Category Archives: Uncategorized

Bread Pakora

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Bread pakora is very famous in Punjab, India. I ate it first time at Keysborough Gurudwara Sahib and the idea seemed fantastic to me. It is actually battered fried potato sandwich and tastes great with mint sauce. Try this and let me know how you go with it 🙂

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

FOR BATTER

  • 2 cups gram flour
  • ½ tspn baking powder
  • Some cold water for medium thick batter
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbspn crushed red chilli dry
  • ½ tspn turmeric powder
  • 2 tbspns cracked coriander seeds
  • 1 tbspn green chilli paste (fresh)
  • 1 tspn cumin seeds
  • 1 tbspn pomegranate seeds (crushed)
  • 3 tbspns chopped fresh coriander

FOR PAKORA

  • 6 white bread slices
  • Oil for deep frying

FOR FILLING

  • 2 boiled potatoes
  • Salt and red chilli powder to taste
  • ½ tspn turmeric
  • 1 tbspns crushed green chillies
  • 3 tbpns chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tbspn chopped fresh mint leaves
  • ½ tspn aamchur powder
  • ½ tspn chaat masala
  • ½ tspn garam masala
  • 1 tspn cracked coriander seeds

Method

  • Combine all the ingredients given for batter except water and mix. Now gradually add water, whisking at the same time to get the right consistency of the batter. It should not be too thick or too runny. The consistency of the batter should be good enough to coat the bread sandwich.
  • Keep aside for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for filling and mash.
  • Take one slice of bread and spread 2 tbspns of potato mixture onto it and cover it with the other bread slice. Cut into 8 triangles. Do the same with other bread slices and make 24 mini triangles.
  • Meanwhile heat oil to 190 degrees Celsius or hot enough that you put the batter in and it floats to the surface of the oil, bubbling within 10 seconds.
  • Now dip and coat each triangle into batter and fry until its crisp and brown on the outside. Take them out onto your serving platter and sprinkle some chaat masala (optional).
  • Serve hot with mint chutney or just as it is. They taste great.

Bengan Pakora (Eggplant/ Brinjal Fritters)

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Bengan pakora is my favorite pakora. I like my mixed veggie pakoras too but bengan pakora has a special place in my heart. The bland yet unique taste of eggplant and crispy spicy gram flour batter makes it unique and out of this world recipe. This is my version and I love my version 😀

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

FOR BATTER

  • 2 cups gram flour
  • ½ tspn baking powder
  • Some cold water for medium thick batter
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbspn crushed red chilli dry
  • ½ tspn turmeric powder
  • 2 tbspns cracked coriander seeds
  • 1 tbspn green chilli paste (fresh)
  • 1 tspn cumin seeds
  • 1 tbspn pomegranate seeds (crushed)
  • 3 tbspns chopped fresh coriander

FOR PAKORA

  • Some chaat masala
  • Oil for deep frying
  • 2 brinjals/ eggplants/ bengan/ bataoon cut into medium thick slices

Method

  • Combine all the ingredients given for batter except water and mix. Now gradually add water, whisking at the same time to get the right consistency of the batter. It should not be too thick or too runny. The consistency of the batter should be good enough to coat the veggie.
  • Keep aside for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile heat oil to 190 degrees Celsius or hot enough that you put the batter in and it floats to the surface of the oil, bubbling within 10 seconds.
  • Now dip and coat the brinjal slices into batter and fry until its crisp and brown on the outside. Take them out onto your serving platter and sprinkle some chaat masala (optional).
  • Serve hot with mint chutney or just as it is. They taste great.

Potato Cutlets with Baby Spinach & Mushrooms

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Ideal for tea parties, lunch box, snacks or just breakfast…. ❤

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 4 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tspn chicken salt
  • 1 tbspn red chilli flakes
  • ¼ tspn mustard powder
  • 1 tspn cracked black pepper
  • 2 green chillies (chopped)
  • 4 spring onions (chopped) (green part)
  • 200 gms baby spinach (chopped)
  • ½ kg mushrooms (chopped)

FOR COATING

  • 2 eggs + 2 tbspns milk (whisked)
  • 2 cups bread crumbs + chicken salt + italian herbs + 2 tbspns grated parmesan cheese
  • Oil for shallow frying

Procedure:

  • Season potatoes with all the spices and salt and mash. Add everything else except mushrooms.
  • Saute mushrooms in 1 tbspn butter until it looks brown.
  • Add sautéed mushrooms to potato mixture and mix.
  • Make round flat patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Heat oil.
  • Dip cutlets in egg mixture and then roll in crumbs and fry until the patties are golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with ketchup, pesto or aioli.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

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I am not a big fan of mayonnaise based salad but this one is my favorite, I add a little amount of mayo and more sour cream which makes it lite and delicious. I made it today and everyone on the table loved it. The best thing about this salad is it can be used as salad or as a filling to your baguette or bagel or any bread. So try this salad and let me know how you go with it 🙂

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Ingredients:

  • 1 apple, diced
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup diced crimson grapes
  • 1 cup pan roasted chopped walnuts/ pecans
  • 1 chicken breast, boiled and diced
  • 2 tspns mayo
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

  • Wash and cut all the fruits as instructed. Boil the chicken and dice it after cooling it.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine may and sour cream and season with some salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken and all the fruits and nuts and mix well.
  • Serve on your favorite salad platter or use it as a filling for your sandwich.

Shaami Burger Platter

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Shaami burger is one of the famous street foods in Pakistan. No McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, Burger King, Wendy’s or Hardees burger can be compared to this legacy. It is everyone’s favorite and very easy to make at home. I know, we people, who live abroad miss this badly, so here is the recipe for you all to enjoy at home 1000s of miles away from home ❤

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

FOR BURGERS

  • 4 hot dog buns
  • 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
  • 1 red onion thinly sliced
  • Ketchup as required
  • Some softened butter
  • 8 shaami kebabs (chicken/ beef)
  • 4 eggs (made into 4 thin omelettes)
  • Some French fries to serve

COLESLAW

  • 2 cups thinly sliced capsicum
  • ½ cup cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ tspn icing sugar

Procedure:

  • Mix everything given for coleslaw and refrigerate until serving.
  • Make omelettes and fry shaami kebabs.
  • Cut the hot dog bun and apply some butter to both the inner side. Toast on griddle.
  • Place two shami kebab on the lower part of the bun and smash them, top with some cabbage, onion, ketchup and omelette. Then close it with the top part of the bun.
  • Do the same with other three buns.
  • Serve hot with fresh, hot chips and coleslaw.

Beef Shaami Kabab

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Shaami Kebab is very famous in Pakistani home cooking and part of almost all traditional family dinner. They really compliment the rice dishes like pulao or biryani and everyone love these babies. This is my recipe, brought to you after testing many recipes and variations. This is the finest and the best one. So next time, make it for your friends and family and tell them about Ayesha’s Kitchen 🙂

Ayesha’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo beef topside chunk
  • 2 cups channa daal (soaked overnight)
  • 2 onions cut into half
  • 8 small green chillies
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbspn freshly crushed ginger
  • 2 tbspns coriander seeds
  • 4 dried chillies
  • 2 beef stock cubes
  • Salt
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tbspn cumin
  • 1 large cardamom
  • 2 small cardamoms
  • A piece of cinnamon
  • 3 cups water

EXTRAS

  • A bunch of coriander, finely chopped
  • 4 green chillies, finely chopped
  • Some mint, finely chopped (OPTIONAL)
  • ½ cup lemon juice

FOR FRYING

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups oil for shallow frying

Method

  • Combine all the ingredients in a pressure cooker or a cooking pan and cook with a lid on top until everything is tender. For pressure cooker, 1 hour and normal cooking time is 2 hours.
  • Take off the lid and allow it to cool. Don’t worry if it is a bit runny, that will make the kebabs moist. Pulse grind in food processor and take out the mixture in a mixing bowl. Add all the extras and mix.
  • Make flat patties with thickness of 1.5 cm and diameter of 7 cm. Approx.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hr.
  • Heat oil for shallow frying. Dip the kebabs in egg wash and fry until golden brown and crispy.
  • Serve hot with ketchup or mint sauce.

You can freeze them for 1 month.