Round Roti's {The Life of A Peyrah}

"Rho-tee- defined as an unleavened flatbread made from atta flour in the Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Assamese, Indonesian, Malay, Bengali, Thai, Marathi and Somali languages. It is also known as rotli in Gujarati, "Maani" in Sindhi and phulka in Punjabi and Saraiki"

As my dad went on his way out, this is what he said "I got the dough out, two rotis ready by 5;45" and that was it. I plodded downstairs, made a keema (mince meat) salan with the usual haldi [tumeric powder], tomatoes and chopped onions. Then I did the washing up because it's frustrating to try and use the kitchen work surface when one half of the kitchen looks like kabul. I used my fingers to claw into the dough and rolled a ball of it into my palms, dipping it in the flour and then taking each corner whilst rotating it and folding it back in to itself. Admittedly I enjoy making rotis (chappatis) from fresh dough, or dough which has reached room temperature from the fridge. However, if the dough is more than 2 days refrigerated I always manage to make a roti which looks like it should be on 'without a trace' . 

So here it is, the life of a peyrah (blob of dough) transformed into a chappati. I don't know what the obsession is with perfectly round rotis, many south east asians understand how it isn't a hard and fast rule, but it sort of is. You wouldn't reject it if it were another shape but for some reason the beauty of it is in its circular nature. Or is it somehow inextricably linked to the rumour that a brides mother in law will be horrified by any sense of imperfection in it's shaping and rise? In that case, PRESSURE'S ON LADIES. I say ladies not to be sexist but because I am yet to know an asian male on a personal basis who knows {or wishes} to make roti. If you're there, drop a comment otherwise I'll take that as a 'no i'm alright thanks'. 

For me it's equally about the thickness, if its too thin it will tear and there will be holes before it even reaches the hot plate [tavaa]. Yes, it's fun popping your eye through the hole and saying "hello" to the person opposite you but on a more serious note being able to have a good tear when you go to rip off a piece is just what I like. The elasticity is key. The flour for these rotis is 50% white and 50% brown because brown dough is best used fresh. White on the other hand is a tad more versatile.  Bread is amazing, in all it's forms with so many shapes, textures and looks. Carbs should be my worst enemy, but what can I say. An asian is married to carbs from the moment they taste it- rice, roti, naan, is coupled with everything. It's like a bad asian drama, every angle has the echoing of carbs and shocked faces but it's inescapable and yet so addictive. <3

Have A Porridge Hug

I really like the idea of warm honey porridge on a cold, wintery morning. This morning I woke up to grey skies married with rain. So I decided I'd drizzle honey into my porridge with 5 or 6 whole almonds and randomly got 2 small squares of white chocolate which melted with the heat. The white chocolate was extremely subtle and the honey gave a warm flavour. Last time I had porridge I added a pinch of cinnamon and it was most definitely earthy and wholesome. Part of me wanted to reach for the salmon and toasted bread as I usually do but this time I wanted that huggable mix of ingredients that feel like they've lined my stomach with soft wool. That's what is so versatile about cooking, you make it your own. Whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert you are able to experiment with different tastes and scents. Winter's coming and I think I'm going to be having many porridge hugs in the weeks to come...

Period Dramas and Hijab.

It's raining and it's a friday. I feel I shall stay within my boundaries tonight and bake some cookies to get that delicious aroma wafting through the house...or maybe a fudge and macadamia nut cake. Also, I feel I need to bake due to copious amounts of double cream glaring at me everytime I open the fridge and a basket of nuts, flour and sugar whispering 'bake me'. 

On the note of baskets I've always desired to be an actress in period dramas - (a Pakistani would not qualify in a period drama) but let me continue to dream to hold a handmade basket, wear a beautiful jane austen-esque dress and have a summer hat with ribbon...to go over my hijaab :o/ ...walking in the lush green fields picking berries and flowers. Or baking fresh bread and then having to visit my stables to grab the horse and go galloping around, galavanting carelessly through woods and the country side. And people would stare, what's that strange tanned girl doing, where is she from? Somebodys house-helper perhaps? And what is that on her head! By God, she looks like she is a nun from a far away country!  A hijaabi in a period drama!  Think about it though, didn't Maryam [a.s]=(Isa's mother) cover her head? Why is it that at times people cannot see how hijaab isn't something new or simply surfaced by Muslim women.Why is it that those who dislike or misunderstand hijaab don't see it worn by women of other faiths, sometimes their own! Is it so different to the way Mother Teresa dressed? I think not.

I constantly remind people who question why Muslim women cover their hair, that the statues depicting Mary show her with her hair covered and a long dress- infact go to google images and type in holy mary. This is hijaab, this is modesty even if you glance away from Islam and into Christianity. Mary wore a head scarf, nuns didn't show their ankles 100 yrs ago and many still follow strict rules of modesty. This is hijaab. So maybe me, hypothetically galloping around the period-drama setting in the countryside, in hijaab wouldn't be that shocking for society back then, if it were a group of people inclined towards Bibi Maryam (a.s). Maybe. Somebody give me a role in a period drama, let's do it with hijaab and abaya instead ;o)

My New A.Plate.Of Business Cards!!!

I present to you my cute little environmentally friend white card box. Insideeee...I love the way the cards are slim line with a different photo I've taken on every card, the cards are responsibly sourced and as I've said on the reverse- FairTrade Supportive. <3<3<3

Definition of a 'Foodie'

"a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment 

(especially good food and drink)"

My Sweety Chocolate Buttercream Cupcakes made for a fundraiser to aid the Pakistan flood victims... 

May Allah (swt) help us to help those less fortunate than us insha'Allah.

Guests Are A Blessing & So Is Cake.

The guests came and it was an absolute hit, I'll definitely be making this again. The tins were wrong so as I said, I thought these sponges wouldn't work to form a stable cake. I had to around the edge of one to make it similar to the other sponge, the feeling of disappointment was growing because I wanted to use this as a birthday cake- what was I to do but carry on and pray that it all came together. Well, thank Allah, it did come together beautifully. It tasted EXACTLY the way I wanted it and all the guests lovedddd it which is always a good sign. 

Making this cake took me a tad longer than usual because of the change in measurement, as I used an American template for a recipe it was using "cups" instead of metric grams/oz. 
As always I altered the recipe, instead of using a plain cream filling I made a vanilla cream to put inside with the strawberries, mascarpone and a few kiwis I sliced hidden underneath an extra layer of cream before I placed the top of the cake on which i had smothered with strawberry jam (another random last minute decision which stopped any change of dryness). And the final random thing I added- because I believe in having a good texture when it's all getting a bit too soft/trying to add a finish touch, was to add toasted almonds. A sparkler gave it the perfect touch to make it a birthday cake. I hope you like the pictures as requested by brother Khatibi!

Guests are a blessing and so is A.Plate.Of. Cake.

Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake Recipe

Below is the recipe- chop and change however you like! I don't like the way this person has written the recipe at times, so a tip would be to re-write it in brief if you find it a tad irritating the way I did. Let me know if you have a go :o) I found it on an American website randomly. If you want to use metric measurements then you can just use google to find conversion websites where all the converted measurements are listed. Go on, you know you want to ^.^

For the berries:

• 2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled (about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 medium lemon)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 
  

For the cake:

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 
  

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 
  

For the frosting:

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 cups heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

For the berries:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive mixing bowl and toss to thoroughly coat strawberries. Let macerate at room temperature at least 20 minutes before using.
2. Strain macerated berries and reserve syrup separately.

For the cake:

1. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in upper third. Butter and flour two (8-inch) cake pans. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a mixing bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, combine vegetable oil, water, lemon zest, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar. Whip on medium speed, until mixture is airy and light in color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl; add dry ingredients and whip until smooth, about 1 minute more.
3. In a clean bowl, whip egg whites to medium peaks. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the cake batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
4. Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake until surface of cakes springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove cakes from the oven, and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the filling and the frosting.

For the filling:

1. Combine mascarpone cheese and heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the frosting:

1. Place the cleaned bowl of the stand mixer and the whip attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes. Combine vanilla extract, sugar, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl and whip at medium speed until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes.
2. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least one hour. (The frosting can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead.)

To assemble:

1. Using a long serrated knife, trim the tops of the cakes as necessary so they are level. Place cake rounds on a clean, dry surface and, using a pastry brush, brush 1/2 of the reserved strawberry syrup on the cut side of the first cake round; repeat on the cut side of the second cake round.
2. Evenly spread 1/4 of the mascarpone filling over the cut side of the bottom cake layer. Arrange strawberries standing upright, stem end down, over the mascarpone layer and trim as necessary to create an even layer. Cover berries with the remaining filling, being sure to fill in any empty space.
3. Place second cake layer over mascarpone and strawberries, cut side down, pressing gently to secure it. Using an offset spatula or a long, thin spatula, spread 3/4 cup of the frosting in a thin layer over the top and sides of the cake. Return remaining frosting and cake to the refrigerator until frosting on cake is set, about 15 minutes.
4. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.

In the garage @ 1am

I'm choking. I've been scrubbing every tray of the oven (there's 3 but before you role your eyes, they're huge in length). I felt the need to don the yellow gloves, choke and scrub. Do feel sorry for me, someone has to. Please?

I've baked both sponges for a fresh cream and strawberry cake, due to one dodgey tin they both rose differently but I tried my best. 

I just crept into my garage to put the frosting I whisked up and fresh vanilla cream for the filling in the spare fridge. I was scared. Not of any stranger jumping up behind me, not of ghosts in the garage but the notion of my parents waking up and finding me shoving a yellow bowl in the garage like a naughty little girl being caught in the fridge with her face covered in chocolate saying "I'm diabetic, it wasn't me?". The questions would be, "aren't you sleep!", "why are you still baking?" and "the neighbours will think you're dodgey in the garage at 1am!". The last is what my mother said to me before going to sleep, it's quite funny actually. What would they think I was doing carrying items into my garage at 1am? and quickly scurrying back into the house. Let's not go there shall we, there's been far too much of that anyway.

Then I did the washing up for the 5th time today, seriously it was the 5th time. It's totally silent, I want my bed and so I am off to a well-deserved scrubbers sleep. Good Night.