Chicken Brochette in the Pakistani Manner

Sunday, May 16, 2010 By 25 Comments

Asghar squats on top of a wooden table and fans the coal embers as the chicken tikka, impaled on steel skewers, turns a carbon-black around the edges as it plumpens and becomes amber-hued in the middle. Asghar has worked at Punjab Tikka House in Main Market, Lahore for as long as I can remember. As I sit watching from the car, he effortlessly slides off the bite-sized pieces of chicken tikka with his bare hands. Onto a newspaper. One fold, two fold, then a third, just like fish & chips in England. Then into the plastic bag they go. [Read more...]

Filed Under: mains, Pakistani, spicy

Mother’s Day: Ginger Chicken in the Pakistani Manner

Friday, May 7, 2010 By 50 Comments

mothersday

The silver filigree antique jhumkas you see in Ami’s earlobes- she gave them to me when I was 18- and the irresponsible teenager that I was, I lent them to a dorm mate who lost them. It didn’t even occur to me that they were missing till I saw this photo recently.

Andaaza

I watched Ami, as she stirred the pot in a circular motion. Round and round her arm circled, the gold bangles glistening on her wrist. Clink, clink, they went as she stirred and stirred. The same gold bangles given to her by her Ami, when she married my father in her China-red and gold brocade gharara.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: mains, Pakistani, spicy

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 By 6 Comments

Wonders of Pakistan Part VIII: Androoneh shaihair; Old City, Lahore.

Photo courtesy of Joselyn Fine, my sister’s best friend who visited Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan this year.

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesdays

Kati Roll-Kolkata Style

Sunday, May 2, 2010 By 53 Comments

This post was featured in Oliver Thring’s weekly round-up. Oliver Thring writes for the Guardian and iStarvin’.

“Always keep some whipped butter next to the sink,” Aunty Bhupinder tells me as I lament over my dry hands after my move to Toronto. “Once you’re done with cooking,” she continues, “wash your hands and smear a little bit of whipped butter all over them.” Following the advice of someone I love like a grandmother, I slather some whipped butter on my hands. But in vain. Aunty Bhupinder’s hands are soft; like cake batter before it goes into the oven. No amount of whipped butter will soften mine up like hers. [Read more...]

Filed Under: breakfast, brunch, eggs, Indian, mains, spicy, street food