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 am was invited to speak at TEDxWaterloo on March 27, 2013 – you can read more about me here. The video should be up by end-April.
I write a blog inspired by my heritage. I am a published food writer and photographer. For my published work, see here.
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. but am currently blissfully on maternity leave.
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 four years ago.
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.
Hi Shayma,
Its nice to meet another pakistani on food blogs.
I love to find out pakistani food blogger & keep in touch. thanks for visiting my site and leaving nice comments but i must say that your site and pictures are very impressive. I am also from Lahore and missing alot.
Hello Shayma!
I love your blog and photography! It is very stylish and has some great recipes. I don’t cook but my partner does, and he told me the other day that he wants to try making your cardamon almond cake. It looks delicious. We are a big fan of different spices and loved the name of your blog. I have included you in my blogroll since I love what you are doing.
Shukriya!
An avid fan (Altar Boy from altarmylife)
Hi Shayma – Great blog! I’m trying to track down a copy/podcast/transcript of the CBC R1 Here & Now segment about Ramadan on which you were featured last week but can’t find it anywhere. I was wondering if you knew where to find one?
Thanks Shayma,
All the best
Hi! Just found your blog and wanted to drop a note. I really like your about me, I can relate to the part about “andaaza.” I’m from India and every recipe I get from my mom is based on andaaza, no measurements!
But like you I want to document all the recipes I can. Looking forward to dropping by again soon. Take care
Hi Shayma – Great blog!
Nice to meet you Shayma, lovely blog, and interesting stories. Will go through your blog and posts again. Hopefully life will soon take us to Canada, so… Take care
Wonderful! This is probably the most readable blog i’ve surfed in the last couple of months, thanx to my sister *malala* who sent me the link. We talked on the phone for one hour yesterday and she told me about a couple of receipes she tried and went on and on about your blog. she said *its a good read* and i agree:) With a busy job routine, I enjoy cooking to help me unwind.Looking forward to trying new receipes:)
Love the recipes…!!! I needed something authentic for a dinner party i’m throwing next weekend and your blog appeared just at the right time!!!
Shayma
Great site. I am a well traveled Chef in the USA. and recently a regular guest has been asking for some Afghani style specials, which I will be more than happy to oblige. Glad I found your blog, check out mine if you have time and hope to exchange ideas sometime.
Havent really cooked anything in my life, but your blog certainly tempts one to try it out. Since I cant comment much on the recipes, I would at least like to appreciate the quality of photography on your blog. Perhaps one thing which helps is the fantastic f1/4 50mm lens. If you were not a canon fan, I would have advised you to look into Nikon as well (along with the exceptional 14-24 f2.8) but then since you are already getting fantastic results why even bother..
Hi Shayma,
I hope this message finds you well. My name is Morgan Passi and I’m a producer for CBC Radio’s Metro Morning. We’re looking to do something on the Canadian Food Blog Awards, and so I’m trying to speak with a few of our local finalists. Any chance you’d be available to chat today or tomorrow… and potentially set up an interview on Friday?
Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Morgan
Got to know about your blog through twitter. Following you there now! I spent the last 20 mins going through various posts on your blog and absolutely loved each and every one of them! I already have a list of things from your blog that I want to make
PS: Awesome pics too!
hello!
Nice and well written blog.
I am enjoying your blog Mashallah!good work
hi Shayma,
(even though i am a strict vegetarian!) and i must say that the pics make the posts pretty, kind of like a gift which is beautifully wrapped.
i came across this website while googling for a kathi roll….and then i just could not stop and scrolled thru each post
on a final note, i live in kenya, was born here and have been here since. So this connection (though small) made me comment on your blog.
best regards,
Simmi
Awesome stuff you got here! I found this site as an external link while I was browsing the ‘Afghan cuisine’ article on Wikipedia…I must say a lot of this food is tempting!
Just found your blog through twitter Shayma…and so happy I did, it is wonderfully readable as well as easy to relate to on so many levels…a sense of connectivity with what you write is the best part…thank you.
I started blogging a short time back…at my son’s insistence who is a great entrepreneurial blogger..and am enjoying it thoroughly! I Look forward to going through all your blogs…
Best wishes,
Shama
You’re so pretty! Love your blog, and guess what? I’m your namesake
Great site
Hi,
It’s been (almost) three hours that I discovered this blog.I don’t remember how I stumbled upon here or what I was looking for, but at this point, I simply do not care. It is fantastic! Recipes of yummy-sounding (and looking) recipes? Perhaps – But admittedly, big part of this is Nostalgia , particularly the domestic dialogue I’ve repeatedly heard about ‘andaaza’ between my mum and sisters growing up in Karachi. Having brought up with four sisters, there was no practical reason to learn to cook until I found myself doing residency in U.S. Long story short, still being sort of a novice at cooking, I am always looking for useful resources like this blog. Most immediately, I want to thank you for a useful addition to my desi-cooking equipment jargon i-e ‘Muslin Cloth’. Now I know what my mum used to keep the spices together while making Yukhni!
Hi Shayma! What lovely writing! I also happened to stumble upon your blog and reading it brings back many wonderful memories of trips taken to visit family in Pakistan, as well as European jaunts that my husband and I have taken. Funny how all of my trips have some connection to food; something new we tried, or a long lost flavor revisited, maybe even an aroma which brought to mind other trips. I’ll be visiting Pakistan soon, hopefully just in time for mango season which I am drooling just thinking about
Just goes to show how food is such an indelible part of who we are. Thanks again.
I would be so interested in learning about your culture through food. I wish there wasn’t so much turmoil happening between our countries. A culture like yours seems so rich with history and tradition. Food is a wonderful way of educating all of us to appreciate the humanity that we all share.
from where should i get ur recipes shayma will you help me?
@Sana The recipes are at the end of each post. Click on the title of the post, then scroll all the way down. All best, shayma
Dear Shayma,
I’m glad to stumble upon your palatable blog, which is interveined with sweet notes of nostalgia. Everything from its pages looks and sounds delicious.
In addition, I find it interesting to learn about the culture of your people (my own name derived from this culture, I believe).
I’ll be coming back to quench my inquisitive appetite with your tasteful words and images, and perhaps trying your recipes, too!
Sweetest wishes,
Sharizat
As cheesy as this may be, I believe this could be the ideal union. We could spend our lives in greatness, you taking photos, me eating the subject of your photos
– Nice blog btw :p
Dear Shyma,
great blog, inspirational recipes. Wishing you all the best. Please keep up the good work.
Love, Light & Blessings
Nadia
hi there
you are so beautiful and whenn= a lady complements a lady it means you shud be on the top of the world. hehhe just kidding really ur recipes are also beautiful as you take care bye
I loved your blog and your profile. Your recipes are very nostalgic… and that would make me keep coming back here again and again.
Keep writing.
Randomly came across your blog and absolutely love it! Thanks for inspiring other Pakistani girls to cook like our mothers, aunts and grandmothers =)
Absolutely beautiful blog!
Just came across your beautiful blog. I love the photography and recipes. Lovely x
What a beautiful site! Thank you so much!
The site is amazing and the food is made even more appealing by the beautiful anecdotes which complements the food and transports us to the time and place it happened
Shayma,
Thank you soooooo much for creating this blog. I cannot express enough to you how much it has helped me as i am newly married and never cooked before getting married! I was searching for cooking blogs and your blog captured my interest immediately.
I followed your recipe and made Yakhni today, it turned out amazing. I have to ask you, is it okay to request recipes? If so, can you please post a recipe for Achari Chicken
Keep up the great recipes
I am such a big fan of food and thus your blog! It’s very well written with the exact right amount of information…congrats on such a lovely blog and all the success you have achieved. I’m contacting you because, like you, i am a foodie and love to write, so i started my own magazine in Lahore by the name of falvor (www.flavor.pk). It focuses on dining out and entertainment in Lahore…would love to feauture your writings in our magazine (with full credit to you) please take a look and let me know, even if it isn’t your cup of tea, i would really appreciate your feedback…p.s. great article on prawns…
@Bia Thank you so much for your kind words. Yes, please do request recipes; though I don’t know how to make achari chicken. So sorry about that. If you have any other requests, please let me know, and if I or someone in my family knows how to make it I would most gladly oblige you with a post on it.
Hey Shayma,
Love the about me. I can really relate to the “andaazan” cooking style.For years I’ve been learning to cook the same way. I’m also a Pakistani living in Toronto for the last couple of years. I was forced to learn to cook the hard way as well: the trial and error way. Listening to my aunts and mother irritably scream approximate amounts over the phone.
Its a pleasure reading the nostalgic moments alongside my favorite subject too:)
Shyama
you blog is just spectacular and i love how you present traditional dishes with chic. looking forward to usin your ideas, very inspiring.
I just found your blog and am SO excited to try any/all of your recipes. The photos are beautiful and I love the idea of food defying borders! Please keep blogging
Hi Shayma! I have been following your blog for a while now and each post stirs up my desire to eat and hopefully try my hand at cooking!
Your latest post (8 April 2012) hit home and took me back. I too went to hillcrest not too long ago, and long gone are the days of order with prefects handing out the desired biscuits!
Your recipes are more than recipes…they have a story that allows the reader to fully understand and appreciate your ideas-which is what good food is really all about… A story that has a very happy and full ending.
Best Wishes
Aslaam u alaikum sister
Nice work…I was wondering if would like to come up with eggless recipe.My daughter its allergic to eggs and peanuts.
Hello Shayma! I just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know how much I love your blog! Your photography is beautiful, makes me want to eat everything you make! I am planning on making your Red Pepper Chutney this weekend and will make sure I leave a comment letting you know how it goes!
Your blog seems to have a lot of heart and is very personal to you, which is wonderful and welcoming to myself and your other readers I am sure. Thank you for sharing so much of who you are with us!
Your fan, Ashley
Just saw your post at indian simmer and loved it. You have a beautiful blog. Nice to meet you.
Hi Just read one of your blog and it was so nostalgic.Bring back such great memories of pakistan and Ammi’s food. Would definitely try some of your recipes. Great writing!
Thanks
Dear Sir,
I have been following your blog for a while. I can say without hesitation that you have done some remarkable work and put a great and informative content on it. Moreover, I have noticed that you are accepting guest posts as well, so I thought of contributing my ideas to your blog. I have done a comprehensive research on the topics that are related to your blog and can offer you a piece of them.
It will not only attract more visitors but also help them get the informative stuff on the subject. Please let me know if you can accept my blog post. I assure you that the content will be informative, relevant, unique, and will provide help to the blog visitors. Furthermore, being a professional writer, I know the ethics of guest posting, and assure you of following Google guidelines in that matter.
With Regards,
Sanjay Agarwal
Hi Shayma,
it is a pleasure to meet you through your blog. A friend of mine has given me your blog address, and I am glad she did. Looking forward to learn more about your culture, traditions through food!
Yulia
Hey Shayma,
I’m glad to stumble upon your lovely blog,I loved reading about you and few of your recipes.To many of your posts I can actually relate to our lifestyle and cooking. Looking forward to learn more from your space.
Lovely and informative blog.. something i was looking for.. keep posting.. god bless u .
Hi Shayma,
Loved your blog and the pictures too! They are very inspiring, and mashallah you are very beautiful too! I too am a food blogger, just like you:) Do check out my blog http://www.myepicureanmeals.com
Good luck and enjoy:)
Hi Shayma,
I love your blog and it gives me inspiration as a foodie blogger myself. I’m from Singapore, full time dad, husband, and part time ‘chef’ at home. I especially love spicy food, hot curries and tom yam soup!
My wife and I share our dinner ideas for the family. It’s a taste of Singapore that I hope you and your readers here will enjoy.
PS – Your chicken karahi recipe is on my must-try list!
Thank you for giving us a piece of Afghan, Pakistan and Iran to bring to our home.
Best,
Glen