2011

Prawn Masala in the Pakistani Manner

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 By shayma 31 Comments

Pakistani Prawn Masala

Lahore. The city of my birth. The city of the humble samosa. That flaky, deep-fried triangular parcel stuffed with cumin-laced, spicy potatoes you buy from the dhaba; kiosk, from that little alley behind Liberty Market, where they sell glass bangles, twirled and twisted organza scarves and sparkly rhinestone-studded sandals. Greasy and stuffed into a khaki paper bag, you bring the samosas home and eat them hot, dipping them in a red, tangy-tart chili garlic sauce which comes out of that famous Mitchell’s glass bottle. And after that first bite, you slip your finger tips into the handle of your teacup and take a sip of cardamom-fragranced milky tea, to wash it all down. With each sip, the tannins burn your mouth even more. [Read more...]

Filed Under: mains, Pakistani, seafood, spicy

Montreal Birthday Weekend

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 By shayma 34 Comments

Honestly, I understand the sentiment, but what was the hotel thinking when they put a 20cm sparkler on my birthday cake? At midnight on Friday, my husband almost set the bed on fire, and no, I am not talking dirty on my blog. I mean literally, as in potential flames with smoke. Just back in our hotel room after a lovely bistro dinner, he lit the sparkler and it started spitting out sparks (erm, that’s what it is supposed to do, we realise that). Thankfully, Z quickly moved it to the table, averting a fire. Since we were too busy laughing our arses off, I forgot to make a wish, but the important bit is that we both ate a large chunk of that sludgy, dark chocolate cake with sweet, tart raspberry compote on the side. And that’s how our less-than-48hour-weekend began. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Montreal, Travels

Mast-o-Khiar- Cucumber & Walnut Dip in the Persian Manner and My Birthday

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 By shayma 32 Comments

Mast-o-Khiar Cucumber Dip

That coral pink sludge we used to buy from the Sainsbury’s closest to our dorm was usually scooped up with salt and vinegar crisps. Taramosalata it was called. My Greek friend MM had introduced me to it, but I am sure it was quite different than the real stuff she was eating back home in Athens. We all loved it, we thought we were the ultimate gourmandes, eating in the common room together, bitching about that Italian Econometrics professor who didn’t really know what that damn Monte Carlo algorithm test was- and neither did we. [Read more...]

Filed Under: appetiser, condiment, Irani/Persian, vegetables/vegetarian

Double-Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Monday, October 3, 2011 By shayma 13 Comments

Double-Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

I can’t understand why I never tried a Reese’s Pieces when I was a child, maybe because the epic joy of having a jolly rancher with its neon watermelon and green apple flavours seemed more interesting than a boring, drab and round chocolate cup. On Halloween there were Nerds to be had, those tiny, hot pink sweet and sour candies you poured into your hand out of a pocket-size box and ate till your tongue turned a scary purple and pink. Then there were American Smarties- small pastel coloured discs which made your mouth pucker up from their tartness. I never touched any of the chocolate in my Halloween basket, maybe because I was also a snob, used to eating chocolate my Baba brought back for us from the UK and France. [Read more...]

Filed Under: dessert/pudding

Fruit Chaat- Peach Salad in the Pakistani Manner

Tuesday, September 27, 2011 By shayma 17 Comments

peach salad

I loved those kaanch ki churiyaan; glass bangles you’d find right before Eid at the Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore’s Old City. The vendors had every colour you could imagine- neon lemon, bubble-gum pink, dark and light violets and shimmery silver ones like mother-of-pearl. I loved going to the Anarkali Bazaar with my Nani Ami to buy my Eid outfit with matching churiyaan. Of course I had to buy the dull bangles, the plastic ones, which didn’t even make that all important ‘clink clink’ sound with every hand movement. Unlike the glass ones, you could easily stuff your hand into them. Glass bangles were supposed to be slipped on after lathering up your hands with soap and water so they would slide on effortlessly. I spent most of my childhood in envy of my cousins who wore glass bangles every Eid. But then again, I had slit my wrist at the age of three after taking a fall whilst wearing them. I even have the scar of five stitches to prove it. So as a child, I just had to lump it and wear the plastic ones. [Read more...]

Filed Under: appetiser, spicy, street food, tea time snacks

My Interview: Herald Magazine, Pakistan

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 By shayma 13 Comments

Shayma Saadat Interview

I am honoured to have been interviewed by one of Pakistan’s most prestigious and widely-read English-language magazines for their September issue. Here is the link to the three-page feature.

Filed Under: Interviews / Features, Press

Nani Ami’s Sawayyan- Vermicelli Pudding in the Punjabi Manner

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 By shayma 23 Comments

sawayyan

It looked like a tangled mess, those sawayyan; vermicelli, lying in a mound in the silver-gilt rim white porcelain dish on Eid morning in Nani Ami’s home. Next to it lay dainty matching bowls with silver spoons, a large carafe of fresh, raw milk, a sugar bowl and several bowls of dried nuts, slivered, whole and crushed to a dust-something for everyone’s preferences in the family. [Read more...]

Filed Under: dessert/pudding, Pakistani

Chutney Surkh-e-Murch: Red Pepper Chutney in the Afghan Manner

Sunday, August 21, 2011 By shayma 28 Comments

Red Pepper Chutney

The Bullying. Stratford Landing Elementary School, Grade 2. In a suburb of Washington DC.

Ami used to make me sandwiches for lunch so I wouldn’t have to eat the horrid spaghetti in bolognese sauce from the school cafeteria. This “Italian” dish was usually made with meat which looked more like cat food, straight out of a tin. All the other children used to bring soft sandwiches smeared with peanut butter and grape jelly, and even though I pleaded for those sarnies, Ami said no. It wasn’t good for you- all that sugar and carbs. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Afghan, condiment, spicy, vegetables/vegetarian

Top 50 Food Website in the World

Thursday, July 21, 2011 By shayma 35 Comments

The Spice Spoon, Top 50 Website in the World

Toot toot! That is the sound of my horn, and I hope you don’t mind the sound of it, because The Spice Spoon was featured in The Independent as 50 of the world’s best food websites.

‘Stunning photography, beautiful food and evocative writing, Shayma Saadat’s Pakistani/ Afghan/Persian blog is a treat,’ says Nick. ‘Very original recipes from a blogger who is keen to offer a much-needed dose of humanity and romanticism to the countries of her heritage.’

Filed Under: Press, Winner of Competition