Ramadan - A Month of Blessings becomes A World of Pain?

Ramadan Kareem is one of the most revered and widely celebrated Islamic events. It brings with it an atmosphere of peace and purity that is truly fulfilling for the soul. This month not only helps us refrain from committing sins but also offers redemption for the past ones. In short this is a beacon that gives us a chance to refresh our faith and spirituality; Ramadan is no doubt a month of blessings!

However this year around there is a definite difference in the way Ramadan is being celebrated in Pakistan. Ramadan has come with all the blessings it has to offer but this time the people are actually quite disturbed by the consequences of Ramadan.

No, I am not talking about the actual fasting itself! The Muslims in Pakistan like all the Muslims of the world do love to fast, but what has made Ramadan slightly troublesome for them is only one thing: Inflation!

The public doesn't really understand the link but since Ramadan has arrived the prices of EVERYTHING seemed to have increased almost dramatically overnight! And the most dramatic yet is of course the increase in the prices of Food items. May it be sugar, besan (gram-flour) or fruit, everything is costing the public almost 50% more than it was before Ramadan. And the most ironic thing is that the public really can't do anything about it. They still have to buy those items because they have to feed their children as it is. The government has indeed set up the "Sastay Bazaars" (Low priced markets) but that doesn't seem to be easing the burden of the general public.

What's really depressing is that all this havoc is caused by certain individuals: Hoarders. They are the wretched people who store all the goods and food items so that their market prices would increase due to their shortage and they would be able to gain more profit by selling the goods, then. Unless and until these individuals feel remorse for their actions and realize that what they are doing is causing a general disruption in the country's economy, we will remain on the mercy of the monster of Inflation.

The problem of inflation has been around in Pakistan for quite some years now, but this year the people are suffering another huge problem in the Holy month of Ramadan: Load shedding.

Yes, despite the government's promises that the load shedding will be extremely lenient in Ramadan; it seems that the extremity of load shedding has just increased after Ramadan has begun! In Islamabad for example, the federal capital, from morning till evening the schedule for load shedding has taken the shape of One hour ON and One hour OFF! How in the world can the public truly enjoy the blessings of Ramadan, if the only thing they will be doing is to stop themselves from drenching with sweat in the hot July sun? The heat and the absence of electricity has virtually hampered the daily life of the people here. Neither can they offer special prayers in the scorching heat nor can they do their daily household chores due to the never-ending load shedding.

Ramadan will come and go, but the memory of this year's Ramadan will stay afresh in the people's mind for a long time. They will remember this month as the one in which, despite the Government's assurances rising prices and load shedding still turned out to be the greatest problems for them!

A Desi treat for 'Dem Taste Buds: Dahi Phulkian!!

So Ramadan is here! And with that numerous traditional delicacies also find their way to our "dastarkhawans" and dining tables like Pakoray, Samosay, Fruit Chaat and such. One of my personal favorite of these delicacies is "Dahi Phulkian".
Here's my recipe for it which tastes incredible with raw onion on top!!

RECIPE: 

INGREDIENTS:

For Fried Phulkian:

Gram Flour – One Cup

Red Chili Powder – To Taste

Salt – To Taste

Water – As Required to get a medium thin consistency

Cumin Seed Powder – Half Teaspoon

Dried Pomegranate Seeds – Half  Teaspoon

Baking Powder – Half Teaspoon

Oil – Two Cups for frying

Other:

Unsweetened Yogurt – One Cup

Onion – One Chopped

Tomato – One Chopped

Coriander – One Tablespoon Chopped

Salt – To Taste

Black Pepper – Half Teaspoon

Green Chili – One Chopped

Chat Masala – For Garnish 

Preparation

 1. Mix together all the ingredients for the phulkians except water in a bowl.

 

2. Then gradually add the water till you get a medium thin consistency which should be thin but not too runny.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan. When it is sufficiently heated use a small spoon to add small dollops of the gram flour mix to the oil. Let the small balls cook under golden brown on a low flame. Be careful as they can get burnt very easily.

4. After they are fried, take them out on a tissue paper to drain excess oil. Then drop them into a bowl of water. (This is done to make them moist and to give them a really nice texture)

5. Leave the phulkian in the water for around 10 minutes. Meanwhile add all the other ingredients in a bowl with the yogurt and whisk thoroughly.

6. Now take the phulkian out and squeeze out the water from them using the palms of your hands (Wash your hands before doing this!); And then drop them into the yogurt mixture and mix well.

7. Taste to check the salt and pepper content and adjust the flavor.

8. Finish it by adding some chopped coriander over it, sprinkle some Chat Masala and Voila you Tradtional Pakistani treat is ready to be enjoyed at Iftaar or anytime you want!  

La Friolera Perfecto!

For those who maybe wondering what the title means: it is Spanish for "The Perfect Trifle" (credits Google Translate); Because the recipe of the trifle  that I am sharing here is truly perfect!
I have made this dessert quite a number of times and it dazzles me each time! Another great thing about this recipe is you can do such a lot of variations with it! Its a pretty simple recipe; I hope you guys try it out!

RECIPE: 

INGREDIENTS:

·       White Milk – 750mls

·       Tetrapak cream – 200mls

·       Sugar – According to taste (around half to 3/4 cup)

·       Vanilla flavored Instant Custard Powder – 3 to 4 tablespoons

·       Vanilla Essence – Few drops
        McVities Digestive Biscuits – 1 small packet

·       Cocktail Fruits -1 tin (Optional)

·       Instant Jelly Crystals (Banana, Strawberry, Orange flavors) – As Required

·       Chocolate Cigars – As Required

METHOD:

Pre-Preparation:

a. Make a medium consistency custard using the milk, sugar, custard powder and vanilla essence (Instructions for making custard are on the back of the packet). Adjust the amount of custard powder to achieve desired consistency.

b. Take the Digestive biscuits and either grind them in a blender/food processor or Put them in a plastic bag (zip lock bag or polythene bag) and crush them using a rolling pin (I personally prefer the second method). Take out the biscuit crumb and add a few tablespoons of milk to slightly moisten it.

c. Also prepare the jelly according to the packet instructions but use lesser water than instructed to get a really firm jelly.
d. Take out the cream in a bowl and gently whisk it to get a runny consistency.

Preparation:

1.    Now select suitable glasses to make the trifle for individual servings or you can just make it in a big bowl. Start by putting the biscuit crumbs at the bottom and press them firmly by using your hands or a flat spoon.
2.    Leave the crumble for 15 minutes in the fridge for it to settle down. After that pour the cool custard over the crumble (in case of making in bowl) or dollop suitable amount of custard into the glasses (in case of individual servings).
3.    Then add a third layer of jelly over the custard.
4.    Finally pour over the cream till the glasses are full to the brim or you get a good layer over the jelly in the bowl.
5.    Now its upto you for how to decorate the trifle. You can use the biscuit crumbs for a garnish; You can use wafers or chocolate cigars, or grated chocolate or MnM's; ANYTHING you can get your hands on!
6.    Do the garnishing, and leave it in the fridge for at least 4 to 5 hours! Take it out, Grab a spoon and enjoy the deliciousness!!!!
Note: After making the custard, if you want you can add some cocktail fruits for extra deliciousness! Make sure that the custard is really cooled down before making the layers. Enjoy!

Jamun - The Gift of Summer!

So Summer is here! The heat may get us drenching in sweat in the not-so-blessed hours of load shedding and we may be awfully scared to step out in the blazing sun but summer also means another thing - Fruit (and LOTS of it)!
And perhaps the best gift of the summer season in terms of fruit is Jamun! Or Java Plum Or Syzygium cumini if you prefer; Whatever name you may use there is no doubt that Jamun is one of the most adored fruit in Punjab, Pakistan.

For me the word summer always brings the memories of Jamun which we (me and my cousins) used to eat at our grandmother's house; Those were the days when we used to just sit there under the shade of the big Pipal tree and eat whole bowls of Jamun (with generous amounts of salt of course) in one go! And then we would gleefully show each other our purple-d toungues and complain about the strange feeling in our mouth caused by the Jamuns.
I also remember the huge Jamun tree which grew in my aunt's house and how all the kids used to pluck the Jamuns off of it through various ways (throwing their shoes at the branches was admittedly the most effective method) and then they used to run under the tree catching the falling jewels of deep purple.

As I am writing this post, I have a plate full of Jamuns with me and I am constantly smiling because of the fond memories this small fruit is bringing to me; Summer will come and go but there's no doubt that Jamun is one of my most favorite fruits!

Lab-e-Shireen Made Easy

Here is one of my most favorite sweet dishes of all time. It really does define the food philosophy of Pakistani cuisine as being rustic yet mouth-wateringly delicious. I hope you try the recipe out because the outcome is absolutely DIVINE!!! 

Lab-e-shireen can be categorized as one of the dishes of modern Pakistani cuisine. Although it has been made for many decades in this part of the sub-continent, it has been modified into newer versions which have incorporated some ingredients (like instant jelly, condensed milk, cocktail fruits) which make it a relatively "modern" dish. The oldest versions of this dish mainly included the making of a simple custard using milk and corn flour and then adding boiled vermicelli ("savayyeain") into this custard along with freshly cut fruits and ground nuts like almonds, pistachios etcetera. Now this dish is also made without the vermicelli and has a lot of variations. 

Lab-e-shireen is a close relative of the most popular of Pakistani sweet dishes i.e. Sheer Khurma, in which vermicelli is roasted and then cooked in milk. But over the course of time lab-e-shireen has become a most delectable desert in most Pakistani homes. With the addition of fresh ingredients like fruits, cream and jelly the dish reminds one of a peaceful holiday. The creamy textures are well balanced with the crisp fruits and nuts, and the smooth texture of jelly truly makes this dish, one to remember!!

One of the great things about this dish is the simplicity of its ingredients and also the wide variety of variations which are possible with it. Unlike most Pakistani dishes, there is absolutely no hard and fast rule about what should be added in it. It all depends on a person's mood and the available ingredients but despite this, this dish never fails to fulfill one's sweet toothed desires!

Although this dish apparently looks expensive, it certainly isn’t out of reach of the common man. This dish costs about the same money as any other Pakistani sweet dish, but in terms of taste, flavor and delicacy this is a dish "Fit for a King"!

Following is one of the most common recipes of Lab-e-shireen, one that I have personally made many times and every time the result is just superb. I can guarantee that if you eat this dish one time, you will never get enough of it!!        

                               

 

RECIPE: 

INGRIDIENTS:

·       White Milk – 750mls

·       Fresh cream – 400mls

·       Sugar – According to taste (around half to 3/4 cup)

·       Corn flour – 3 to 4 tablespoons

·       Vanilla Essence – Few drops (also can use vanilla extract, paste or pod)

·       Condensed Milk – 1 small tin

·       Cocktail Fruits -1 tin OR Fresh Fruits (Pineapple, Bananas, Cherries)

·       Fresh Eating Apples – 3 to 4 large sized ones

·       Instant Jelly Crystals (Banana, Strawberry, Orange flavors) – As Required

·       Boiled Vermicelli (optional) – 1 cup

METHOD:

Pre-Preparation:

a. Make instant jelly from the jelly powder/crystals (Instructions on the packet). Make sure to keep the water less so to get a thick and firm jelly.

b. Peel the apples and chop them into small pieces (but not too small). Put the chopped apples in a bowl of acidic water (lemon+water) to prevent discoloration.

c. Also cut down any other fresh fruits you wish to add.

Preparation:

1.    Whisk together the milk and about 380mls of the cream in a thick bottomed (if possible, non-stick) pan. Now put the mixture onto the stove and bring it to a gentle boil stirring occasionally. (use the whisk made for non-stick utensils as metal whisk can damage the non-stick pan)

2.    While the milk mixture is heating up, dissolve the corn flour in a few tablespoons of cold milk and put it in the fridge to chill.

3.    Once the milk mixture starts boiling add the sugar and mix it to dissolve it.

4.    After the sugar is dissolved add the vanilla essence and give it a stir.

5.    Now take the corn starch mixture from the fridge, give it a whisk before adding it into the milk mixture (corn starch tends to settle down).

6.    As soon as you add the corn flour, the milk mix will start to thicken fast so keep on whisking it to ensure uniform thickening.

7.    When it thickens considerably (thick custard consistency) remove it from the stove and allow it to cool.

8.    Now when the custard is still a bit warm add the chopped apples into it and mix well to incorporate the flavor of apples into the custard. Cool it down.

9.    Now into this mixture add condensed milk, other fruits or cocktail fruits tin etcetera.

10.        Optionally you can add 1 cup boiled vermicelli to make it truly traditional; however I prefer to make it without vermicelli.

11.        Finally put the mixture in the serving dish. Garnish it with the jellies, the left over cream, or anything else that you want. You can also add nuts (almonds, pistachios etc.) if you want.

12.        Chill it for a few hours in the fridge and Voila!! Your divine desert is ready!

Introduction

Hey Everyone! I am starting this blog about two things I love in life: Food and Thought! I am an aspiring cook myself and food is my passion! You'll see my own recipes here and the foods which are very close to my heart.
Other than that this blog is also dedicated towards thoughts of a teenager about life! Hope I am honest and also that I post regularly!