Foodie Review on Bombay Chowpatty

Bombay Chowpatty has been in town for a while. We heard a lot about it's amazingness but never had a chance to visit until recently when it opened a new branch in Z block DHA. We were quite prepared for the food to blow our minds, little did we know that it would literally do so. Yes, it was that spicy!

We were four people and we ordered one dish each. Firstly our order took a while to arrive. Secondly, despite having mentioned that we want the order to be brought all at once, the server kept bringing it one by one. The last dish was so late to arrive that half of us were already finished.However the manager was quite humble when we complained about this and promised to cater to this problem in future.

We ordered the following items

All of them looked extremely appetizing presentation wise. We couldn't wait to dig in. But upon tasting, not only everything was extremely spicy, it lacked any kind of flavor. Indian food generally is supposed to be spicy, but i am pretty sure one can sense the flavor within that spiciness. It needs to have that balance. Still apart from masala dosa, the rest were not too bad. Papri chat and bihari wrap was actually good and had a blend of flavors. But if we can get a better papri chat from a thelay wala or a wrap equally good from a place called "waqai bara shawarma" why would we want to visit someplace fancy? we were really looking forward to the Indian delicacies, but sorry to say they were a disappointment.

Price wise, the place was quite reasonable. 

Will we ever visit it again? Probably yes if we want that chat or pani puri just because everywhere else in the city is getting sealed up due to unhygienic conditions.

Our rating: 4/10

Foodies in matrimony

My husband is a great cook. And like all the best people (courtesy of julia child) he loves to eat almost as much as i do. Infact, food is one of the very few things we have in common. Yes, you read that right, very few! we are two people who couldnt be any different. Kind of proves you don't need to have alot in common to be in love. Anyway, ever since we got married we have been eating out atleast a couple times a month (hence the unexplained weight gain) and every time we do, we make it a point to try out a new restaurant. We have tried alot of restaurants in Lahore and a few in Islamabad and beleiveit or not, every time we used to visit a place, we used to rate the food we ordered on a scale of 1 to 10. His idea of romance would be to ask me how i rate my meal? Yes. And for some reason i would totally love it. Before we had kids this was quite a common practice. We even marked a few places as a "no - go" in our list because they were so terrible. So this other day we are driving back from monal, discussing the details of the overpriced and over rated meal we had at the Monal Tree House, we stumbled upon this idea of writing these reviews about all the places we visit in a blog. While i generously offered to incorporate it in this blog, we sort of never got around to doing it. What can we say, life is busy with two kids.

But then soon after we went to this new place in Islamabad which was the talk of the town and the experience we had there made us feel like we owe it to the Pakistani world of foodies out there to put these thoughts in words and hence today i launch this new page in my blog by the name of Foodie Reviews. Both me and my husband will be updating this depending upon the frequency of our visits. Looking forward to this joint venture and some comments from our readers sharing their experinces.

P is for Plain and Simple Pound Cake

Pound cake is usually the first thing you learn to make when you start baking. Also commonly known in Pakistan as "plain cake" this is the cake that is available at every nook and cranny of the city. This is also the same cake that our moms use to make when we were kids. I have to admit i haven't made a pound cake as much as i would have liked, probably because we always used to have it at our place. And need i say that my mom made it the best? Well she actually did, no favoritism. Hers is always moist and tender with a subtlety of vanilla. I never bothered asking her for her own recipe because i always thought it was the same everywhere, that is; a pound of everything. But today i learnt i was so wrong!

Z has not been eating properly lately. She would simply refuse all the "good things" i give her at mealtimes but gladly grabs a cookie or a cake crumb if someone else is having one. As much as i hate to let kids have dessert before mealtime, i have been desperate for her to eat at least something to her fill. So today i decided to bake something at home instead of letting her have the store bought crap, justifying myself that at least this way she will get some egg and butter in her tummy. I know it is not the best choice but hey, no judging, we all do desperate things as moms don't we? Anyway, so i decided to make a simple pound cake for her. When i went online to look up a good recipe, i was pretty amused to see that there were a lot of variations to it. I chose a Martha Stewart Recipe for this one. Here is how it goes.


INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not overmix).

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

This is how the cake turned out.

I loved the vanilla flavor in it. While adding two tsp of vanilla essence i thought it might turn out bitter, but it didn't. And it smelled great. But i think it was a little too dense. Maybe i was comparing it with mom's version which was always so moist and light. So next time i'm definitely calling up my mom and ask for her recipe. Saving this one for Z and my afternoon tea. 

A colorful new template and a brand new recipe

Life has been a little too busy with the twins. There are days when i can hardly get anything done and hence the absence from the blog world. Unless i wanna post about all the baby food i make and the struggle to make them eat it. No thanks, i'm not looking for a writers meltdown, been having enough of those already. 

One of my friends suggested to spend sometime with myself as a way out of  all these recent meltdowns i have been having. She is a fellow blogger and herself keeps up the activity to keep her sanity intact. Well here you go Fatee. Here's my attempt of trying to write again. I hope i keep up with it. 

Actually I have been wanting to change the blog template, put on something fresh before i post a new recipe. But after a lot of tweaking and my failed attempts to customize the one i really liked, i had to go with something simple and easy that is available at blogger.com. Another realization of the past few days that the techy in me has been long lost somewhere. A friend said on Facebook when i mentioned this; "And if you extend your maternity leave for more than nine months then all you remember is dirty diapers and your kids food time" So true. 

Anyway, A and Z will have their birthday in about a month. There are alot of things i have been planning for that, which would mean you all will get to see some new recipes. It may also be the starting point of the event planning part of Zoya's Bakeshop. I have a lot of ideas in line for that, but im just looking for the right time to launch it. Right now i feel like i already have a lot on my plate so hitting the pause button on execution of my plans. 

My grandmother brought a lot of Kirkland's almonds from her last trip to Canada. She is always complaining how we don't get the right kind over here. Even though i agree to disagree with my beloved nano on this, i gladly accepted a few handfuls and started thinking of all that i could bake with "free" almonds. On a serious note Kirkland's products are actually really good and are available at all the good supermarkets in Pakistan. Here is an Almond Biscotti recipe for now. I simply love how crunchy this Scottish biscuit can be. Perfect for a tea time snack. As for the leftover almonds stock, i'm gonna try Petit Fours very soon. Looking forward to that already. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (180 ml) whole almonds (blanched (skins off) or natural (skins on))

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

For Chocolate Dipped Biscotti: (optional)

6 ounces (180 grams) semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until very lightly brown and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs with the vanilla and almond extracts.

In a large bowl whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chopped almonds. Then add the egg mixture and stir until a dough forms. Divide the dough in half, and on a lightly floured surface roll each half into a 7 inch (18 cm) log that is about 3 - 4 inches (8 - 10 cm) wide. Transfer logs to the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch (log will spread during baking). Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer logs to a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut logs into slices about 1/4 - 1/2 inch (6-12 mm) thick on the diagonal. Place the slices of biscotti on the baking sheet and bake about 10-15 minutes, turn slices over, and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until firm to the touch. (The longer you bake the biscotti the more crisp and crunchy they will be.) Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container for several weeks.

For Chocolate Dipped Biscotti: Place 4 ounces (120 grams) of the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, remove from heat. Add the remaining chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until it has completely melted and is smooth and glossy. Taking one biscotti at a time, dip one end into the melted chocolate and place on a parchment or wax paper- lined baking sheet. Once all the biscotti have been dipped in the chocolate, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.

Makes about 40 biscotti.


Courtesy of joyofbaking.com

Quick and Easy Pancakes and Waffles

This is probably the easiest thing to make. Whenever someone comes over for breakfast, the first thing that comes to your mind is to serve them some eggs and pancakes. Or a younger sibling needs some cheering up, waffles and ice cream are ready in a jiffy. My sisters love them, my husband loves them, my in-laws love them, even i love them (minus the fattening part)

I use the same batter for both pancakes and waffles that is why i'm sharing them both in one post. However i would like to add that it takes a while to practice the perfect round and fluffy pancakes. As for the waffles, just whip up the batter and let your waffle iron do the rest. 

For the round part, just don't add milk all at once. Keep adding it bit by bit until you get the right consistency. It takes a little practice to know what is right for you to work with, It shouldn't be runny and should be pour-able. (or you can always use a cookie cutter to shape your pancakes in the pan)

Most of my life i had been making pancakes that were round but flat. I thought that is how they are supposed to be. Until i ate some at some very good restaurants and figured that they make their pancakes fluffier. So to achieve that i realized i'm adding very little quantity of baking powder. Secondly, let the batter sit for a while and then pour, it gives a better result speaking from experience. 

Here is my own recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Cup all Purpose Flour

2 Tsp Baking Powder

salt - a pinch

2 Tbsp Butter

1 egg

3/4 cup - 1 cup milk

Instructions:

Add the baking powder and salt to flour. Then add the butter to egg separately and mix in flour mixture and mix well. Add milk slowly and whisk till you get the right consistency. Pour the mixture in a non stick pan/waffle iron. It is best to use non stick so you don't have to grease it. Serve with maple syrup or any topping of your choice. Ice cream, whipped cream, fresh fruit and nutella can be some of the best options. 

Banana Bread- The answer to everything in my dictionary

Surplus Bananas that no one would eat ? Bake some Banana Bread! Guests coming over for tea? Pop some Banana Bread out of the freezer, put it in toaster and voila, tea is served! Want some comfort food with a steaming cup of coffee in winters? Banana Bread is your best friend!

This is exactly the importance Banana Bread holds in my life. It is easy to make, you don't have to clean a lot of dishes later, it smells great, it tastes great, it can be frozen for later and it is a crowd pleaser. Having said all that I don't think i need to go above and beyond in explaining my love for banana bread. Simply put; i love it!

Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup (115 grams) walnuts o r pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
1 3/4 cups(230 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 ripe large bananas(approximately 1 pound or 454 grams), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients(banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.) Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. This bread can be frozen.

Makes 1 - 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

Recipe courtesy: joyofbaking.com

My recent attempts at cheesecakes

Cheesecakes are expensive affairs. I say that not only in monetary terms but also because they are too high on calories. I always felt these were reasons good enough not to try one and satisfy my cravings by buying a slice (yes one and only one) from the bakery. It wasn't until recently i thought why not, lets try it at home, and here is what i went through in the process;

At first i started looking through some recipes provided by local tv channels and saw that most of them made the no-bake type of cheesecake by adding gelatin to a relatively small amount of cream cheese and whipped cream. I looked up online and most of the no-bake types there were without gelatin and used a larger quantity of cream cheese. So i decided to go with the local recipes and chose an oreo cheesecake as my first attempt, it turned out as it was supposed to and it tasted good too but....

.......yes there is a but!

But it was a cheesecake that was set using gelatin! It is not how a cheesecake is supposed to be like in a perfect world. So then it was hard to stop me and i just had to try the PROPER cheesecake, the one that is baked .

I looked up a simple recipe at joyofbaking.com and made individual cheesecakes. This is a picture of how they turned out.

Not so pretty right? And a cheesecake just has to be pretty, that is the beauty of it. I found it pretty wrong that they were baked in a muffin pan using muffin/cupcake liners because the liners left an imprint which was really unbearable for me to look at. Jaworski says in the recipe to dip a knife in warm water and smooth out the sides but that didn't work so well for me. Secondly, for some reason, the tops of these mini cheesecakes sunk after a while. I had to put caramel sauce to hide that. But apart from all that, they tasted great. Tender and creamy and just the right amount of sweet. 

So the next time i thought i will make them in a proper loose bottom, round mini cheesecake tray. I have ordered one from a local store and it will be in my hands soon.

Meanwhile i decided to try the same recipe for a 9" cheesecake, Stephanie Jaworski has done the same on her website.  The cake this time looked fine and didn't sink from the top, but it was a little hard and not as moist and tender as the individual ones i made. What did i do wrong? i still have to figure that out with a third attempt. And when i do, i will share the result with you all. Till then, ciao. 

Recipe References:

Individual Cheesecakes