Karachi Food Diary Day 18-20 (Minced meat patties, shami kabab)

Bangles in every hue

December 24, 2010 Friday- Day 18
At night was my niece's bismillah; a ceremony which marks the start of the religious education of a child, usually at the age of 4 years. A throwback to the days when generations of a family lived together and used every occasion as a reason to celebrate, feast and mingle, it is now a custom that is slowly fading from our busy, solitary lives. My sister's in-laws, however, keep it alive and celebrate with much gusto. The child is dressed in traditional regalia. If it is a girl, she is dressed in an outfit of bright colors heavily hand-worked in silver and gold. The outfit is completed by the donning of full jewelry including tikka (jeweled head piece that falls like a pendant in the center of the forehead), necklaces and bangles. A little princess. Excitement was building in our house the whole day and my niece was besides herself with excitement. During the day, the meal was simple; khichri, daal and kofta salan (meatball curry). In the evening, we headed to my sister's in-laws' house for the ceremony. The upstairs terrace was completely covered in a red and silver awning; the atmosphere was festive and warm. We settled down for the ceremony. My niece was to repeat some lines after her grandfather who was leading the ceremony. When she got on stage and looked around at the amateur photographers (who isn't these days?) crowding around her, flashbulbs clicking, she froze. No amount of coaxing, cajoling could bring her to repeat the lines. I think I would have done the same! It was intimidating. Anyway, she managed to mumble something towards the end and the ceremony was safely concluded. Now, for the feasting. The food was laid out. The menu was chicken salan, kabab, pulao and naan. It was regular catered food; heavy on oil and spice.

Fareed Ayaz Qawwals

After the food was the qawwali. This was the highlight of the night for the adults. Qawwali is Sufi devotional music that has found it's way out of the shrines and into the homes of devotees. The qawwals were the wildly popular Fareed Ayaz qawwals. The are globally revered for their music. I sat mesmerized and deeply moved by their performance which went on into the wee hours. At about 3 pm, a second feast was laid out. This was much more tempting than the earlier one; Baghare Timatar (Hyderabadi stewed tomatoes), kachori (pastry-like bread filled with a filling of meat) and kababs. Night went on after this with more music, drinks and paan (betel leaf concoctions). Returned home, exhausted and satiated.

Potato Dauphinoise

December 25, 2010 Saturday- Day 19
The day dawned late and lazy. Savored a home-cooked meal of timatar gosht (meat stewed in tomatoes) and saag (sauteed spinach). In the evening, some friends had booked one of the most popular restaurant in Karachi, Cafe Flo for a drinks and dinner fiesta of about 60 people. It was good to see familiar faces and share stories over some wine. Small quantity of the alcohol that comes into this city is legal, i.e., for diplomats, ex-pats, etc. but majority is smuggled in from Dubai by bootleggers and is sold at criminally exorbitant mark-ups. In wine, the choice is limited to whatever is available. Most of the time it comes down to just white or red. Further, alot of the stock is tampered with and unreliable. For the party, there was a crate of sparkling wine that turned out to be completely flat. Even with these problems, wine market is thriving and it is the drink of choice. Dinner, on the other hand, was delicious, if a little rich. Cafe Flo is the best French food in Karachi and the restaurant doesn't disappoint. The menu was fish in a creamy sauce (rich and succulent), lamb with mint chutney, potato dauphinoise and crispy carrot and beans side. It was fresh, creamy but light and delicately seasoned; so refreshing after the days of kababs and meat dishes.
December 26, 2010 Sunday- Day 20
Luncheon of comforting egg and potato curry, shami kabab and raita with piping hot naan. My favorite pickle shaljam ka achaar had been prepared on request and was now ready to eat. It was the perfect accompaniment to the meal.  At night, we ate at my aunt's house. She ordered the quintessential Karachi indulgence; nihari. This time I caved in and had it. It was delicious but sat heavy in the stomach.

Shami Kabab

Soak half cup split peas in water for an hour and drain. Combine with 1lb. finely ground beef and move the mixture to a heavy saucepan. Now add 1 finely chopped large onion, 1 tbsp. minced ginger, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 tsp. ground clove, 1 tsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. ground coriander and salt to taste. Add a cup water and mix well. Simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat. Stir frequently to avoid sticking until moisture has more or less evaporated and the mixture is dry. set aside and allow to cool. 

Once at room temperature, add 1 chopped onion, 2 small minced green chillies, chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsp. chickpea flour. Knead by hand or give a quick whir in the food processor, taking care to not let it become too pasty. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Remove from fridge and mix in 1 lightly beaten egg and 1 tbsp. whipped yogurt. Knead well. 

Divide the meat into palm-sized portion, probably around 10-12. Keep a bowl of water handy for moistening hands if mixture gets too dry. Form into balls and then flatten into patties.  Shallow fry these patties in a preheated pan over medium heat, making sure to evenly brown both sides. Serve piping hot.

Note: although cumin, coriander and clove powders are all easily available in the market, it is advisable to ground the whole spices at home. This can be done by using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder. The flavor is more intense and fragrant. 

Karachi Food Diary Day 15 - 17 (Biryani, rice casserole)

December 21, 2010 Tuesday- Day 15
Life has become much more chaotic. The house is full of people and kids. Meals are now not within my control. I eat as I am served but still somewhat consciously by keeping my breakfast regular and healthy and eating lots of vegetables on the side with all my meals.
In the evening, we ordered in food from a local restaurant called Bundu Khan. They have been in business for a good 60 years or so and are famous for their delectable, delicious kababs and tikkas. This is the place to go to for local food!

Seekh kabab

Chicken Tikka

It was out of this world. Juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned and fresh of the grill.. with hot naan and paratha. Heavenly. Thankfully, I had a small bite as we were invited to drinks later which actually turned out to be a elaborate feast of Hyderabadi food; my favorite. I couldn't not indulge in khatti daal with beans, baghare baingan (stewed eggplant-yum) and various other delicious foods.

December 22, 2010 Wednesday- Day 16
My dinner tonight was with my father-in-law. The menu was biryani and fried fish (despite having an aversion to fish, he always has it cooked for me when I visit). Biryani is an elaborate rice casserole usually cooked with a meat; either chicken or beef. The meat is first marinated with spices and cooked completely and then covered with a layer of parboiled white rice. It is then garnished with saffron, fried onions and fresh coriander, covered tightly to steam and cook without the addition of any more liquid. Before serving, the dish is mixed so that the meat and the rice combine yet retain their individual taste and appearance. It is an art and a process but the result is so worth it. Guiltily, I indulged in a double portion. The fish, on the other hand, was not crisp enough. In this part of the world, I feel the best form of eating fish is in a curry. Other versions are somewhat disappointing.

December 23, 2010 Thursday- Day 17
Light lunch and a dinner of khichri, kababs and yogurt. The reason for this being that I had a happy hour invite and then a dinner invite for later. In true desi fashion, dinner is served much after midnight after the guests have over-imbibed and danced their feet off. So, it is always wise to line the tummy before stepping out. The first event was a 1920's jazz party and the theme was taken very seriously. The guest were almost all in costume; pearls, head bands, feathers all around. The host had taken the initiative to provide accessories for the errant guest who came out of costume, like me. Much dancing, chatting and drinking later, we headed out to the dinner. The vibe here was different; bigger, smokier and a more intoxicated crowd was spread out between a few rooms and around the pool area. At this point, I had had enough. Mercifully, the food was served soon.  It was a spread of rich desi dishes; twice-cooked keema (minced meat), kababs, tikkas and the delicacies of nihari (traditional beef stew cooked over a couple of days) and pae (goat feet in curry). I had a small, restrained bite and happily called it a night soon after. It is dawning on me that this is definitely not the right season to embark on a quest for mindful eating!

Biryani

Biryani originated in Persia and made it's way to South Asia, either through the Arabian Sea or Afghanistan. It was introduced to the military by Mumtaz Mahal (wife of Shah Jehan for whom the Taj Mahal was built and who lies buried there) as a 'whole meal'. The dish grew to gain immense popularity with regional versions abounding, each more delicious than the other. Wash 1 cup rice in several changes of water. In a heavy pot, bring water to a boil with 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, 4 cardamom pods and salt. When boil is reached, add rice, turn the heat down and cook till half done (the trick to determine doneness is to squeeze a rice kernel between the thumb and forefinger. If the rice breaks into three, soft ends and hard center, then it is ready). Remove from heat and spread out on a tray. Salt and pepper half a chicken, on-the-bone and cut up into several pieces. Thinly slice a large onion and fry in a preheated heavy dish on medium heat till golden brown. To the same oil, add the chicken pieces and also cook until golden. Remove the chicken and set aside. Now to the onions, add 2-3 alubukhara (dried plums), 1 tsp. ginger paste, 1 tsp. garlic paste, 2 tsp. coriander powder, 2 tsp. cumin powder, 1 tsp. ground garam masala, 1 tsp. cayenne and salt to taste. Now cook on medium- high heat till all the spices are blended into a smooth paste. Add the chicken pieces and 2 tbsp. yogurt. Mix well and keep cooking till the chicken is cooked through and the oil starts bubbling. Now the layering process starts. In a separate heavy pan, layer half the rice. Next, layer the chicken mixture*. Finally, add a layer of the remaining rice. This is then drizzled with a mixture of saffron soaked in warm milk and 1/2 tsp. sugar which should have been prepared 3-4 hours ahead of time. Next, the dish needs to be tightly covered. In the past, the lid of the pot was sealed by a roll of dough along the edges. If you want to take the extra step that is up to you. Move the dish to an oven preheated to 425 degrees and cook further for another 30 minutes. To serve, mix well. Enjoy with a side of plain whipped yogurt.

* At this point, I sometimes add another layer of thin lemon slices, julienned green chillies and chopped coriander. This is not the traditional preparation but adds a delicious burst of flavor. 

Kabab roll

Absolutely delicious, bursting with freshness and ridiculously simple. The bread in this delectable wrap nicely soaks up the juices from the herbs, meat and vegetables. A little prep time is needed to make this low-calorie, yummy roll and it is worth it!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef, chicken, lamb or turkey meat

1 tsp. fresh thyme

1 tsp. fresh oregano

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1 tbsp. cumin powder

1 tbsp. ground pomegranate seeds (available at South-Asian stores)

salt to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

6 rotis (or flour tortillas)

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, slivered

2 lemons

handful of mint leaves, roughly broken

handful cilantro leaves, roughly broken

1/2 lettuce head (leaves separated and quartered)

2 cups yogurt whipped

3 mild green peppers, thinly sliced also
1 tsp. garam masala 

Serves 4

Recipe:

- combine the red onion slivers and the lemons juice and leave to pickle in the fridge for 4-5 hours.

- combine the first 8 ingredients, press onto a skewer and also let sit in the fridge for the same amount of time.

- pre-heat the oven on lo- broil setting, brush the meat with little olive oil and place in the oven.

- let the meat cook till it is nicely browned on all the sides.

- heat the tortillas on a girdle or directly on the fire as I like to do, for a little less than a minute each side, being careful to not let them burn.

- remove from fire and start layering the various ingredients; few lettuce leaves, slices of cucumber, marinated onions, 3-4 slices of green chillies, one kabab, a tbsp. of yogurt and a sprinkle of mint and cilantro leaves. Finish off with a dusting of pomegranate seeds and garam masala. 

- wrap it up and enjoy.

Beef and Beet Curry- Chukandar Gosht ** 2nd time winner of salon.com Kitchen Challenge!

My parents lived in Muscat, Oman in the late 1970s. The summers were bone-dry and scorching. To escape, we would travel to the equally scorching but more smoldering, humid heat of Karachi, Pakistan where my maternal aunt lived with her family. My grandmother lived with her at the time too. Their house was a modern version of a traditional South Asian home. The rooms wrapped around a central courtyard that was open to the skies. It was here that we pursued our world of play with an abandon and dedication that now seems so elusive. A full day of childlike hooliganism almost always ended with a water fight much to the dismay of the adults. Leading off of this courtyard was a gate that led to the beach. This stretch of land and water wasn't in any way idyllic or pristine but rather raw, rough and odorous, a beach the likes of which I have only come across in this part of the world. It had an immediate, intense and dangerous beauty. We were only allowed to enjoy it from the steps leading down to it from the gate. However, the briny air drifted up to the house and was always present.

If monsoon ever interrupted our play, we would spend endless afternoons lounging on the veranda. My aunt would put on music, either classical raag or songs from an Indian film du jour, but always about the rainy season. We would eat vegetables pakoras (fritters) or samosas (savory turnovers) with delicious, piquant, tangy chutneys and listen to our respective mother or aunt and grandmother tell stories, discuss politics or better, people and share jokes. At other times, we would listen to the pitter patter of raindrops or the thunder in the clouds. I remember many a washed out days dozing off to these sounds and smells. Ah yes, especially the smells.

As is the desi* way of life, my aunt had a cook who took care of the daily meals so it was a special day when my grandmother cooked. She would spend the whole day in the kitchen and the aroma wafting down the corridor would tantalize our senses and keep our appetite alert in anticipation. One of my absolute favorite dishes of hers was chukandar gosht (beets and meat curry).  I did not have a child’s aversion to vegetables or, specifically, beets. Maybe it was the color staining my fingers (of course, as another time-honored desi tradition, I used my hand to scoop up the curry with bread) and lips (in the days when lipstick was taboo) or its rich, dense, sweet earthiness that made me love this root so much. Curried, spiced and cooked with hearty red meat made this a uniquely soul-satisfying dish.

Recently, I shared the fact that the smell of roasting beets was a tug of nostalgia at my heart like no other with a friend of East-European descent. She could not wrap her head around the simple fact that I knew of, much less that I had been eating this root vegetable since I was young. For her it was a comfort food, particular to her region and tenderly introduced to her by her grandmother, same as me. This made me wonder if the love of this vegetable is so passionate and personal that all who have it feel that it could only have come from the deepest, most sacred part of us. 

Ingredients:

1 pound beetroot quartered and diced. 
1 pound beef/lamb cubed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder

2 tbsp. amchoor (dried mango powder)

fresh coriander leaves

grated lemon peel 

1/2 cup oil 

salt to taste

Recipe:

Heat a heavy bottom dish over medium high heat.
When hot, add oil and then the sliced onion.
Brown the onion over medium heat till nicely caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and lay out on kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.  
In the still hot dish, add the garlic and ginger paste, red chilli, coriander powder and turmeric and sauté for a minute or two.
Add the meat and brown on all sides.
Add the beetroot and some water to cover the mixture and leave little extra for curry.
Crush the cooled, browned onions and add to the dish.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered over medium-low heat until both the meat and beetroot are tender, about 1.5 hours.
Uncover, add salt and amchoor powder and cook over high heat till the curry is of desired consistency.
Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes before serving. 
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and grated lemon peel.

* people or culture of South Asia

http://www.salon.com/food/kitchen_challenge/index.html?story=/food/kitchen_challenge/2010/09/20/beef_and_beet_curry

Skinny Bi*ch of a book

I finally got around to reading it. It had been on my radar for some time and so, when at the airport and faced with a dearth of material, it seemed the perfect companion; easy read, seemingly witty and direct. Also, any reminder of why we should eat healthier is always welcome.

Well, it was all that and more. First thing that took me by surprise was the language; direct, crass  and funny, as in I-can't-believe-she-said-that funny! Of course, I had expected it given the title of the book and did find myself laughing out loud at points yet a bit  perturbed by the aggressiveness of it.

I also felt the book was promoted in a misleading manner. It has a vegan agenda and you become aware of it fairly quickly, say by the 4th chapter. Yet it is not marketed as such. Lulled by reading about the effects of sugar and soda, I suddenly had the dank, brutal insides of a slaughterhouse stuck in my face! It was almost as disturbing as stumbling upon "Faces of Death" in my youth when I thought we were being shown a nature documentary (true story). I agree it is important to know where your food comes from and the virtues of a vegetarian diet but I am really not interested in giving up meat or dairy completely. And I don't want to be pushed towards it by the authors' promise of a hotter body if I did so. Oh yes, there is a promotion of stereotypical body images here. Finally, I felt a number of theories laid out are unsupported, loosely researched or contradictory. The author(s) rely too heavily on a combination of shock tactics and intimidation to make their point.

So, I found it to be overall engaging and informative in bits but would advice that it be read with a grain of salt and the permission to skip over the unsavory parts. At the end of the day, all I need to know is what is on my plate and be thankful for and respectful of the nourishment it provides my body.

Slow-cooked Pot Roast- Pasandey

This dish was our staple in the mid- 1980s. We had just moved back from Dubai, leaving behind an idyllic life. My mother was homesick. We lived in an apartment overlooking the beach. She spent hours gazing out of the window, doodling, listening to music and would wax poetic about old days. The dinner menu was the furthest thing from her mind. We were on a regular diet of torai, daal, chawal and roti and on good days, pasandey. It was delicious in the beginning till we all had too much of a good thing and one of us burst out at the dinner table, 'again'?!!


2 lb. beef (flank steak is best, if not available, use skirt steak or brisket cut)
1 med. onion sliced
1 large onion chopped
*21/2 tsp. coriander powder
*21.2 tsp. cumin powder
*1/2 tsp. red chili powder
*1/2 tsp. garam masala
1 tbsp poppy seeds (khaskhas)
2 cup yogurt
sea salt to taste
olive oil
1 sprig cilantro (chopped)
2 - 3 green chillies (chopped)
lemon wedges
* The spice measure above are restrained. Feel free to adjust based on personal preferences.


Preparation:
- Roast the spices (coriander, cumin, red chili and garam masala powder) in a dry, preheated pan till the mixture turns fragrant and darkens slightly (2-3 mins). Add to the uncooked meat and mix well.
- In a separate hot pan, drizzle oil till the surface is well-coated (about 2 tbsp.) and add the onion slices (to get even thickness, a mandolin is very useful). Once they start caramelizing and browning, remove from heat and add this mixture to the meat also.
- Finally, add the yogurt, diced onions, poppy seeds and salt. Mix well, allow to rest for a couple of minutes and then refrigerate for 2-3 hrs.


Recipe:
- Drizzle some oil on a preheated pan and add the marinated meat. Mix and allow to steam up on high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and let meat cook covered till tender, about an hour.
- Once tender, uncover and cook further till any liquid that has accumulated evaporates and oil starts separating, 20-30 minutes.
- Serve with chopped coriander leaves, chopped green chilies and lemon


My mother's original recommendation at the end of her recipe was, 'eat with paratha'! I like fragrant basmati rice. Both work, your choice. Bon appetit!