Karachi Kebab fry is one of the most famous and easy but a new version of dum ka keema (smoked keema).You can marinate a day before and it ready literally in no time.

Ingredients:

Mince or keema : 2 lbs

Yogurt :1/2 Cup

Ginger/Garlic Paste: 1 tsp

Green Chili Paste:1 tsp

Tikka / Bihari Kabab Masla: 1/2 pkt each

Onion: 1 slice

Oil:1/4 cup

Method:

• Mariante Keema with all above ingredients with yogurt (except onion and oil).
• Refrigerate  it over night or  8-12 hours.
• Light a small piece of coal and then place it on a piece of foil or piece of roti /onion. Put this coal in the center of marinated mince. Add a drop of oil on the lit coal and quickly cover the dish so that the resulting smoke is trapped inside, thereby infusing the mince with a smoky aroma. Let the mince sit covered like this for about 10 minutes. Uncover and discard the foil and coal and then stir the mince.
• In a big wok or pot,heat oil and saute onion to golden brown.Add marinated mince and cook it  until it is done.
• Add 1/4 cup water and cook it until oil separates the gravy.
• Leave it on very low flame for about 15 minutes.

Serve it with Paratha,Raita and Chatni

enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

 

Lasagna is baked Italian dish and always family favorite.No dawat or potluck completed at my home without it.I serve it as side dish at formal dinners for kids and  even a main dish for a regular dinner so my kid would eat something without any complaint and take leftover for school lunch next day.

So,on demand I am sharing my recipe and I will try my best to make it simple for you to follow step by step.

Lets make it!!

 

For Qeema:

1/2 kg chicken qeema

Onion:1 chopped

Red Chili Flakes:2 Tsp

Pasta Sauce:1 bottle (Any brand or Ragu original)

Salt & Black Pepper:to taste

Oil :2 Tbs

METHOD:

• In a sauce pan heat oil and saute chopped onion till it turns to light golden brown.
• Add Qeema and fry it till it changes it color,add spices and cook it until water dries up.
• Add more than 1/2 of pasta sauce which is almost a cup and let the qeema cook properly.
• Turn off the heat,set aside.

 

White Sauce:

Butter:3 tbs

All purpose Flour: 2Tbs

Milk:almost 1 cup

Salt & Pepper :To Taste

METHOD:

• In another pan melt butter,now saute flour for 1 minute.
• Add milk gradually and whisk it up to avoid lumps,make a smooth sauce.
• Season it with salt and pepper.

Pasta:

Lasagna Sheets: Prepare pasta according to package direction.

Mozzarella Cheese: Grated

 

Assembling:

• Take a baking dish start with the left over sauce from the bottle,.spread on the bottom of the dish.
• Arrange boiled lasagna noodles length wise,over the sauce.Spread the meat sauce over lasagna sheet,then white sauce and sprinkle grated cheese over it generously.
• Repeat .
• Top it with a final layer of lasagna sheets,pasta sauce and cheese.

Baking:

• Cover the dish with aluminium foil.
• Bake it for 40 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
• If you like cheesy lasagna, you can add more cheese after removing the foil.

Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

You can also freeze the leftover and enjoy it up-to 4 weeks.

enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shaljam ka achar is my Mother in law’s recipe and I had it when I was there in Pakistan. I loved it so much but unable to take it with me here just because it is literally so watery and can’t take any food in carrying on luggage.

I had been literally craving for it and then I called my saas to get the recipe to make myself and it turned out so good. I know its very uncommon achar and but if you like Khatta khana You will like it. She told me an estimated measurement because she is an expert cook who doesn’t follow any measurements or dabay masalay.I am not sure about the weight but I can tell you how many I had used..lol
Let’s start:

Ingredients:

Turnip: 3-4 medium sized

Garlic:2 whole Bunch

Crushed Chillie Flakes:3 Tsp

Mustard Seed/Rai Dana:3 Tsp

Salt:3 tsp( As Required )

Water: As Required

Method

1.Peel Shaljam/Turnips and cut in 4 pieces, boil them(check with a fork, it should be soft enough).set aside.

2.Grind garlic and chilli flakes to make a smooth paste or chatni, add salt.

3.Crush Mustard seed in a morsel.Mixed it with chatni paste

4. Rub the chatni paste into turnip cubes and store it in an air-tight glass/ceramic jar.

5. Leave it for 3 days overnight.

6. On the 3rd day, take 5-6 glass of water and bring it to boil and let it cool down completely.

7. Now slowly add water in that shaljam achar as required. Leave it for 2 days more.

8. It’s ready to eat with your daal chawal to sabzi…Enjoy!!

Let me know if you make it or let me know a recipe if You know how to make it.

 

Palak Gosht is One of the most popular Pakistani dishes that looks so complicated but trust me , Its really simple and effort-less dish I have ever made. You can serve it as a main course or side dish in your dawat.

• 

Ingredients:

Meat: 1/2 kg

Spinach: 2 Bunches(1/2 kg)

Red reddish with leaves(1 bunch)

Onion:1 large (cut in 6-8 large pieces)

Red Chilli Powder:1/2 tsp

Salt:1 Tsp

Turmeric: 1 Tsp

Coriander powder:1 Tsp

Ginger/Garlic Paste:1 Tsp

Oil:1/4 Cup

Recipe:

Chop spinach and reddish (Use both leaves and reddish) wash with cold water and rinse it well.

Put meat and Spinach/Reddish leaves in a large pot along with onion and all the spices mentioned above except oil.

Add water and put on medium-low flame till meat become tender.

Add oil and saute it till oil separates from the gravy.

Garnish with green chillies and hara dhania ,put for very low flame for 10 minutes. Enjoy with Naan or chapati.

Seafood is one of my favourites food, I often include a different version of fish and prawns/shrimps. I try my best to include seafood, once a weekly menu. Shrimps are little tricky to make so it won’t get rubbery or not soft. I am sharing simple Shrimp Masala that’s so easy and doesn’t take much time, I include this recipe as a side dish in a desi dawat. Let’s start!!

Ingredients:

Shrimp:1/2 kg

Onion:1 slice

Tomatoes:2-3 chopped

Red Chilli powder: To taste

Coriander Powder: 1 Tsp

Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp

Chilli flakes: 1 Tsp

Salt: to taste

Curry Leaves:5-6

Kasuri Methi:1-2 tsp

Coriander and Green Chilies: For Garnish

Method:

In a cooking pot, heat oil and fry curry leaves, add onion fry till light golden brown.

Add tomatoes and other masalas to make a paste.

Now add cleaned shrimps and cook on high flame, until shrimp cook and extra water dries up.

when oil separates masala, put on low flame. Sprinkle methi leaves.

Garnish with Hara Dhania and Green Chillies.

Serve hot with Chapati, Roti or rice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pulao and Biryani are my alternate choice for the weekend but I love to make another version of something in between and named “Riwayati Biryani” which is my mom special pilaf recipe(an authentic recipe) and our family favourite.This recipe doesn’t require any extra pot and preparation. The most simple and yummiest rice recipe you can try without any fear….I Promised!!

INGREDIENTS:

Meat/chicken : 1/2 kg

Rice: 1/2 kg (soaked for 1/2 an hour)

Whole Spice (Sabut Garam Masala):3-4 each

Red Chilli Pepper: According to taste(1/2 Tsp).

Onion: 1 sliced

Tomato: 1 small (chopped)

Ginger/Garlic paste:1 Tsp

Yogurt:1/2 cup

Salt: According to taste

Yogurt Masala:

Green Cardamom (Sabz Ilaichi): 1 Tsp

Cumin (Zeera): 1 Tbs

Nutmeg (Jaifal) & Mace (Javitri):1/2 tsp

whole spice ( Sabut Garam Masala)= 1/2 tsp each

Grind the above ingredients in a coffee grinder, mix it with 1 cup yogurt, set aside.

METHOD:

In a pot heat oil, saute onion till light golden brown.

Add Whole (Sabut )garam masala, and meat and ginger and garlic paste, fry it until meat changes the colour.

Add chopped tomatoes, salt and red chilli powder.

Add required water and cook on the medium-low flame until meat tender.

Add yogurt masala and mixed it well, you can add green chillies and mint leaves(if you like). Carefully add soaked rice and mixed with meat & masala. Now add required water(1 inch above the rice). Check salt, it should be little salt-ish side when you taste the water. Cook on high flame until water absorbed.

Now turn the flame to very low flame for 15 minutes and sprinkle yellow food colour (zarda rung).

Mixed and serve hot with Salad, Raita and Chatni.It is similar to the Yakhni Pulao  I posted a few months ago, but a little bit easier and quicker to make.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green/ Hara Masala chicken is one of the famous Pakistani dishes. It’s very easy and delicious recipe that doesn’t take much time.

Ingredients:

Chicken:1/2 kg

Yogurt:1/2 cup

Onion:1 sliced

Whole Peppercorn:4-5

Red chilli powder: (acc to taste..I have Extra Hot) 1/4 Tsp

Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp

Coriander powder:1 Tsp

Paprika powder:1 Tsp

Salt: To Taste

Oil:1/4 cup

For Green Masala:

Cilantro/Green Coriander: 1/2 Bunch.

Green Chillies: 5-6

Tomatoes: 2 chopped

Ginger:1/2 inch piece

Garlic:3-4 Cloves

RECIPE:

• Coarsely grind/blend all green masala ingredients, set aside.
• Heat oil, fry onion till light golden brown, add whole black pepper.
• Fry chicken, until it changes colour.
• Add all dry masala, and saute it for 5 minutes.
• Now add the Green Masala paste and saute chicken for 10 minutes.
• Add yogurt and let the chicken cook till it tender, Add required water to make desired gravy.
• Cover the pan for 10 minutes on low flame until oil separates.
• Garnish with green chillies and cilantro

Serve hot with chapati, roti or rice. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

I am back on blog after a break and sharing a simple paneer karhai that actually my elder sister’s recipe and it is so easy to make and can be served as a side dish if you have dawat.Less spices and less effort but so YUMMY!!

Ingredients:

Paneer: 1 packet (I used Nanak Paneer).

Onion:sliced 1-2 medium

Tomatoes:2-3 chopped

Red Chilli Flakes:1-2 tsp

Salt:To taste

Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp

Kasuri Methi:1 tsp

Method:

Cut Paneer into 1/2 inch cubes,fry them all sides to light golden , keep aside.

Heat oil and saute onion to light golden brown,add tomatoes and cook until it become smooth paste.Add chilli flakes ,turmeric powder and salt.Cook till it separates the oil.

Mix fried paneer pieces with masala and add little water and cook for few minutes.

Sprinkle Kasuri methi(dried Fenugreek leaves) and leave it for 15 minutes on low heat.

Serve hot with Naan or chapati.Enjoy!!

 

 

 

Salads are the mandatory in any cuisine or Dawat ,I love-making salad and often try with different homemade dressings.Garden Salad is one of the easy and healthy recipe especially when we do our BBQ and picnics during summer.

Today,Let’s make a healthy garden salad with homemade Italian dressing. All you need to do is,chop all vegetables and before serving, just toss everything with dressing. Truly, this is the best and easy chopped  Italian salad recipe I have ever made, with fresh and green vegetables in the homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

Ice Burg Lattice/Cabbage: 1 Bunch

Broccoli:1 Bunch

Cucumber:1 Large

Green/Red /Yellow Pepper:1 each

Carrots:1-2 Julienne cut

Red kidney bean(boiled):1 can

Cherry Tomatoes:10-12 cut in halves

Olives:sliced

Red Onion:1/2 chopped

Corn:1/2 cup

Baby Turnips:7-8

Dressing:

Olive oil:3 Tbs

Lemon juice:1 Tbs

White Vinegar:1/4 cup

Salt and Pepper: To Taste.

Mustard Paste:1/2 Tsp

Dried Herbs: Oregano & Basil: 1 Pinch each

Mix all ingredients in a glass bottle shake and toss your salad and serve.You can add vegetables of your choice and of course availability.Check out Cold Pasta Salad and enjoy your summer.

 

Baklava is very rich and sweet pastry layered with chopped nuts. It is one of the most famous desserts of Geek/Turkish cuisine that looks a bit difficult but actually, it’s not. I made first time on this Eid and shared on my Insta stories and many of you asked me for the recipe and I had no clue at that time how it will turn out but trust me it is one of the most simple desserts I have ever tried.

Let’s make it!!

Ingredients:

Puff  / Fillo Pastry.

Assorted chopped nuts: I used Almond, Walnuts and Pistachios.

Butter:1/2 cup(melted)

Sugar:2 tsp

Egg: 1 for brushing

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar 2.5 cups

Water:2 cups

Lemon Juice:1/2 Tsp

Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan. Allow it to boil and keep stirring until sugar dissolves completely. Reduce heat.

Mixed nuts with butter in a bowl and add 2 tsp sugar. Mix everything well.

Pre-heat oven to 300.

In a baking tray, grease the bottom with butter. Place the first sheet and layer it with nut mixture, place another pastry sheet, brush with butter and repeat. Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle leftover nuts.

Cut into 3 * 3-inch squares and Bake at 300 for 45 mins or until it is golden brown. Remove from oven, pour prepared warm syrup and allow to saturate it well.

Let it cool and serve.

 

 

Mangoes are everyone’s first love, I do like it but not go crazy. It’s so true we hardly get them here at expensive rates and it gives a tiny heart attack if they are not up to the expectations.

During Ramadan, a chilled glass of Roh-Afza is a must but I always make some shakes and lassi to have some of our calories back. Mango shake is family favourite drink but also try different fruits with it.

It’s so much fun to try different smoothies and shakes. I change ingredients every other day. Yesterday, I tried them with Chikoo fruit or Mud-Apples and it turned out great.

It’s very yummy and healthy let ‘s make it!!

Mango=1 large (cubed)

Chikoo Fruit: 3-4 ripped (peeled/de-seeded)

Sugar:4 Tbs (according to your taste)

Milk :3 cups

Put everything in a blender and blend it for about 2-3 minutes.

Served chilled and enjoy!

If You like plain cakes with your tea or coffee like me then you would love this easy Banana Bread for sure.It’s easy to make and literally hard to resist.I added nuts and chocolate chips to attract my kids to have this healthy treat.

Banana is very healthy fruit and often get over ripped soon.I normally collect them and keep in the fridge, or even stored it in the freezer.You can easily make different shakes and banana bread after.

I am sharing a very easy recipe and I am sure you will love it.You can make it at high tea or even take it with you as a sweet gift to visit someone.

Let’s start.

Ingredients:

Banana:3-4 very ripe

Butter softened:1/2 cup

All Purposed Flour:2 1/2 Cups

Eggs : 2

Butter Milk: 1/2 cup

Sugar: 1.5 Cup

Baking Powder: 1 Tsp

Baking Soda: 1/2 Tsp

Vanilla Essence: 1 Tsp

Nuts(Almonds & Walnuts)

Chocolate Chips.

Method:

In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a masher or a fork to measure approx 1.5 cups.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar and butter with an electric beater at medium to high speed.Stir in eggs until well mixed.

Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.

Add and stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt just until it moistened.Add nuts and chocolate chips. 

Preheat oven to 350° F and Bake the mixture in a loaf pan for about 1 hour or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes.Enjoy it with little butter on top!!

[You can make buttermilk(Available at stores as well) at home by adding 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar in 1/2 cup of cold milk.Wait for 10 minutes and use it.]

 

 

Baigan Ka Bhurta is one of my favorite dish(es) and me love-making it with different versions.Sometimes I  Roast eggplant in the oven and sometimes over the flame or even in the microwave.I don’t boil it but if you like you certainly do it too.

Let’s make a quick 30 min recipe and I am sure you will love it as much I do!!!!

Ingredients

• Egg Plant(Baingan):1-2 big round
• Tomatoes:3-4 chopped
• Onion: 2  medium sliced
• Crushed Chilli pepper:1 Tsp
• Turmeric powder:1 Tsp
• Zeera (Cumin):1 Tsp (Roasted and Crushed)
• Whole coriander:1 Tsp(Roasted and Crushed)
• Salt: to taste
• Tamarind paste:2 Tbs

Method:

I usually roast eggplant over the flame as I have Gas Stove but if you have electric or glass top stove you can bake foil wrapped Eggplant at 375 F for 15-20 min or microwave it for 3-4 minutes.

• Heat oil and fry onion in a pot.
• After onion becomes golden put in salt, red chilies, coriander and cumin, fry together.
• Add chopped Tomatoes, cook until it becomes a paste.
• Now add Mashed and peeled eggplant and let it cook for 15 minutes.
• Add tamarind paste and leave for 10 minutes on low flame until oil separates.
• Garnish with Green chilies and Cilantro, serve hot with Roti or boiled rice.

It is so easy and yummy recipe that takes hardly 30 minutes.Do you love eggplants as much I do?

 

 

 

 

 

Personally, I don’t like meat dishes much, I love eating simple vegetarian food but detailed (with salad/chutni/achar) etc etc. It was a great feedback when I posted  Achari Green chillies recipe a few weeks ago.As I promised, I will share another recipe with you guys, Remember?so here you go!!

My mom used to make another recipe with these green chillies and I love making it.A very simple recipe literally ready in 10-15 minutes and doubles the taste of your simple food (Daal Chawal).

Ingredients:

Green Chillies: 8-10

Onion: 1 medium sliced

Zeera(cumin): 1tbsp

Salt: to taste

Tamarind paste: 2-3 tbsp

Oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

 

• Cut green chillies.
• Heat oil and saute onion.
• Now add zeera and fry it until both onion and zeera change colour.
• Add green chillies and fry together.Season with salt and tamarind paste.
• Cover it with lid and cook it on medium low for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve and store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

 

You can serve it with any vegetarian food, daal, or even I love it with plain Paratha. Do let me know what type of food you like and is there any specific detail you are required before you serve?please share!

Who doesn’t like gummies, my mom always sends me halal Chili Mili whenever someone come from Pakistan. It’s hard for us to find halal gummies other than Halal grocery stores and whenever we find they are mostly sugar coated.I tried sugar-free gummies at home with 100% juice and Its super easy and healthy treats for kids.

 

You will need

Any Juice (I used 100 % orange juice)

Natural Sweetener: Honey or Maple syrup

Any Halal Flavored Jello:100 gm (1/2 pkg)

Unsweetened Gelatin  (Halal):3 Tsp

Lemon Juice:1 Tsp

Mold or an ice cube tray.

• Warm 2 cups of juice and before it reaches to a boil add 3 Tsp of gelatin powder.Simmer it until the gelatin dissolves.
• Add any regular flavored jello, I used strawberry flavor.
• Mix it well, now add maple syrup or honey according to your taste.I used about 2 Tbs of Honey.
• Add lemon juice
• Carefully pour the hot mixture into the mold, refrigerate for an hour.
• Store in fridge for 1 month.

You can use fresh fruit and vegetable juice like orange, carrots or kiwi fruit.Isn’t so easy to make your very own sugar-free gummies.You can even coat it with sugar if you like.

My mom used to make green chilies and It compliments perfectly with vegetarian food especially all-time favorite Daal Chawal. We hardly find Pakistani green chilies here maybe once a year but whenever we bought I always make like my mom does(Two ways) !!

let’s make Achari Mirch first together.

Achari Masala Green chilies

Green chilies: 10-12

Masala Ingredients:

Whole Red pepper: 3-5

coriander whole: 1TBS

Aniseed (Saunf): 1TBS

Black Seed(Kalonji ):1/2 tsp

Mustard seed (Rayee Dana): 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1 Tsp

Salt: To Taste

Tamarind paste: 1/4 cup

METHOD

• Coarsely grind above ingredients in a coffee grinder, mixed it with tamarind paste.
•  Take chili and put a cut on the center
• Now fill the mixture inside the chilies.
• Heat 2 tsp oil and fry it.
• Add 2 tsp of remaining tamarind paste.
• Put chilies on medium-low flame.

Fry it and leave it on low heat with the lid on for few minutes.If you Cant find this Pakistani Chilies I often use Jalapeno Peppers as an alternative.

You can serve hot and also refrigerate it over two weeks in a dry container with a lid on.I also make Achari Bhindi(Okra) with the same method.This is the best thing you can serve along with simple food but unbeatable for sure…try it and ENJOY!!

 

 

 

I love salads and its easy way to get your daily fruits and vegetable intake in a single bowl.I am sharing an easy and healthy salad recipe that’s perfect for quick lunches, potlucks, and picnics but I do love to have it while we go for a long drive/route.It is so rich and creamy and fills you up without being into junk food.

Ingredients

Cream: 1 Pack

Mayonnaise: 1/2 cup

Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Sour Cream: 1/4 cup (optional )

Sugar: 3-4 Tbs

Boiled pasta:1 cup

Boiled Potato: 1 medium (cut into cubes )

Boiled Chick Pea:1/2 cup

Boiled Red beans:1/2 cup

Apple: 1 peeled and cut into cube

Walnut: 1/4 cup chopped

Salt and Pepper: To Taste

Method:

Whip cream, yogurt, mayonnaise and sour cream together.

Now mix Boiled Potato, pasta, kidney beans, ChickPeas, and apples.Add walnut chunks(You may add pecans if you like).

Add sugar, salt, and pepper.Fold everything well, that’s it!..served cold.

This the easiest thing I have ever made.You can add any fruit/vegetables but I love this recipe and so do my kids too …Try it and let me know …Enjoy!