Turkish Delicacies

It's been quiet some time since a new post went up here. Anyway, in the beginning of the year I decided to write for a teen magazine called "Muslimah Girls Magazine". I took up the job of contributing recipes to the mag, hoping that atleast this way I will try out new recipes and learn to cook! :P

It so happened that the first edition I was supposed to contribute to, the mag started a world tour theme, where each edition will be based on a country. So the first country we started with was Turkey, and since I took the responsibility of giving in recipes, I was expected to contribute Turkish recipe. Now, I being an extremely amateur cook, it's more than sufficient if I learn to cook "ghar-ka-khana" but now I was in this place where I had  to submit "Turkish" recipe. After much thought, I then realised that this would be a good way to learn some foreign cuisine right.. so I should go for it! ;) well atleast I would learn a dish or two?

DIY - Make a re-usable 'to-do list'

Assalamualaikum (Peace be upon you) :)

I wanted to make a list of things that I need to do. But I didn't want to use a book cause it would be hard for it to be a reminder. So I thought I'll buy myself the post-it notes instead. I was still thinking about it when this idea struck my mind of making a personalized list for my weekly things to do which is re-usable (in the sense that I could erase it and use the same one to write a new list for the next week) and I just couldn't get it out of my mind until I made this! And thus I got to work and didn't not stop until I was done :D Check it out!

Here is how I made this -

Canvas Painting

I have always loved to paint.. but never really got a chance to learn the art! I remember once I tried and painted some really messy painting, this was about 3 years back. After that I never tried! :D

Off-late I came across some lovely Islamic canvas paintings with Islamic calligraphy on them, which renewed my desire to paint again. I decided I wanted to paint the verse "Allah is sufficient for me" in Arabic and put it up on my lonely wall in my room! :D I thought it would serve as a great reminder for me!

I then decided I should start with something smaller first, so I started jotting ideas to paint "Ar-Rahman", a name of Allah, which means "The most-Merciful"!

I first practised how to write this in arabic on a plain sheet of paper and got it corrected from my arabic teacher. I got myself a canvas and  started to paint!

Frankly, it turned out very random because I had no clear picture in mind of what colour i was going to use. I just knew I wanted to match my room.. So I mixed white and yellow with intention of getting somewhat an off-white colour, but after I finished painting it looked more on the greener side! Next, I ended up writing "Allah" instead of what I had intended to..!

Here's a peek into how it turned out..

Completed background! Now the flower was not intended to be that way .. but well it turned out so! And I also did some spray painting with green color! :P

This is after I had completed!

After this I also did an outline in gold glitter pen.. which was a bad idea, cause even though it looked better, it wouldn't dry, so it spread here and there!

Anyway, I can't say I was 100% satisfied with my work.. but alhumdulillah for however it turned out!

InshaAllah, next time (if I do it again :P) I'll know what NOT to do! ;)

Growing Up!

image credit

As kids I remember playing "Home sweet Home" games. I'm sure this is a game most of the girls have played during their childhood. It's where one of us becomes a mummy and another friend the kid and where we send the kid to school after preparing breakfast and packing lunch for them in our own "kitchen" with the teeny-tiny vessels. Hah! :D  Infact at times the "Kitchen-kitchen" was a seperate game in itself! :P We had a tiny stove with its own tiny gas cylinder, pans, vessels, containers, spoons, plates and not to forget the lovely little tea sets! :) Ever upgrading the collection with something more better, I remember in particular a set also contained it's own fridge and microwave oven, which if I'm not wrong I had made a fuss about for days because my mom wouldn't buy me that! Heheh!

This one particular time I remember playing with my cousins on the terrace, where we had a 'tea-party' and we drank pepsi in those tiny cup-saucers pretending it was tea! Lol! :D

Those where the lovely days of childhood. A golden period of life. Back then we wished to grow-up, so we could do things without being stopped like all the elders do! If only we knew what it takes to actually be a grown-up!

Today, all the pretty little girls I grew up playing with, have grown up - some are already mummies to adorable baby boys, some are managing their real-homes and a few others are preparing for that big phase!

Every time I hear the news of some of my childhood friend getting married, my mind sends in an automatic message reminding me of how my marriage could also be just round the corner, inshaAllah but that thought brings with itself feeling of nostalgia too!

The thought that daddy's little princess is now grown up and soon has to move out of his love and care to a whole new family and house is a reason enough to bring a gulp in my throat! Makes me question .. "Papa main choti thi... badi ho gayi kyun?"

Aaloo Paratha :)

I love aloo ka paratha n always used 2 ask my north indian frnds ( Rashmi n Nirali) durin my bain skool days 2 bring loads f aloo parathas for me :) n al f a sudden 1 fine aftrnoon my tongue craved for it again n i started askin mum n few other frnds on hw 2 make d best aloo parathas as 2 make my parathas Finger lickin yummmyyyyyyyy :D n i started it by collectin al ingredients n my mum in law helped me too in makin my dish delicious :) Alhamdulillah it came out reallyy well n evry1 enjoyed havin it :) so here goes d receipee :)

For d Dough - > (Serves 4 - 5 ) -> depends on hw much s been eaten per person ;)

4 cups - All-purpose flour (Maida)

1 cup - Regular Whole wheat flour (Ata)

1 tsp - Salt

1/2 cup Milk

1/2 cup Oil

Crumble everything together and use luke warm water to knead a bit harder than normal dough.

Leave it covered on the counter for at least an hour.

Chocolate-chip muffins

Chocolate-chip muffins: (Makes 12)

Pre-heat oven to 180 C (375 F)

Muffin tray

Muffin liners(12 cups)

2 bowls (for wet and dry ingredients)

Measuring cup

Dry ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (230 g) - All purpose (white) flour

1 1/4 cups (265 g) - Brown sugar

2/3 cup (60 g) - Cocoa powder(Unsweetened)

1 tsp - Baking powder

1 tsp - Baking soda

1/2 tsp - Salt

1 cup - Choc-chips(Add them in a little flour.. this helps the choco-chips to spread evenly in the batter)

Add everything in a bowl in the same order and whisk together or mix with your hands.There should be no lumps formed.

Wet ingredients:

Mince masala

Boredom striked again. So this time I took Fara's and entered kitchen. The dinner was not yet cooked, so I learnt to cook plain rice (finally! :D) and minced meat curry!

Before I forget how I cooked it, I thought it would be sensible to save the recipe here for the "mince masala"! :) (Naming credit goes to Fara :P)


INGREDIENTS:

Minced meat - 500 g
Onion - 500 g medium diced
Tomato - 3 medium size and diced
Green chilli - 3
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Corionder - finely chopped
Red chilli powder
Salt - to taste
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Oil- 3-4 tbsp

PROCEDURE: