Recipe: Very Basic Keema - Technique over Taste

One thing I've learnt as a ''100% enthusiasm and 0% skill'' cook is that you have to be honest with yourself and park your ego for a while and dive into the world of cooking aids... It is important to learn the technique even before fully getting into the flavour.

So my personal advice to fellow starters... Invest in a decent non stick pan, this could potentially be one of your best friends in the early days AND... don't be afraid to use 'Ready made Masalas'. During my corporate days, I ran a few promos with Knorr Make a Meal Sachets and never paid any heed to them beyond that... today, I can't live without them. I am just about learning basic dummy techniques of cooking such a 'how to bhunao* the keema (mince)' I really can't be bothered with how much namak and mirch (salt and pepper). While most of my friends think I am breaking it down a bit too much... let me tell you... Cooking isn't easy!!

Long story short, I bought by self a non stick beauty, some knorr keema karahi sachets and I have to say I actually learnt more about cooking techniques today then I would have freaking out about piyaz sticking to the bottom of the pan, or namak being too less.

The very simple way to get to aromatic Keema Muttar....

- Put keema (mince) in a nice 'non stick'pan
- Let it simmer in about a tea spoon of oil and quarter a cup of water till golden brown
- Add the reliable Masala mix and some yougurt....
- and Now feel free to experiement with Bhunao* - how much do you want to cook the mince, how brown you want it to be, how dry or moist works for you and you'll feel like you're on top of the world... When you feel a bit lost, just add water and continue cooking till Super Happy!

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*Bhunao - (Saute/stir-fry) Small quantities of water, yogurt, and stock are introduced to the pan if and when the ingredients start to stick. Usually onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and green chillies are fried in oil, but to make sure that this doesn’t stick, burn or cook unevenly, a small amount of water is added, repeatedly. After the oil separates from the mixture, the main ingredient (meat or vegetable) is added and cooked.

Khussas, Chappals, Kheries.

Our discovery for arts and crafts recently took us not once but twice to Taxali gate. Situated in old Lahore right next to the famous Lahore fort. This area is famous for two things... Tibbi Gali (the red light quarters) and Delicious Local Cuisine.

I had some vague memories of this area from a trip taken with my grandmother for a photography project  8 years ago, back then I had only managed to whiz through the area in a speedy rickshaw honking away at the jaywalkers and pedistrians. To date, a Rickshaw remains the best way to explore these narrow streets...

The particular street that I am talking about is famous for its Khussas and Chappals (mostly for Men) adorned with Tilla Work, Embroidery, Patchwork and much more... Incidently the Tilla work is mostly done in Sheikhupura and Jhang and the shoes are then assembled in Lahore to be sold at what I consider a bargain here. The pictures in this post do not do justice to the beauty of the work found in Tibbi Gali but do indicate at what you're in for if you do decide to brave this 'old' world.

Walking In R.A. Bazaar

The R.A. Bazaar in Lahore is a small unassuming market which most people whiz past thinking it smaller than it actually is. Having supported the ever growing population around itself, R.A. Bazaar as I now know sells almost all that one may need day on day... from groceries to fruits and vegetables, small household items etc... R.A Bazaar is incidentily short for Royal Artillary Bazaar and dates back perhaps to the times of the British Rule.

Recipe: I'll only 'FLIRT' with cooking - Chicken Mince for Dummies

So... After two consecutive days of disasters in the kitchen, (one total disaster and one 'saved by Ragu Sauce') I have decided that my friendly flirtation with cooking will stay at that and never turn into a full blown affair... While I could just let go of this and pretend it never happened I know that the wisdom gained could at some point help someone...

Grilled Chicken Breast
1. Marination: The longer the Better!!!
2. Chicken Breast when Marinated in Yougurt, doesnt necessarily turn dark brown when grilled
3. Keeping the Chicken Breast moist with the remaining marinade while it cooks helps!!
Chicken Mince (to eat with Pasta or Rice)
4. When making mince meat, the onion needs to be golden brown before putting in the Mince
5. Tomatoes go in after the mince, not before.

Following is my Mince Meat for people petrified of cooking recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
1 Large Onion (Absolutely Necessary, do NOT cheat on this one)
1/2 Garlic Clove
A hint of ginger if you can manage (I personally don't like it but it helps kill the meaty smell if any)
1/2 KGs Chicken Mince
1 Can Peeled Tomatoes  (this helps make a bit of gravy too so dont be scared to have fun with these)
Spices (let you imagination wild)

RECIPE:
Take one large onion and put it in a pot with two teaspoons of oil.
Let the onion go brown before adding half a crushed garlic and a hint of crushed ginger.
Simmer for a bit before adding the chicken mince.
Cover the pot and let the mince cook for a while occassionally stirring
5-7 minutes into the cooking, add peeled tomatoes
Continue cooking and Occasional stirring
Now add spices to taste (I tried a bit of salt, rosemary and sage)
If the mince is drying up to much too soon, lower the flame and keep adding a bit of water till youre confident the mince is cooked!

Tadaaaa!!! I had this concoction with a bit of Pasta...
This dumbed down recipe worked for me, and if it did for me... it sure as hell can work for you.

Every journey starts somewhere...

If anyone can say anything about Lahore is that it's full of surprises and that you can find anything here or atleast the Lahore version of it. So after spending a few nervous weeks of figuring out what I wanted to do once I quit my job, hours spent online rearching, money spent making phone calls, exploring all possible leads in Islamabad and an eye opening trip to Lahore's Shah Alam Market (supposedly the largest wholesale market in Asia - I will attempt writing a post on that in the coming weeks) I finally found my answer today in a small, unassuming congested street of Lahore's Industrial Estate.

Ali striding ahead in Kot Lakhpat

I fumbled upon a small Industrial home dedicated to teaching Young Women from underpriviliged families the craft of handloom weaving, block printing, stitching and embroidery after following various leads and references. I have come back so inspired, so charged up. Things seem to be falling into place and in the coming days I will attempt sharing with you some beautiful arts and crafts of Pakistan as I set out on a journey to find the beautiful pieces created by highly talented and often underappreciated artisans of this country.

New Beginnings

Right as my first week out of work started, I recieved the wonderful news of the birth of my darling nephew. Needless to say, I rushed to Islamabad to experience what I now look back and call 'love at first sight'. While I love my brother to bits, I never thought I would just instantly fall so madly in love with his little piddle baby who could barely open his eyes.

What joy it was being around little Salar and actually have time to see him learn so many new things in just four short days that I managed to spend with him. Opening one eye, opening both of them, stretching his legs, being aware of a state called 'awake', responding to sounds, touch and the fact that even without opening his eyes who his Mummy and Daddy were. Holding him in one arm... I can spend hours just staring at him. What a bundle of joy... the whole house has lit up with his little sleepy, weepy, poopie loveable presence.