Hello, I am Shayma, a Pakistani-Afghan with a hint of Iranian, (here’s a little bit more about me in Canada’s national newspaper).
I write a food memoir-style blog inspired by my heritage.
Accolade- My blog was recently selected as one of Top 50 food websites in the world by The Independent, UK.
Wage slaving- I love my job – I am an economist by profession and work full-time.
Nomad- Born in Lahore, Pakistan, I grew up in Pakistan; the USA; Nigeria; Kenya; Bangladesh and the UK. My career took me to Rome, Italy, where I spent 6 years working for the United Nations. Last year I moved from Rome to Toronto, Canada.
Why Heritage Cooking- My mother-Ami, my aunt and grandmothers are fascinating cooks. Like most women from our part of the world, they cooked intuitively, by method of ‘loose estimation’ or as we refer to in Urdu; andaaza. I learnt to cook in the same manner.
In our part of the world cooking techniques and recipes are almost invariably passed on through oral tradition. This inspired me to start putting pencil to paper to document and quantify some of the dishes I love to prepare at home, which I have learnt from my mother, aunt and grandmothers.
Given the current milieu in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, I would like to think and hope that my stories provide readers with a much needed antidote of humanity and romanticism about our peoples and cultures.
Gratitude- This blog wouldn’t be possible without the endless encouragement of my husband.
Random Fact- When I come home from work, my snackette of choice is a sharp, smelly and firm cheese with bread or crackers.
Confession- I adore foie gras. Especially the way it is prepared at Chez L’Ami Jean, Paris, with vanilla bean. My husband doesn’t eat foie gras anymore. Here is a video which tells you why.
Weakness in life- Anything fried and savoury- a packet of crisps; crisp shrimp fritters; aubergine dredged in cumin-laced chickpea-flour batter, fried and eaten straight out of the pan; sizzling hot kibbeh; or those bronzed and crunchy fiori di zucca with creamy mozzarella and earthy anchovies tucked deep inside them.
Chocolate Cake- If you haven’t had the Dolly Sin cake which is sold at Balducci’s in Washington DC, you have not lived…Layers of soft, intense muddy chocolatey sponge with a whipped ganache frosting. We make an excuse to have it every year in my family- for a birthday, to welcome in the New Year or for Eid. It’s been a family tradition since 1996.
Typical Brekkers- Two slices of toasted pumpernickel or whole wheat bread with a smear of tahineh and a slathering of homemade jam, preferably fig. Pot of sencha green tea to go with.
Simple pleasures- I’ll take a plate of pasta with Sicilian ciliegine (tomatoes), olive oil and parmesan with a glass of Falanghina- any day- over a fancy Michelin star restaurant with a tasting menu.
Cannot abide- Mayonnaise. Not even homemade. Not even if it has been made at my friend’s farm in Tuscany using farm fresh eggs. And I will have to say no to your kind offer of a glass of mango lassi. Please don’t be offended. It’s nothing personal. And unless you’re making a flaky pie crust or a sludgy chocolate cake, please don’t add butter to my food, especially not to my vegetables. Olive oil all the way, (well, I’ll take duck fat, too). And please keep desiccated coconut away from me.
Contact-
Thank you so much for visiting The Spice Spoon: cooking without borders.
Hello Shayma
Lovely site and such a good idea! The gorgeous Mrs Trefusis put me on to you and I am so pleased she did: I have only ever managed basmati rice by luck rather than judgement and will definitely follow your advice.
Will follow with interest (and drool).
Best wishes, Debbie
Hi Shayma,
I visited Pakistan and Iran and peeked over the Khyber Pass to Afghanistan in late 2000. Am very interested to follow your cooking experiences.
Sandra
Adore this- Will frequent often!
Many, many thanks for the kind words and for visiting the site.
@Sandra Would love to hear more about your visits to Pakistan.
Love your blog…looking forward to reading it more and trying the recipes!
I love what I have explored of your site so far and can’t wait to read more!
hey shayma…really really impressive!!
The site is neatly designed. The recipes look awesome(will sure try the easy ones to bring some diversity to my usually boring platter).
I cant get over the fact that you actually made all the effort to put everything together so nicely.
Brilliant!!
love,
s.
Hey Shayma cara
what a great idea!!!!….can’t wait to delight mediterranean hubby with spicy dishes….a much needed detour from our pasta life!!Brava
Love it! Your talents are endless. I look forward to reading more. Please share your favorite Roma and Med dishes with us as well. You are brilliant darling. xx
ummm….can we get the baingan-aloo-in-wok recipe soon? puhleeeeeeze.
@Ginger @Brandy @Saima @Fran @Aicha Love you girls, thanks so much.
@jtm Do you know that I cannot remember the last time I actually made that dish? Thanks for the inspiration! Only issue with it is, it requires glugs and glugs of oil (bec of the aubergine). But for you, I will post the recipe at some point and include our story (London days) with it.
Hi Shayma – so glad you found our blog again! I love yours and am so looking forward to cooking from it.
Cara (Big Girls, Small Kitchen)
@Small Kitch Cara Really like your blog, too. Thanks for visiting.
I really love your website. I look forward to trying out these wonderful recipes.
@Omar Thanks so much for visiting.
Very nice looking blog. You probably already know I love spicy food. Please post more more of your family recipes if you don’t mind sharing.
@Sunflower As you know, I am a huge fan of your blog, all the Southeast Asian Recipes are fantastic&the guides wonderful. Thanks for visiting mine and for the kind words; I hope to share many more recipes.
Happy to discover you! Will now add you to my “Blogs I follow” section!
I don’t know if you have seen the Mexican film ‘Like Water for Chocolate’, but when I saw it I realised that food was without doubt part of the power of universal love as much as of the love of the heart. This blog makes me think of that movie. Thank you Shayma, you have a great gift xx
@Mrs L Thank you for visiting my site.
@Barbarina Thanks for your comment and for reminding me of a book/film I,too adore. Best wishes and a hug to you.
Shayma
Thanks for visiting me and leading me here. You have a lovely site. Shall check out the Kabuli Pulao
AMAZING! Have printed out all the recipes and will file into my “Shayma’s Section”. Can’t wait to read about and learn more recipes!
Hi Shayma,
Just want to say, what a great blog with lots of lovely ideas. My friend is wondering whether you’ll be posting any more vegetarian dishes in the future.
AJQ
p.s. she’s too shy to leave a comment!
Great stuff! happy to see you got this up so fast since I saw you last.
@Bong Mom Thank you. I haven’t posted the recipe for Kabuli Palao- yet. I hope to do so in the New Year.
@Arj Thanks. x
@Atif Thanks, Atif. I hope to be posting some vegetarian recipes, I wish I could post more than once a week, but am new to this and still traveling up the learning curve. Thanks to you and your friend.
@Mesh Thanks for all the support, as always.
Shayma,
Love this website, the way you approach food is so romantic and real. And, the pics make me want to jump right in to the food. I’d like to get lost in this website:)
You have a wonderful space shayma, I love the kitchen and all the magic that surrounds it, I also consider the kitchen an art …
Thanks for your visit and I will add your site to my links to visit you often.
Excuse my bad English.
I leave my hugs and admiration.
http://www.elpuestuflora.blogspot.com/
Shayma…..thank you. This seems to be my period of comfort! I seem to be connecting with all this people who have lived in Nigeria…..Wow. So now that we have one connection established, know that you have an extra reader, ok? Take care,Ozoz
@Maggie You have been an inspiration for me- I still make your recipe for meatballs with the yoghurt and mint dip. A hug.
@Evangelina Your illustrations are utter heaven. I look forward to visiting your site often. Thanks for the lovely words.
@KitchenButterfly What an honour for my to have the food52 cook spotlight chef visit my blog! And a “fellow” Nigerian. I spent some of the best years of my childhood in Lagos. Many thanks- you have a reader/fan in me for sure. Your Canon G10 does wonders.
Hi Shayma, your blog is great! I’m off to read more of your posts. :>)
Very interesting blog. Thank you for sharing these delicious recipes. My dream has always been to try recipes from all around the world and your blog is the perfect place to find some!
Hi Shayma,
firts of all beautiful name – does it mean something?
I think that your recepeis are just what this internet world was missing! Now we can enjoy new tastes from someone who has really experienced them!!
Thanks
Keep posting…you’ve got a new fan!
@Lynn I thank you for visiting.
@Mathilde Thanks so much. Lots of new French recipes shall be added to my repertoire, thanks to you.
@Fulvia Thank you, Fulvia. Shayma means ‘beauty spot’ in Arabic. Am flattered by your comments, many thanks.
Oops! I can’t find your location! where do you live Shayma?
@Tasteofbeirut Ah, dear Joumana I don’t talk about where I live on my blog; mainly so I can keep my blog separate from the workplace. Have you reached safely? x
What a nice surprise, Shayma, to find your blog…It is amazing what you do, you are incredibly talented…
I love how you show the food from your country…I love it becuase your blog is real, written by a real person with a history and love for her roots, because your photos (that are great) are taken by an amateur in photography (like mine) I am tired of seeing food blogs of photographers!!! I wonder if they know how to cook…
Continue working with so much enthusiasm…Congratulations!
Hi Shayma, thank you very much for the visit and comment on my blog! I am just as pleased to find yours, all flavours I absolutely love! I to started with just a little camera and now absolutely love my DSLR!
Welcome to Blogworld ! What a very nice idea of yours. I am very curious to see your photos
Great article! It’s often hard to find such well put together information that makes sense!
Bloody brilliant x
Shayma, you have such a lovely space here; i can’t wait to explore more of it.
Hello Shayma, Wow, I just happened upon your site. Very nice and intriguing! I love Middle Eastern food but haven’t eaten nearly enough of it. I am looking forward to trying some recipes introduced here, if I can just find the spices here in Kyoto! Take care and thanks. m
Your blog is most impressive – the pictures are great. I am hugely into food as well..
thanks for visiting razarumi.com..I have added your link to my blogroll.
Great work Shaymapa. . . I especially like the photographs.
Oh, I’m so glad you left a comment on my blog, because it led me to yours — and I absolutely love it! This is in my bookmarks now; I look forward to reading more.
Dearest Sham. Read your blog & felt real proud of having such a talented niece.Hope to try some of your mouth watering recipes whenever i happen to visit u. I hope u have got the Aash & Kichri Krut recipes if not it will be sent. Best wishes. Tarik
Hi
I came acroos your blog and was intrigued.Im new to blogging started mainly as a result of my sis moving abroad,missing her and initially as a way of keeping in touch.
http://thepublandlady.blogspot.com/
Your writing has an evocative and almost hypnotic feel,and am loving the recipes,definitely going to try some.Very different to any other foodie blog will be a regular visitor.
Best wishes
Karen
Mmmmmmm – niiiiiiice! Gotta try some of these recipes, Shayma!
Dear, dear Shayma. Great site, great recipes, and lovely you!
I am proud of you.
Anna
Hi Shayma,
Is it possible to include a recipe index on your site. I know you had a scrumptious daal recipe, but I can’t find it!
Thanks!