Food story.

Chaat Masala

The origins of chaat masala are somewhat mysterious. A popular (though unproven) story claims it was created in the 17th century by the kitchen staff and hakeems (naturopaths) of the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan, when he was sick and could eat only smaller, lighter fare. Hence chaat masala was sprinkled to add flavor to his light meals but it also fennel seeds, which were used for stomach issues.

How to use it

Chaat masala is a tangy spice blend originating from South Asia to add flavor to chaat. People use it on fruit salads, aka fruit chaat, which is made of tangerines, apples, pomegranate, bananas with a squeeze of lime or lemon.

Chaat masala is also sprinkled on potato wedges, fries, fried fish, roast, ribs. My favorite would be hands down chilled cucumber spears with chaat masala.  

Biryani

Biryani is a savory rice dish that includes layers of chicken, goat, beef, and rice steamed in layers with a blend of spices and potatoes. Biryani has its origins in Persian cooking: the word `birian' (in Persian) means “fried before cooking.” The Mughal queen Noor Jahan herself is credited to the invention of Biryani. Emperors of India savored this delicious rice concoction during their royal feasts. To this day, they are known for adding spices to everything and introducing biryani to the world as a perfect blend of flavor to complement fluffy basmati rice. 

This recipe is one of my mama’s best!  Walking in the door and smelling the aroma of biryani brings back weekends from my childhood.  

Nehari

Nehari was developed in Old Delhi, India, during the reign of the Mughal Empire. The word “Nehar” originated from the word “Nahar,” which means “morning.” It was originally eaten by the royal family as breakfast. 

Nehari is a stew of slow-cooked meat, mainly shank meat of beef or chicken, along with bone marrow. Complement its strong, aromatic spices and beautifully tender meat with a squeeze of sour lemon and some, bright, leafy cilantro, and try not to eat it all in one day! (People often say it tastes even better the next day.)

If I had a last supper, it would be Nihari.

Karachi Fish Fry

Enter any food street in Karachi and the aroma of fried fish emanating from different fish stalls is bound to make you salivate. Although hundreds of people swarm Karachi's various fish stalls every day to treat themselves to finger fish, little do they know that the delicious meat that they are consuming comes from sharks.

Strips of fish coated in a batter made of gram flour and some authentic South Asian spices and then deep-fried in hot oil until crunchy. This recipe will give you fish that is light and crispy from the outside, and flavorful and spicy from the inside. As soon as this fish is out of the oil, it is sprinkled with chaat masala (a tangy South Asian spice mix) to spruce it up. The fish can be served alongside any kind of Pakistani chutney. But I highly recommend pairing it with Mint Tamarind Chutney.

Usually, Karachi Fried Fish is enjoyed as an appetizer but you can have it as a main course by combining it with some Pakistani Tandoori Naan (Fluffy Flatbread).

Lamb Roast’s story

When we say sheep have been with us for a long time, we mean a long time. The origin of the domesticated sheep goes back to 11,000 BC in Mesopotamia and shares the distinction of being one of the first animals domesticated by mankind.

What Roast Leg of Lamb reminds us is that when we indulge in this wonderful dish, we’re sharing a meal that our ancestors have shared for thousands of years. Food is the ultimate connection between the past, present, and future.

You can pair your Lamb roast with side dishes such as roasted/mashed potatoes, grilled zucchini spears, carrots or Brussel sprouts, or my all-time favorite: beet salad!

OR

Go traditional and make a Yakhni Pulao (rice cooked in aromatic spices and Bone broth) with a side of a fresh green salad.