pre-heated oven at 350 °C for about 20 minutes or until nice and orange

These patties stay good for a day. If you wish, you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and in the refrigerator. Microwave to serve.

Happy eating!
Yousuf

Vegetable Patties

 

Wings of Hope

I reminisce the good times
When we used to try
Could barely walk straight
But wanted to fly

In capes and funky masks
Jumping with all our might
Dressed as superheroes
Without a care in sight

Not worrying about money
Or having fancy cars
Always aiming for the sky
Always reaching for the stars

We were young and fun
Essentially a free soul
But time took it’s toll
And well, we grew old

Now day in, day out
We just worry about cash
Where to get it from
And where to put the stash

Which car to buy next
What new horse to breed
It’s all about jewels
We’re blinded by greed

What used to matter most
Now just makes no sense
We run through our lives
All edgy and tense

We’ve shed our wings of hope
I honestly don’t know why
We do manage to walk
But have forgotten to fly