I would like to dedicate today's post to my mum who passed away 13 years ago this week and also, to my brother who passed away 29 years ago this week. They were both incredible people and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of them. They were very much alike, generous, humorous, sensitive and they always had a smile on their face. I miss them tremendously but always want to celebrate their life because they were such happy people. May God forgive their sins and grant them a place in Paradise.Since I have started this blog memoir, of course, my mum has already made a few appearances. That's because she's the one who had to make all the hair brained requests I had for food. I would come home with a new bee in my bonnet for some food or pudding I had tried that week or seen on TV. She may not have known what it was when I first told her, but she managed to find a recipe and get it done. Poor Mum, she also had my dad on her case, wanting such and such pasta he had eaten in Rome or some salad he had eaten in Athens! A lot of my love for cooking, baking and entertaining comes from her I think, and some of it comes from just being Hyderabadi...we love to eat...all ... continue reading...
Karahi Chicken
I fear that I may have the "karahi chicken connoisseurs" after me with pitchforks when they find out that this is not an authentic karahi chicken. But, if you search on the internet for karahi chicken, a million different variations show up. Everybody has their own idea of what this dish should be. I have made, what is considered the traditional karahi chicken; the stir fried chicken with fresh tomatoes and chillies and I like it, but my kids aren't too fond of the chunkiness of the fresh tomatoes. They love rice and they love to have masala (gravy) to mix into their rice. So, I adjusted the tomato and chicken curry to suit my needs. It probably can't be called karahi chicken, but I do cook it in a karahi so I am not too far off the mark... OK...maybe I am way off, I actually use a Le Creuset braiser (best pans ever!) but its shaped like a karahi, will that do? Karahi chicken is a speciality of North Pakistan. It's supposed to be a quick, stir fried dish made in a wok like, iron vessel called a karahi. It's comprised of chicken, tomatoes, ... continue reading...
Chicken Pot Pie
So after our wonderful couple of weeks of sunshine, we get overcast skies and light flurries. It's cold again and my body is rebelling against anything remotely fresh and green. We had made a trip to Costco the other day, where I picked up a big container of mushrooms and wanted to use them in a creamy stew or pie of some sort.The English love their meats and vegetables wrapped up in a flaky, buttery crust. Everyone has heard of the famous steak and kidney pie, but there is also the popular steak and mushroom, vegetable, sausage roll and the Cornish pasty. When I have time, I like to make the rolled out pie crust, which is more traditionally English, but today I wanted a creamy chicken stew full of mushrooms and vegetables topped with crunchy, yet buttery and soft biscuits. The biscuits soak up the gravy perfectly. The biscuit version is one I learned here in the US and I love it. I am quite sure everyone knows what an American biscuit is...not the same thing as tea and biscuits that we have in the UK. An American biscuit is very much like a scone, but lighter and fluffier. What I love even more about the particular biscuit recipe I use is that you ... continue reading...
Quinoa Salad
When the weather turns cold, the last thing my body craves is a cold salad. It shudders at the thought of fresh, cold vegetables going inside. It wants nice, warm, gooey comforting, foods slithering down the gullet. So,needless to say, I don't make or eat many salads during winter. That poses a bit of a problem because I find myself not eating enough vegetables during the cold months, well, not enough leafy greens, at least. Usually, those warm, gooey comforting foods aren't composed of vegetables! Thank goodness for my body, the weather has been really beautiful lately. It's the typical, unpredictable March, sunny skies one day and a snow storm the next. But those sunny days have been absolutely beautiful and it was one of these sunny days this week that the thought of a salad entered my mind... and my body didn't shudder at it's mention. It was still a bit cool so I thought maybe a salad that included a whole grain or pasta, along with the vegetables in an Asian flavoured dressing? Asian flavours have a nice "warm" taste to them and thought it would be perfect. I was wanting to make quinoa because it had been a while since we last had it and decided to use my Asian dressing ... continue reading...
Carrot Cake
My first taste of carrot cake was actually when I moved to the US. My Mom was an exceptional cook and she could bake really well too, but she didn't really bother with baking. In London. we had so many great bakeries and food stores, like Selfridges, Harrods and Marks & Spencer's with their amazing food halls, we could get high quality baked goods easily. I remember for our birthdays, my dad would get us these amazing cakes and tortes from Selfridges. When we were shopping at our favourite shopping centre, Brent Cross, we were always hoping that our trip would end at Lindy's, where we could enjoy creamy cauliflower and cheese or their mind blowing macaroni and cheese. Of course, dinner wouldn't be complete without a slice of Lindy's chocolate cake or a chocolatey eclair filled with gorgeous, silky, cream. Saturday at the market, I would ask for a jam doughnut from the bakery. Oh, they were so good. Warm and chewy, oozing with strawberry jam and covered with glistening, crunchy sugar.Dad always kept the pantry cupboard well stocked with Marks and Spencer's Madeira cake and their fruit cake. Their cherry Madeira is one of my all time favourites (I am trying to recreate ... continue reading...
