Ingredients Method

Those of you with South Asian heritage, may have enjoyed different kinds of nihari.  Beef, lamb, nali (marrow) nihari, nihari with brain etc., but recently I have come across another take on nihari, our Sussex family makes chicken nihari, its healthier and still tastes like the real McCoy!  This recipe

There is always a personal, regional or cultural take on most recipes and Pakora Kadhi is no exception to that. Yo may well be familiar with this gram flour and yoghurt based sour stew, with deep fried pakoras/fritters dunked in, served over rice or with chapattis/naan. In Muslim households where

There are just so many karahi recipes around, some are really good, some are average and some just don’t meet the criteria of good karahis. A true karahi is one that doesn’t use onions in the recipe and doesn’t have lashings of gravy. When chicken and lamb dishes include onions,

It is difficult to introduce a dish that has been around for years and years and years, comes with some challenges and has traditionally been cooked overnight on very low heat. It’s one that is either hated or loved and even those that enjoy the sticky fingers and the slurping

The Afghan people have brought a lot of different types of karahis to our table, this white chicken/lamb karahi is trending all over YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. It is one of the ‘simpler’ recipes on this website as it doesn’t have too many steps. I have made this version for

The Shinwaris, are a nomadic Afghan people and those that have moved to Pakistan have succeeded in establishing themselves via their food. As with any new migrants, familiar food provides much comfort, so the Afghans have opened up small ‘dhabas; (roadside restaurants) on major trunk roads and in some of

Many years ago, we were frequent visitors at Madhu’s Brilliant restaurant, Southall, UK.  Uncle Madhu (Maha) was originally from Kenya so he knew our palate well, and we loved that he offered Asian Kenyan cuisine, with the likes of mogo (cassava), passion juice, bhajias, methi chicken, butter chicken and zeera

What can I say to introduce this dish? It is almost the most ordered dish in Chinese restaurants worldwide and every chef has their own take on it. It is as it says, sweet using sugar or honey and sour using vinegar or lime/lemon. I learnt this recipe in Pakistan

As many of you will know, there are many different types of curries. Bhuna has very little gravy, rus misah (Punjabi) has a medium amount of gravy and then there is the thin shora (Punjabi), shorba (Urdu), not to be confused with shurba, an arabic stew made with meat and

This is one of Marion Grasby’s recipes, her videos and explanations are just so mouth-watering and she is one of the few chefs I follow on Instagram. Check for the full step by step video on her website. Some of you have said its easier for you to follow the

Sarson ka saag, also known as kotwaan saag is a pure vegetarian dish and is made in Punjabi homes with much love and effort and then shared amongst family and friends. Making it from scratch is a long process, hence, I never made it! Luckily a friend from Leeds UK,

Keema or mince is just meat that has been finely chopped or put through a mincer and can be from cow/goat/sheep or even chicken. It is easy to cook and every bite you eat has meat in it! My uncle in Kenya had his own twist on mince/keema karahi and

Some will call this the ‘king’ of dhals some the ‘queen’ as it was a favourite of the Moghuls and is still the dhal of choice at formal dinners. It is a pulse that comes in a black coating on the outside, and has a white interior when split and

Each of my recipes has a story of where and how I came across it and this one is no different! Our friends invited us for lunch at Gilanis Restaurant during our recent trip to Nakuru, Kenya where I went to school and you guessed it, served us loads of

A Greek/Arab/Turkish dish made all over the world to differing ingredients. This recipe is my mum’s and she frequently made it for us upon request during our growing years in Kenya, and when I eat this it still conjures up a warm loving family feeling. This recipe has a desi

Pilao/Pilaf/Pilaff you spell it how you like! This is a dish of rice and meat, it is milder than a biryani, but with an unusualy aroma of spices.  Pilaos are made all over the world with chicken, lamb, beef or even vegetables.  I believe the first written recipe was by

So finally mooching around on Facebook has paid off! I saw this recipe lurking on someone’s post and it looked so simple.  On impulse, I made it with trepidation for my family who are quite fond of Italian food and some class themselves as Pizza Express experts – like that’s Italian! 

Tawa – is a griddle/frying pan/flat piece of metal with very low walls, sometimes convex, it is usually made of iron sheet or cast iron, but also comes in steel, aluminium and with non-stick coatings.  It is widely used in the East for making naans or chappatis. There are two

Nihari was a dish created for kings, nawabs and emperors but also served in huge vats to the workers in eras gone by. Rich in meat content, light on spices but very satisfying.  My first encounter was via our friend Mrs Ghauri, she sent a bowlfull for us to enjoy

Those of us living in the UK have seen many an influx of different races and creeds, each bringing into Britain their very own personal cuisine, always tried and tested by locals.  At present the Afghanis are making in-roads into the local restaurant scene with their very own specialities, some

For this recipe you will either already be used to and enjoy eating  cooked bitter sweet fenugreek leaves or you will need to acquire a taste for it. Bear in mind that the very strong distinctive aroma of fenugreek will remain with you for 24 hours! It’s made very frequently

Again, this is one of the lovely Chinese with a Pakistani touch, ever popular in Pakistani restaurants and easily re-created in the home. Ingredients Stage 1 Stage 2 Method Stage 1 Stage 2

If I say this is the most favourite, very favourite, the favourite dish of my family you will get the correct idea about the popularity of this dish. Again I learnt this in a very innovative tutor’s kitchen in Lahore, we helped with chopping and preparing, she showed us the

We have been making Kofta (Meatball) curries from the time of the Mughal empire in India, recipes have been evolving over time and there is always a new one around the corner!  My mum is always looking up unique recipes, she found this unusual kofta curry recipe in a magazine and made

Bhun is a Pakistani cooking technique in which ingredients are fried until the oils separates.  Onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and spices are fried in hot oil, until they have formed a paste. It is different from a curry as it is not as runny/liquidy. Hence, it cannot be eat with rice,

My son went on a holiday to Sri Lanka and couldn’t stop raving about this very frequently served dish in hotels and small establishments.  I remember it from my visit to Sri Lanka where it was cooked by the chef at Sigiri Rock Villa an eco friendly hotel which was a

This dish is synonymous with Mombasa – Kenya, it is cooked in many homes by many women and sometimes men, but as with all popular dishes the recipe changes to accommodate differing palates, this is an authentic recipe from my friend who lives in Mombasa and makes my favourite form

This is an unusual pasta dish with a Pakistani connotation, it can be eaten hot or cold, and is a very suitable and popular item at a high tea or dinner party.  The fresh fragrant green coriander gives it that deeper more startling flavour which keeps people returning for more

This is a dish with a mix of tastes, I would describe it as Chinese leaning towards the Pakistani palate.  It is quite ‘hot’ in chillies, so feel free to reduce or omit the chillies to your taste. My lovely niece in Dublin, California made this and her plating is

My lunchtimes just turned interesting! Ok here is my first ever video production with a recipe – following the successful productions of weddings this summer, i put my best camera smile on! my choice was to have a voice only video without my ageing surat, but the videographer didnt agree,

My grandma from Narowal – Pakistan used to make this really tasty potato dish.  We have made it many times over in other cities in Pakistan, Kenya and now in the UK.  The outcome depends on the type of potatoes used, for e.g Meru potatoes work best in Kenya, New potatoes