Savory Serendipity....

Sometimes, it's the simplest things that give us the biggest smiles. And for a foodie that often means a surprise meal. So imagine the joy when I received a box of home made  Malaysian nasi tomato with chicken and achar. Sweet serendipity.... thanks to my friends at the Malaysian Consulate in Karachi - Mr & Mrs Abu Bakar Mamat. How's that for diplomacy?

Tomato rice is usually reserved for festive occasions like Hari Raya (Eid) or weddings. The rice is flavored with tomatoe puree and spices and usually served with a chicken curry - Ayam Masak Merah (red chicken). 

There's public diplomacy. There's culinary diplomacy. And then there's Malaysian diplomacy. The Malaysians in Karachi seem to be have culinary diplomacy down to an art. The average Malaysian's passion for food is represented in the way they engage with Pakistanis with generosity and respect. And Ramzan is the perfect season to experience this passion for food in Malaysia. However, this year, we will get to experience some of that distinctly Malaysian flair for food at a weekly Ramzan Bazar filled with Malaysian delicacies. What, where, when and how? Stay tuned!

It's Official

It's been a while since I posted a recipe or a review here.... I can explain... I promise!

My mother's catering business, aptly called 'Yummy Mummy And Me' is now up and running, hence, I have been employed in the kitchen (away from the internet). However, I assure that this day on wards, I will keep you posted on what's happening in the Yummy Mummy kitchen, what we eat on our travels at home and abroad, special deals and discounts.... 

We are now a grown up business!

But first.... do check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Happy Eating!

That's A Wrap!

It has been a while since I posted a recipe on the blog, mostly because I've been busy eating, working and helping out with my mom's catering business. However, today I was feeling rather inspired. And I had some store bought rotisserie chicken. And then, my mother got me some water chestnuts. Recipe ideas in over drive!
You need ( 4 servings):
- 1 spicy rotisserie chicken breast. Tikka chunks will also do.
- 4 chapatis or any kind of flat bread (no naan please)
- cucumbers
- olives
- cheese
- boiled, peeled water chestnuts
- your favorite dressing. I used the Mama Sita hot sauce.
Spread out the chapati and spread a table spoon of the sauce down the middle. Next, lay out the chicken and cucumbers side by side. Top it off with chopped cheese, olives and water chestnuts. Wrap it up and you're good to go.
The chapati I used is the one made on an upside down wok/karahi and is thinner than a regular chapati.
The wrap is filling, healthy and really  fun to put together. Kids will love it and you can even sneak in some greens. Try it and let me know how it turned out.
Happy Eating!

Karachi Eats: The Noodle House, Dolmen Mall Clifton

Quite frankly, I love The Noodle House but it is a bit too pricey to be indulged in every now and then. However, their current lunch deal for Rs 799+ tax is quite stellar - a drink, starter and a main makes for a big lunch break. The service was also fantastic in spite of a full house.

Let's start with the starters.

Prawn Bags

Perfectly fried and stuffed with fresh prawns. I say fresh only because it's not rare to find smelly prawns in dishes. But the real perfection was to be found in the sweet chilly sauce.

Chicken Guilin with chilli mayo

This dish was a fantastic surprise. Thinly sliced, deep fried battered chicken served with a chilli mayo. The only trouble was two slivers of chicken does not really qualify to be a starter quantity even. Can we have at least three sliver please?

Thai Beef Salad

I am usually wary of Thai salads as they can be a bit too tangy to finish up. This Thai beef salad was high on the beef and low on the tangy factor - a good thing in my opinion.

Spicy chicken dumplings

I love dumplings which is why I am so scared of getting a set of cold, chewy dumplings. The last time I had dumplings at Dynasty Avari they were a nightmare. But we hesistantly ordered them at Noodle House anyway. Surprise, surprise .... they were soft, smooth and slippery. Two were not enough!

On to the Mains...

Chicken Chilli with Fried Rice

Standard chicken chilli. I have never really grasped the idea of 'chicken chilli.' I suppose each chef/cook can interpret it his/her way. In any case, it's a safe bet here at Noodle House. Not stellar but safe.

Crab fried rice with prawns

I am not an ardent fan of shellfish so I passed up on the crab. However, my sister who swears by her seafood told me that the crab chunks in the fried rice were fresh but the fried prawns on the side....not so fresh after all.

Sweet & Sour Fish with Fried Rice

Big. fat chunks of fish in a sweet and sour sauce that was not overpowering - and we all  know sweet and sour done wrong can be rather nasty.

Cashew Nut Chicken with Fried 

Basic soya sauce stir fry chicken recipe with crunchy cashew nuts thrown was my favorite dish of the day. The cashew chicken is my favorite thing to order at the Noodle House. And it is likely to appease palates that aren't always fond of Asian flavors.

Special shout out to THE BEST fried rice I have had in Pakistan. Soya sauce, egg, chopped vegetables and firm rice fried to perfection. This fried rice had actually been in a wok, unlike most other fried rice served in respectable 'Chinese' restaurants which is just a glorified 'pulao'.

So the final verdict: Noodle House is the closest Karachi has come to South-East Asian flavors. It still remains on the very pricey side of things. This Lunch Deal is good time to indulge in some Noodle House. Would I visit again? Yes.

   

Islamabad Eats: Kabul

Islamabad eats Kabul. Geddit? I will stay away from political commentary and stick to what I know best - food! Kabul Restaurant in Islamabad had been on my 'to eat' list for a while but for some reason, I kept missing it. Luckily, on my last two trips to Islamabad I was staying right next to it and it was kind of impossible to miss it.

Located in F-7 or otherwise known to visitors as Jinnah Super (right?) - Kabul is not fancy but more of an old Karachi style eatery like Subhani Chulo Kabab and the like. Here's what to order at Kabul....

Beef manto! An extension of my love for the Nepali momo! Minced beef stuffed dumplings topped with channa dal and a tangy yogurt. Ask your waiter to serve them hot - because mine were served a bit not-hot-enough. A plate of 8 dumplings go for Rs 300.

The humble 'baingan'/eggplant is my new found love. 'Burani' is very similar to a Pakistani 'baingan ka bhurta'. It is a simple tangy eggplant mash with lots of tomatoes and topped with yogurt. Rs 250 for this plate. Good to be shared between three people as a side dish.

Ah! The legendary Afghani tikka. Sexy, succulent and simple pieces of barbecued meat and.... fat. It is one of the most flavorful dishes I have ever had (and not just at this establishment) - whether it's in Kabul, Islamabad or Karachi. There's got to be a secret to making such great meat! 12 skewers cost Rs 410 - good for two big eaters.

There's also Afghani kababs to be tried. I did not fill up any stomach space with naan - so order bread wisely- the meat is quite stellar. There also seems to be roasted chicken available which looked rather tempting but we were too stuffed to try anything else.

Kabul is affordable and delicious. It's also a fun place to hang out, some how. On my first trip there with a Filipino friend, we promptly made friends with some Egyptian patrons. The next trip was a girly Sunday lunch and the staff was rather helpful with our changing orders and questions.

Don't give Kabul a miss in favor of fancier Islamabad eateries. Kabul is hot, hot, hot.

Karachi Eats: Fatburger

Yayy! Another burger joint comes to Karachi - and this time we beat Lahore to it.

American fast food restaurant chain Fatburger launched it's first Pakistani outlet in Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi yesterday (January 4th)  with an invite only/media/celebrity guest list. Located on the top floor of the mall with the rest of the restaurants and food court, Fat Burger was packed! Packed like a can of sardines! I couldn't really get a feel (or a close) look at the decor because of the crowd - so I diverted all my attention to the food....

Skinny + Fat Fries

The Skinny Fries was golden, crisp and just beautiful - is there anything better than the perfectly fried and salted potato chip? I think not. The Fat Fries were a bit too fat to be crispy enough for my taste - but definitely a more bodied chip than the Skinny one. My vote goes to the Skinny Fries!

Onion Rings

I don't like onion rings to begin with. I wish I could enjoy the crisp golden batter with the sweet, most onion in it - but deep fried onions are not my kinda food. 

The main event! Beef Fat Burger!

I can safely admit that I really, really like the Fatburger beef burger. The lettuce was fresh and crunchy, the pickles weren't over powering, the tomatoes were firm and didn't make the burger soggy. As for the beef itself, it was lean and full - just good old fashioned MEAT! I liked the fact that the mustard and sauce weren't dripping out of the burger of my mouth. I hate unnecessarily messy burgers - there is no reason, really. Although, I could have done with more cheese in the burger. All in all, that's a thumbs up for Fatburger!

I picked up a copy of the Take Out menu but sadly there were no prices on it. So here goes:

The Fatburger - Fresh ground, grilled beef with options of single, double and triple patties with a choice of free condiments - lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, relish, onions and pickles. It seems you can ask for BBQ sauce, grilled onions and jalapenos 'on request' - not sure what that means? Add ons to the burger include - egg, bacon (I'm assuming beef or turkey bacon), Cheddar or Swiss cheese or chilli.

Jalapeno Fatburger - chilli mayo, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos and beef patty on a toasted bun. 

Jalapeno Chicken - Chilli mayo, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos and crispy chicken patty on a toasted bun.

Western BBQ Fatburger - Beef patty with BBQ sauce, Swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato on a toasted bun.

Chicken Sandwich - choose from a grilled, crispy or a spicy Cajun patty.

Turkey burger - Turkey patty grilled on a whole wheat bun

Veggie burger - Soy patty on a whole beat bun

Sides:

Fat Fries

Skinny Fries

Chilli Fries

Chilli Cheese Fries

Homemade Onion Rings

Chicken Nuggets

Jumbo Chilli Dog

Fatwings

Fat Chicken Salad

Bacon and Egg Sandwich

Chicken Strips

Milkshakes & Drinks:

Ice-cream shakes: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and cookies and cream

Sodas

Lemonade

Hot Tea & Green Tea

Coffee

Phew!

I love American food. I really do. Simple, flavorful and feel-good. And it seems like Fatburger is bringing some healthier options to the fast food scene in Pakistan too with the salad and turkey and veggie burgers. 

I can't wait to try the full menu!

Fatburger opens for public today in Karachi. 

FATBURGER!

Karachi Eats: Gardenia at Port Grand

Port Grand has quite a few eateries that I often walk past and wonder 'I wonder how their food is' but never really to dare to venture in there, especially when they're empty! Gardenia was lucky to catch me at a weak time. I was craving Khao Suey like the deserts miss the rain. Gardenia was serving it. I walked in....

Golden Khao Suey

Isn't that beautiful? After my initial cravings for Khao Suey were satisfied, I was a little bit less impressed. The curry was rich but lacking that extra zing. I wanted more crispy bits served separately - putting them in the bowl makes them soggy in a few minutes. Priced at Rs 350 a bowl, there should have been more chicken and noodles with that curry.

On the upside, this is the only commercial khao suey I've had that's served with boiled egg - like we do at home! Regardless, khao suey is a welcome addition to Port Grand cuisine.

However, the other food served at Gardenia is best avoided. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Crumbed chicken breast

tWhat a disappointing plate of food. The crumbed chicken breast was pretty much just a film of chicken with lots of crumbs. The dipping sauce seemed to be soya sauce. The side salad had an odd slice of deep fried eggplant. The whole thing really confused the kids and myself. Crumbed chicken is so easy to get right and this was all wrong...

Masala Dossa

I know and love my South Indian food. The dossa was not crisp enough - it was stretchy and chewy. It's a dossa, not a naan. And do you see the size of the serving of the chutneys? TOO LITTLE

The service at Gardenia was also rather slow and we were the only people there! Thumbs up for the khao suey on a winter evening by the sea. For anything else on the menu, please don;t do it.