August 24, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Shrimp Fried Rice

Have you ever made fried rice at home and felt that it somehow lacked that flavor you get from take-out? I have many times. Somehow the fried rice tasted like simple vegetable rice. It just didn’t have the oomph factor that would get my brother nodding his head in approval until recently when I cooked up this ridiculous 5-min dish! Oh you bet my brother told me that my fried rice needed to be on a restaurant menu!

This spicy shrimp fried rice comes from… you’ve guessed it! That same Thai restaurant whose portly, bearded chef taught me how to make this Pad Thai and this Thai Beef Chili. The trick is simple: use 2-day old cold rice and fry up with a lug of peanut oil on a high heat until you feel that the grains of rice crisp up just a tad. And BOOM! You’re done even before you begun.

Be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make this shrimp fried rice!

Shrimp Fried Rice

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

This will be the best shrimp fried rice you ever stirred in your wok!

Ingredients

Peanut oil (or any veg oil would work)
¼ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 egg
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup peas
4 cups white rice (must be a day or two day old rice)
1 tsp garlic chilli paste
1 tbsp oyster sauce + 1 tbsp water
Chilli flakes, optional
Green onions or Scallions for garnish
Sesame oil (just a drizzle for flavor)

Instructions

In a pan add a bit of peanut oil and cook shrimps one minute on each side until golden brown. Remove to a clean plate. (We will add the shrimps back and fully cook them with the rice.)
In the same pan, add about 2 tbsp more of oil. Crack a fresh egg and scramble it.
Next, add in the carrots and peas and sautee for a 2-3 minutes on high heat. Add a bit more oil if necessary.
Next, add in the rice, along with the shrimps and stir to combine.
To spice up the rice, add in garlic chilli paste along with oyster sauce mixed with a tbsp of water.
Stir the rice really well on high heat for a 5 mins but be sure to be gentle so as not to break up the grains.
Add chilli flakes if you like spicy fried rice. I DO!
Garnish with scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Sesame oil will give it that take-out flavor instantly.
Stir and serve!

https://youtu.be/XzH4c7vEQmM

August 12, 2016August 12, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Thai Beef Chilli Recipe

Remember that Pad Thai recipe I shared a few weeks ago that had me squealing with delight? This one is another favorite I stole from the chef. It is beyond delicious. Usually I taste my food and toot my own horn. So, for your benefit I pulled my best friend from Pakistan into the camera frame and shoved a spoonful of the Thai-spiced beef in her mouth telling her what to say. WATCH THE VIDEO!

My friend sold it pretty well. The Thai Beef Chilli is indeed really delicious. And for a dish that comes together in less than 20 minutes, you have no excuse but to make this. It’s my go-to when I’m pressed for time and don’t want to grab processed fast food or even greasy Asian take-out. Because guess what? The only greasy take-out that I’m going to be eating would be taken out of my kitchen! HAH!

Here’s the recipe for ya!

Thai Beef Chilli

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Thai

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 20 mins

Serves: 1

A quick Pakistani Thai fusion beef chilli

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut oil (flap meat/undercut)
1/2 pound beef cut in strips (flap meat/undercut)
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 onion sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce + 2 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp garlic chilli paste
2 serrano chillis sliced
1 green bell pepper sliced
2 basil leaves chopped

Instructions

In a preheated wok, add 1/4 cup of peanut oil and let it heat for 30 seconds.
Next, add the beef and let it brown on high heat.
Add chopped galic, the sliced onion and green chillies and stir.
Next, pour in the oyster sauce mixed with water along with the sugar and garlic chilli paste.
Let the sauce evaporate until the oil starts to release. This will take about 10-12 minutes on high heat.
Once the liquid has evaporated, add the sliced green bell peppers and the basil leaves.
Stir for a few seconds. Serve over white or fried rice.

July 21, 2016July 22, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Namkeen Lassi Recipe

Can we agree that lassi is the ultimate cooling drink this summer? It’s refreshing and at the same time has tons of benefits for your digestive tract which, if you’ve been traveling and eating like me you definitely need to clear out. The best part is you only need yogurt, milk, salt and pepper and tons of ice!

Lassi (Salty Yogurt Drink)

Recipe Type: Beverage

Cuisine: Pakistani

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Lassi is the ultimate drink in Pakistan!

Ingredients

1 cup yogurt
2/3 cup whole milk
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed cumin seeds
salt to taste
black pepper (optional)

Instructions

Add yogurt, milk, cumin, salt and pepper to the blender and blend for 30-40 seconds until frothy. Dring up!

June 28, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Guava and Cheese Pastry

Right when I discovered my love for coffee, I discovered Tierra Mia. It’s my second home. You’ll usually find me there in the evenings either typing at my laptop to edit these videos, or sitting across from a new face. I love meeting people for the first time over a good cup of latte.

But of course this video is not about that Cubano Con Leche I have the baristas make piping hot for me; this video is about the delicious accompaniment to that latte. The cheese and guava filled pastry is a popular dessert in Latin America. Porto’s Cafe has a similar version. But that doesn’t matter because mine tastes so much fresher and better simply because that pastry is going from the oven straight to my mouth. It’s warm, flaky and that guava gives it such a delicious kick. And I didn’t lie when I said “I’m bagging these up and taking them with me to Tierra Mia,” because I did!

Continue reading “Guava and Cheese Pastry” →

June 16, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Channa Chaat -Pakistani Chickpeas Salad

Channa Chaat is nothing short of super food! Chickpea is Channa in the Urdu language and chaat is any snack that’s spicy and has the wonderful tang from tamarind. You’ll find Channa Chaat in the streets of Pakistan, and on the Eid and iftar tables. Since Ramadan started, I have been making a big bowl of this Channa Chaat for iftar. It also doesn’t hurt that it literally comes together in 10 minutes.

I’d be more than happy to toss myself a salad for iftar, but when your parents are in town, you just have to don on the dupatta and feed some desi appetite. Speaking of parents, my dad loves hanging out at the grocery store more than I do! Let’s just say my pantry is bursting with canned chickpeas and my fridge has never looked this full since I moved into my apartment.

I hope you guys give this nutritious, delicious, full of fiber, protein and gas (ahem) Channa Chaat a try! Ramadan Mubarak to all those observing the month! I feel you bruh… 16 hours is no joke.

Channa Chaat -Pakistani Chickpea Salad

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Pakistani

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Prep time: 20 mins

Total time: 20 mins

This is how Pakistanis turn chickpeas into a delicious tangy salad!

Ingredients

2 cans garbanzo beans
1 small onion, chopped (¾ cup roughly)
1 tomato, chopped
1 medium potato, boiled and chopped
1 serrano chili, finely chopped
Cilantro, a handful
2 tsp Chaat Masala or Channa Chaat spice mix (you can find this at any Pakistani/Indian grocery store)
½ tsp garam masala
¼ cup Tamarind pulp (you can find this at any Pakistani/Indian grocery store)
1 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
salt to taste

Instructions

Dump beans, onion, tomatoes, potato and green chili in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle chaat masal and garam masala. Toss.
To make tamarind chutney, add tamarind pulp, sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and let this come to a boil. Continue cooking for 10-12 minutes or until the pulp breaks down. Use the back of the spoon to help the process.
Next, strain the tamarind liquid into a bowl. Make sure to press down on the pulp with a spoon to extract as much juices as you can. Discard the pulp (I chew on it:p).
Now pour the liquid back into the saucepan and cook for another 5 minutes. The chutney will be very liquidy.
Remove from stove and let the chutney cool. as it cools it will thicken.
Pour the cooled chutney into the chickpea salad and toss.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

May 22, 2016May 27, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Fish Tacos

When you have the owner of the Best Fish Taco in Ensenada personally show you the secret to the best fish tacos, you know your taco-loving palate is taken care of. Being a regular customer of the taco joint, I secretly wished my fish taco game were stronger. And then lo and behold I run into the owner, Joseph, at the store and well… let’s just say my taco game never looked better! I had a lot of fun shooting this video with Joseph. Amidst the hilarity that ensued coupled with intriguing customers who thought that the taco joint would be featured on national television, I was able to get my act on and get this video to you guys!

Of course, I went back home to test out the recipe. OUTSTANDING! I think now I need Joseph to teach me how to make his secret salsas!

Fish Tacos

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

This has to be the BEST fish tacos hands down!

Ingredients

1/2 pound white fish (Basa or any other kind)
3/4 cup complete buttermilk pancake mix
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup ice cold water

Instructions

Cut fish into thin strips.
In a bowl, add the pancake mix followed by the spices. Whisk until combined.
Next, pour the ice cold water and mix until the batter is lumpfree but don't over mix.
Pour the batter on the pre-cut fish and mix well. Let sit in the fridge for half an hour.
Next, heat up oil to 375 degrees F.
Slide the fish into the oil and cook until deep brown and crispy.
To assemble the taco, heat up corn tortillas on a griddle, place two to three strips of fried fish, top with salsa and creme fraiche and enjoy!!

May 11, 2016May 12, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Kheer (Pakistani Rice Pudding)

In a nutshell, Kheer is a Pakistani/Indian rice pudding. But let’s please ease out of this nutshell because it’s suffocating and unjust. Kheer is not just any rice pudding in which you quickly cook rice in sweet milk and sweep the sweat from your forehead and pitch your spatula in the air in hurrah. No. That’s not kheer. Neither is the liquidy stuff you get at Pakistani/Indian restaurants in the states. I’ll take a glass of sweet lassi instead thanks.

Kheer is slow cooked for a couple of hours in sweetened milk. It’s infused with cardamom. It’s stirred with care. You bet it’s a labor of love when you have to scrub the brown bits stuck to the bottom of your stainless steel pot later because the milk will catch at the bottom. I think I scrubbed 20 minutes of my life away just now. But man oh man, when you tear through the skin that coagulates on the surface of the Kheer and slip that spoon in your mouth, you would want to clean that pan every day. Ok, maybe not. Once a week?

Kheer is the one dessert that I ABSOLUTELY cannot resist especially when its encased between two tiny terracotta bowls glued together with a rubber band with a small wooden popsicle stick clasped to it. When I get those bowls from Burns Road in Karachi, you better believe that I take my Kheer very seriously! To replicate that earthen feel, I bought similar looking terracotta bowls from Home Depot. Instantly the Kheer that just tasted excellent now has substance– a story to tell, a culture to give you a glimpse of. And might I add how ridiculously impressive it looks. Please Google images of Kheer and tell me that this doesn’t splatter all over them. Exactly:)

Kheer (Pakistani Rice Pudding)

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Pakistani

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 3 hours

Total time: 3 hours

Serves: 4-5

A Pakistani rice pudding, Kheer is infused with cardamom and slow cooked for a couple of hours. End result is nothing short of magical!

Ingredients

4 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup uncooked rice
7 tbsp sugar
4-5 cardamom pods
Crushed nuts to garnish (pistachio, cashews, blanched almonds)

Instructions

First, we are going to OVER cook the rice in boiling water for 10-12 minutes, until they get really soft and mushy.
Next, strain the rice and with the back of a fork, mash it well until it resembles oatmeal.
Next, heat up milk in a stainless steel deep saucepan and let it come to a gentle simmer.
Open the cardamom pods and add it to the milk. (Once Kheer is done, you can simply take out the husk since we're only using 5 pods.)
Next add the rice and sugar. The rice will be clumpy but as it cooks, it will break down.
Now on very low heat, cook the Kheer for 3 hours. Make sure you stir every once in a while. The milk will inevitably catch at the bottom so make sure you use a stainless steel pot because if you use a non stick saucepan, the brown bits will peel off as you stir and distribute throughout the Kheer. That would be gross!
After 3 hours of slow cooking, the Kheer will have thickened. It should fall in little clumps from the spatula (see the video for clarity).
Immediately pour in terracotta bowls and garnish with crushed nuts. The skin that forms on the surface is the BEST part!
Let Kheer cool in serving dish for 15-20 minutes before serving.
You can keep this in the fridge covered for up to 3 days but who's even saving for later.

April 20, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Pad Thai Recipe From Thai Restaurant

One thing I have an itch for when it comes to food is to experiment in my kitchen and I’d be damned if I was making Tandoori Chicken everyday (even though I totally could) and not venturing over to my beautiful neighboring countries to become, say, Thai for a day. This may or may not be the reason of idling around in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. I have to admit that Asian cooking especially Thai cooking has baffled me for quite a while. A few months ago I picked up a packet of rice noodles because I was in the mood to make Pad Thai. I grabbed a recipe from the internet to get started, altering it along the way. I was left with the smell of fish sauce in my hair and a dry stringy mess at my hands.

Many thanks to a dear friend who only eats Halal food, I can proudly say I have a really good recipe for Pad Thai under my black leather belt! A couple of months ago, she took me to this Halal restaurant in North Hollywood. You may turn down your nose at the shabby, grungy interior that admittedly is decorated rather kitschy but let me tell you guys, this place makes the BEST Thai food hands down. I remember saying to my friend, “I need to get the recipe for everything!” Fast forward to last week, thanks to my quirky, overly excited self that is ready to befriend everybody, I went and stole the recipe for this Pad Thai and a few other favorites–Fried Rice, Beef Chilli Dry, killer Eggplant Basil–right under the nose of the chef who pretty much runs the place by himself with no help. Watch this video to see exactly how I stole this recipe!

Below is the Pad Thai I made at home following the recipe and method I learned from the chef with minor substitutions (all noted in the recipe box) and I am proud to announce that it tasted like straight up takeout! Go make yourself this Pad Thai right now!

The Easiest Pad Thai You Will Ever Make!

Cuisine: Thai

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Serves: 2-3

The easiest and foolproof, fail-safe Pad Thai you will ever make! This recipe is golden and comes straight from an authentic Thai restaurant!

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut oil
1 egg
1/4 lb chicken thighs, skinless, boneless and in very thin strips
1/2 a packet of rice noodles (I used the wider rice noodles at home but get the narrow one if you can find it)
5 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce (thin it out with 2 tbsp water)
salt to taste
2 tbsp white sugar
Paprika to add color (I sprinkle about 1 tsp)
1 1/2- 2 cups of bean sprouts
Peanuts, green onions, and cilantro to garnish

Instructions

First we're going to cook the rice noodles like pasta until it's al dente, meaning it should not be cooked all the way through but should still have a bite. For this, add your noodles to a pot of water. Place the pot on the stove and on a low heat let the noodles soften for about 10-12 minutes. Once done, drain the noodles.
When noodles are done, heat up a wok on the highest flame. Once wok is hot, add oil and let it heat up.
Next, crack in an egg directly in the wok and stir.
To the eggs, add the chicken strips and stir until no longer pink and cooked through about 5-6 minutes. Make sure the chicken is in small strips so it cooks fast.
Next, add in rice noodles and stir.
Add the remaining ingredients: vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, salt and sugar and stir really well. *Just throw it all in. This is why I love this recipe!*
Sprinkle paprika to give the dish a little color.
Pad Thai should not have a sauce so dry out the liquid by continuing to stir on the highest heat of the burner. *My wok is not restaurant quality so it took me about 10-15 minutes to dry out the sauce. So it is very important that your noodles are not fully cooked in step 1 because they will continue to cook in the wok.*
Lastly add in the bean sprouts and stir for a minute or two because we want bean sprouts to still be a bit crunchy.
Garnish with crushed peanuts, finely chopped green onions (just the green part) and cilantro and serve!

April 7, 2016April 8, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Best Chocolate Mousse

First thing’s fist: Chocolate Mousse has raw eggs. But can we cook the eggs somehow to kill that badass salmonella that lurks in and around the egg shell, you might ask. Sure we can, and there are tons of recipes that will skip the egg yolks but fold in the whipped whites (still raw), or completely skip the eggs altogether and fluff the mousse with whipped cream. But frankly speaking, you might as well apply the mousse made without eggs to style your hair cause that ain’t mousse, honey.

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse has a texture which is not smooth like whipped cream. It’s dense but airy enough so that when you dip your spoon into the stiff chocolate, you will hear the same scrunching noise that your curly locks make when you scrunch them with your fingers. Try it. The chocolate mousse shouldn’t resemble pudding. It should have a slightly webbed texture under the smooth surface. As for salmonella, raw eggs carry a tiny risk of bacteria but as long as your eggs are fresh, you should be A-okay. Make sure you don’t separate the eggs by flipping them back and forth in its egg shell because bacteria usually hides in the shell. I always drop the egg into my palm and spacing out my fingers just a tad, I wiggle the eggs until the egg whites drip through between my fingers into a clean bowl. This saves a lot of time rather than making the poor egg dance in its shell. So, yes you need eggs, and no, we’re not cooking them because traditional chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs.

Chocolate Mousse

Alright, so this is enough mousse talk to last a lifetime. Let’s get fancy in 10 minutes! This chocolate mousse is rich, decadent, heavenly, orgasmic concoction! You’ve been warned.

Decadent Chocolate Mousse

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

4 ingredients and you have the best ever Chocolate Mousse! Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

3.5 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 eggs, separated ROOM TEMPERATURE*
1/3 cup cream
4 tbsp sugar, divided

Instructions

Put a pot of simmering water on the stove. Place a glass or metal bowl on the pot and melt chocolate and butter. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
While chocolate is melting, separate the eggs and whip up the egg whites using a stand mixer or handheld beaters. Once egg whites are frothy, add 2 tbsp sugar and whip until you reach glossy stiff peaks.
By this time, the chocolate should have melted. Remove from the stove and stir for a minute to let it cool. We don't want the egg yolks to cook.
Next, lightly beat the egg yolks and stir them into the chocolate until the yellow has disappeared. You will notice your chocolate thicken and lose some of its shine. *Your eggs MUST be room temperature or the chocolate will seize.
Now fold in 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate very gently by running the spatula around the edge of the bowl and bringing it in the center. Continue folding the remaining egg whites.
Finally, whip up the cream with 2 tbsp sugar until it reaches soft to stiff peaks.
Fold the whipped cream the same way you folded the whites.
Don't be tempted to over mix because we don't want the mousse to deflate. The mousse should be thick and fluffy and not drip like a ribbon from the spatula.
Divide the mousse into serving glasses, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Garnish with fresh raspberries, a mint leaf and indulge!

March 18, 2016April 19, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Chicken Tikka Masala

Oh where do I start about this dish–the only dish my non-desi friends know to be Indian. It pains every time I have to point out that Indian food and Pakistani food are really one and the same. The flavors running through, the spices lighting up the taste buds or really burning them up share a similar journey. Before I turn this into a history lesson about the partition of 1947, let’s focus our gaze back to this beautiful bowl of rich, saucy Chicken Tikka Masala. This along with my Seekh Kebab and Tandoori Chicken should have a permanent place in your arsenal of desi food recipes!

It took me a few tries to nail down this recipe. I decided that I did not want to use canned tomato puree, so I sliced up some juicy, fat tomatoes (along with my finger), and threw them in the oven with the marinated chicken at 425 degrees F. Roasting adds that touch of smokiness and wrinkles the tomatoes to a beautiful charred-around-the-edges look. Sometimes I even turn on the broiler because I love those black blisters on the chicken and tomatoes. So, if you feel me on this, just do it! Like Nike. Okay, maybe not. Do it at a slower pace, because baby it’s worth it. Give it to it, it’s worth it. I’m really sorry. I got some major wisdom tooth extraction done and clearly it wasn’t a good idea. So, I’ll just leave this recipe here for you guys and go search for it.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Pakistani/Indian

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

This Chicken Tikka Masala will make you forget the Pakistani/Indian restaurants. Learn how to make this with me!

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
Marinade for chicken:
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder such as cayenne
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp full fat yogurt (Indian-style such as Gopi or a plain greek yogurt)
cinnamon (just a pinch)
turmeric (just a pinch)
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
Masala:
2 tbsp butter
6 whole cloves
5 whole green cardamom pods (lightly crushed)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2of a green chilli
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne)
6 tomatoes on the vine (roasted in the oven)
1 cup water
2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
1/3 cup cream
1 tsp honey
salt to taste

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the the chicken thighs and cut them up in small to medium chunks.
Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl and rub into the chicken pieces really well.
Refrigerate, covered, for 30 mins to an hour in the fridge.
While the chicken is in the fridge, slice up tomatoes in circles and lay them on baking sheet lined with foil.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Next, grab some metal skewers and skewer the chicken pieces through them. Place the skewers on another pan lined with foil.
Put both the pans in the oven preheated at 425 degree F, and bake for 35-40 minutes.
*Prepare the masala 10 minutes before the chicken and tomatoes are done*
To prepare the masala, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the whole cloves and cardamom pods and stir for about 30 seconds.
Throw in the chopped onion and green chilli and continue to sautee for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
Next, add in cumin, coriander and red chilli powder and stir for a minute.
Add in 2 heaping spoonfuls of tomato paste and stir for another minutes until incorporated.
At this point, add in the roasted tomatoes and stir really well.
Pour in one cup of water.
Dump the masala in a blender and puree until smooth.
Now pour it back into the saucepan over medium heat.
Add in the cooked chicken pieces and stir.
Add salt to taste.
Next, add heavy cream and stir.
For the actual aroma of this dish, add in the fenugreek leaves.
Next, drizzle honey to give it that touch of sweetness this dish needs.
Finally taste for salt and serve with naan or pita bread.

March 2, 2016April 19, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

I have to admit I am that girl you see at the grocery store sampling soups at the soup bar. And this Tomato Basil Bisque or soup (but let’s go with bisque because it sounds more sophisticated) was inspired from one of those samplings. Anything I try lights up a tiny bulb in my head and I whisper to myself I need to make a video on this. So after sampling the tomato soup one fine afternoon, I brisk walked to the fresh produce, scooped up tomatoes on the vine into the plastic bag until the bag ballooned and threatened to rip, threw in carrots, onions, heavy cream from the refrigerator.

Tomato soup can be boring if you just throw tomatoes and other stuff in a pan and puree them. And people do that! But that’s not fun. I want that roasted punch. I have been hooked on roasting veggies lately. It brings out the sweetness in them and the slightly charred edges are worth picking at. So that’s what I did. Roast the veggies till they blister a bit and puree them. Voila! This is really a no-fail soup that will keep you filling your bowl again and again if only for the aroma of basil. KEY. The bisque is light and creamy. You want to serve it with a slice of buttery toasted baguette. Like my Chicken Tortilla soup and Clam Chowder, this Tomato Basil Soup is not fussy. I don’t like fussy soups and fussy people.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Recipe Type: Tomato Basil Soup

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 4-6

This Tomato Basil Soup is luscious and creamy. And best of all I roast all my veggies to kick up the flavors!

Ingredients

6 tomatoes (preferably on the vine)
1/2 medium onion
4 carrots
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed chili peppers
4-5 basil leaves
3 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup cream
salt to taste
Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line two baking sheets with foil.
Slice carrots, onion and tomatoes in circles. Lay tomatoes in one pan and the rest of the veggies in the other. Toss in garlic cloves with the peel on.
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle brown sugar and a pinch of salt evenly and give the veggies a toss. The brown sugar will help the veggies caramelize and bring out the sweetness.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. The tomatoes take a little more time so take out the pan with the carrots, onions and garlic early if they look nice and roasted.
In a pot oven medium heat, melt butter.
Next, squeeze out the roasted garlic pulp out of the husk and stir for a few seconds.
Next add tomato paste and crushed chili and stir for a few seconds to bring everything together.
Tip all the roasted veggies into the pan. Scrape using a spoon if they are stuck to the foil. The charred bits are the best! (Make sure you don't accidentally add in the foil as you scrape.)
Throw in basil leaves along with chicken stock. Let simmer gently for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse together.
To puree, pour everything into a blender and blend until smooth. If you have an immersion blender, that will work beautifully!
Now pour the pureed soup back into the saucepan, add in cream, a few basil leaves and stir.
On very low heat, let the soup warm up.
Pour your tomato basil soup into bowls and top with a basil leaf and serve alongside a slice of baguette.

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Pakistani Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is probably one the most loved Pakistani BBQ items. I remember those late summer nights back in Pakistan when my dinner was only a good juicy tandoori chicken from Ambala foods. I would wait in the car outside the storefront with my sisters and watch the guy in his sweaty kurta effortlessly flip the birds on the grill often with tongs, but sometimes with his bare hands. The hot to-go container exudes that strong, charred smell mingled with the most aromatic blend of Pakistani spices that instantly makes your mouth water. It hits your nostrils so hard you almost start crying. OK, maybe not. But you know where I’m headed, don’t you?

Now I’m 8000 miles away trying to replicate those flavors and smells of those nights back home when dinner was a family affair and meals were always taken at the table. Now I chow down everything right at the counter. But let me tell you I come so darn close to the restaurant-quality tandoori chicken that my brother (and yes, yet again I’m treating my brother’s word like it’s the holy word) said that I outdid myself with the roast! And because I make it in the oven, I’m not wasting time getting a grill going (I’d love to only if I had one). I give this Tandoori Chicken that smoky punch that we know a good tandoori chicken must have by placing a lit charcoal in the center of large pan, surrounding it with the oven-baked chicken, and finally “anointing” that coal with some vegetable oil. This is where the magic happens. As soon as the trickle of oil hits the burning coal, the smoke that materializes will seep into the chicken. So, pop the lid on and let the smoke penetrate and flavor the chicken. This Tandoori chicken with my Seekh Kebab is a duo that cannot be beat!

Tandoori Chicken

Recipe Type: Tandoori Chicken

Cuisine: Pakistani

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Learn how to make the best tandoori chicken in the comfort of your kitchen with all that smoky goodness!

Ingredients

6 Chicken Leg Quarters
Marinade:
3 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne)
4 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp chickpea/gram flour
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 cup full-fat yogurt
Juice of half a lemon (about 4 tbsp)
For the smoke:
1 charcoal
A little Oil

Instructions

Wash and pat dry the chicken really well. With a knife make cuts on the surface of the chicken at an angle.
Mix together all the marinade ingredients. Rub the marinade onto the chicken working it into the slits.
Cover with foil and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a baking tray with foil and grease it with a little oil. Place your chicken face up on the foil and bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 400 and let the chicken bake for another 30 minutes flipping once during the baking time. (At this point you will not need to brush it with oil because unlike the open grill on which the chicken does not steam, the oven creates a lot of steam so the chicken will cook in its own juices. We're basically waiting for the juices to fully evaporate.)
To create the charred texture, place the grill on the top rack and turn on the broiler. Let the chicken broil for 10-15 minutes (flipping once). If you don't have the broiler option, just put the grill on the top rack and turn up the temperature to the highest setting on your oven. At this point you should notice the chicken start to crisp up so brush it will a little oil if needed. (Although it's a little dangerous, but I try to hold up the chicken to the flame of the oven to get the black spots on the chicken but don't do this please!)
Total baking time is around 60 minutes.
Final step is to smoke the chicken. For this, light up a charcoal on the stove. Nestle the lit coal in a foil blanket.
Next place the foil in the center of a large pan. Carefully place the chicken leg quarters around the coal.
Next, pour a little oil (about a 2-3 tbsp) right on top of the burning coal.
The smoke would release instantly. Pop the lid on and let the chicken smoke for 5-10 minutes. You are not turning on the stove at all, just smoking the chicken.
Serve with my Coriander and Mint Raita and serve hot!

February 4, 2016February 8, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Chai

Chai. Not tea. Chai.

It’s safe to say that all of South Asia thrives on chai. When guests come over, it’s customary to offer them “chai biscuit.” Similarly “evening chai” routine is ritually observed, at least in my household, and always taken out in the lawn in the company of mosquitoes that circle overhead.

To me, microwaving water or dipping teabags into water poured from the kettle is cardinal sin. It’s too English and never happening in my apartment. The real chai is the one that’s served in little glasses at the dhabas in Pakistan. Masala chai is more popular in India; it’s spiced with ginger and other stuff. But to be honest, chai is best when kept simple. Cooked on the stove and scented with cardamom (optional), chai is made with part milk part water. I’ve been making my chai this way and swear by it. Amongst my friends, I am the chai master, so this cup is worth hanging around the stove for.

While visiting Karachi a few months ago, I sat at a dhaba close to my house every single night, on plastic chairs, hot glasses of chai in hand. And because of the cool winter nights, I came back home unscathed (from mosquito attack and all else, if you know what I mean).

Chai

Recipe Type: Chai

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Serves: 1 cup

How to make the best chai. Dhaba-style!

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tsp loose tea (Tapal or Lipton from an Indian grocery store only)
1-1/2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
3-4 green cardamom pods

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium heat, pour milk and water and let it come to a simmer.
Next add the loose tea and give it a quick stir.
Once the color changes to brown, add sugar and the opened (or lightly crushed) cardamom pods
Now turn the flame a little higher and let the chai bubble and cook for 3-4 minutes. The milk won't split but make sure you do it on medium heat. Cooking the chai will make it richer and creamier, and deeper in color.
Strain into a small glass or cup.

January 21, 2016February 17, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Clam Chowder

I don’t make soups all that often at the apartment. Usually, I throw down some tacos or a quick old-fashioned chicken curry with all the Pakistani spices to get myself out of a pickle on a work day. Honestly it’s more out of sympathy for my poor brother than anything. But when I make something good, I make it a lot of times until I tire from it. This Clam Chowder proudly simmers about twice a week in my apartment. Yes, I use canned clams for convenience and yes I cut corners, but I would totally scrub scrub scrub 3 lbs of fresh clam shells, boil it in salted water if i didn’t work and read books all day with bottomless mimosas…eh coffee in my case. But I’m being practical. Regardless, this chowder is delicious and thick and smells wonderful.

You are really just opening some canned clams, chopping some veggies, pouring some juice, adding some cream and before you know it, you’ll be chowing down on this chowder! But I don’t know which of my soups I like the best because I have a killer Chicken Tortilla Soup here that will knock your socks off.

Clam Chowder

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Prep time: 45 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6-8 bowls

A few ingredients will whip up the best clam chowder!

Ingredients

3 cans of clams in clam juice
4 tbsp butter, divided
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 celery stalks
2 cups potatoes
1 medium onion
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup half and half (or cream if you like a really thick chowder)
Croutons for garnish

Instructions

Open the can of clams and drain them. Reserve the clam juice.
Dice the vegetables.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter and saute vegetables for five minutes with the spices.
Next, add 2 more tbsp of butter and let it melt.
Sprinkle flour and stir really well to incorporate.
Add in the reserved clam juice. Give it a quick stir then pour in chicken stock.
Add bay leaves and let the soup simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft.
Next, add half and half or cream.
Finally, throw in the clams and simmer only until clams are heated through. If you cook the clams for too long, they will get tough.
Serve hot, top with croutons and enjoy!

January 7, 2016January 7, 2016 by Rookie With A Cookie

Cranberry Nut Bread

Winter is quite possibly my favorite time of the year. The chill lacing the air, the slow drizzle pouring outside makes me super nostalgic. And there is no better way to treat nostalgia than in the kitchen. A lover of quick breads mixed with fruits, I had to use up the cranberries I had stored in my freezer from last year when I bought two bags of fresh cranberries that go on sale during thanksgiving time. On the packet, it said “buy two, freeze one.” So I bought two, froze one. I didn’t quite think that I would just leave it in the freezer for a year. But point being, it worked. I froze it, then used it. A full 365 days later. I’m sure you’ve done that too.

The bread comes together in literally no time. It keeps well for a few days and is really moist. Just be sure to let it rest for a few hours before slicing because the moisture releases slowly. I always bake it at night and slice it in the morning. If you slice it two seconds after it comes out of the oven, expect it to crumble on you and be dry. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.

Cranberry Nut Bread

Cuisine: Dessert

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Quick breads are my fav! If you like em too, this should be on your hit list. It's sweet and zesty and slightly tart and goes really well with that cuppa joe!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts
1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
3/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
1 large egg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nuts and cranberries.
In another jug, whisk together orange juice, oil and egg.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Batter will be pretty thick but don't over mix.
Dump the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 mins or until skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
For best results, let the bread rest for a few hours before slicing.

December 23, 2015December 27, 2015 by Rookie With A Cookie

Best Carrot Halwa Recipe

I was pretty absent from my blog this past month. In between traveling back home to Pakistan to see my family, eating a lot of deliciously spicy Pakistani food, I had time only to snap some pictures for Instagram. I held myself to my promise and did not do any cooking back home except for a farewell pizza I just had to make for my dad the night before leaving Pakistan. Mostly I was out and about eating all the foods I had on my list. And my list was pretty long. The second day alone, I had my dad drive me to one of the busiest areas in Karachi, Burns Road, because I had a bad craving for kheer (rice pudding) that’s served in ceramics bowls. A few days later I would find out that a mithai store near my house carries that same kheer in the very same ceramic bowls. All I could think while scraping away at the last bits of kheer congealed to the ceramic bowl was that I really need to start learning to make Pakistani desserts.Kheer is one that requires patience and time. I have yet to replicate that flavor you get only from kheer in Pakistan. But what I have mastered, thanks to my aunt for showing me, the easiest Gajar (carrot) Halwa. Made with sweetened carrots cooked for a long time, Carrot halwa is one of the most popular Pakistani desserts. You’ll find heaps of it served at weddings. There was heaps of it at the wedding I attended during my visit!

Before deciding on this dessert for my blog, I asked my brother if he likes gajar ka halwa. He said no. But that no turned to yes and that yes to “Holy hell this is so good because I don’t even like gajar ka halwa!” Success.

I also realized that this is my first Pakistani dessert on my blog and definitely the right one to start with. It’s a crowd pleaser, amazingly delicious, aromatic and now with this recipe ridiculously simple to make.

4 Ingredient Carrot Halwa Recipe

Recipe Type: Carrot Halwa

Cuisine: Pakistani

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour

Only 3 main ingredients, a sprinkling of cardamom, some nuts and you have the best Carrot Halwa.

Ingredients

6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 lbs carrots grated
t tsp cardamom powder
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt
3/4 cup nuts (blanched almonds, sliced cashews and pistachios)

Instructions

Grate carrots on the smallest hole of the grater. Squeeze out the juice from the carrots with your hands. Discard the juice (drink up the juice).
Heat up a skillet on medium flame and melt butter.
Add grated carrots and sautee for five minutes.
Add cardamom powder (freshly ground is best, but store-bought one is okay too).
Let the carrots cook until soft, another 15 minutes. The color of the carrots will get dull.
Pour in condensed milk and on low heat continue cooking for another 30 minutes. You can turn the flame up just a little bit. Be sure to frequently stir the carrots. After the condensed milk has completely evaporated, the carrots should appear sticky and dry. It may take anywhere from 30-40 minutes so keep an eye on the pan.
At this point, add in the nuts. To blanch almonds, soak it in hot water for 5-10 minutes, peel the skin and slice them in slivers (or just use slivered almonds).
Serve warm!
This can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. To serve, just reheat in microwave for 15 seconds.

November 18, 2015November 19, 2015 by Rookie With A Cookie

No Bake Nutella Cheesecake

I’m sure you’ve had those glorious cheesecakes at fancy restaurants that are so creamy that you positively squeal with excitement as your fork just slides down the velvety silky layers.The ganache is congealed on top of the layers as if to announce the revival of the original cheesecake. That congealed ganache truly is everything in a chocolate cheesecake. I did it all in this dessert. I didn’t bake it at all, and so I’m admittedly quite blown by this masterpiece and so are a lot of the friends whom I shared this with because trust me you don’t want to be the only one around this. This no bake Nutella devil cake is pretty explosive. It would be a sin to just stare at it and not pick up that darned fork already smeared with a bit of that mousse and take the plunge. But you must. You really must. This is food porn!

Continue reading “No Bake Nutella Cheesecake” →

November 11, 2015 by Rookie With A Cookie

No Bake Raspberry Cream Cake

I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. After this NO BAKE monstrosity that I built over the weekend, I want to pull it out. No-bake desserts make me anxious because they are always ready. Every step is ready. Every layer of cake daring me to break rules. I’ve swooped up some of that luscious custard, licked the whipped cream off my finger and munched on the graham crackers bloodied from the raspberries. Nothing was left untasted.

But can we just appreciate the beautiful layers? The simple, elegant look of this cake is everything. And it could not be easier. It’s no-bake but tastes so decadent. The raspberry seeds speckling the cake adds just the right pinkish tinge to the cream. It’s the time of year where you need to put a fancy creamy dessert on your table!

Continue reading “No Bake Raspberry Cream Cake” →

November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 by Rookie With A Cookie

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

At the time of filming this video, it was 80 degrees outside–temperature that definitely doesn’t warrant standing before a hot stove to cook soup. But if weather deterred me from making soup on a hot day, I wouldn’t take my coffee extra hot at the coffee shops I frequent. So my solution is to turn up the AC to full blast and get cooking. And just to be in the spirit of the changing “season,” I’ll throw on the coziest knitted sweatshirt because there is nothing like holding a warm bowl in hands gloved loosely with the sleeves of your sweatshirt. If the weather is particularly overcast, I would pull away my blinds, turn on some nostalgia-evoking classic movie and enjoy this bowl of comfort.

Now about this soup, I must admit with a great deal of humility that this chicken tortilla soup is very different from the ones I have tried at restaurants. The roasted pepper adds a wonderful smoky flavor and the tart tomatillos balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes and sweet onion. And of course, the spices are there to bring all these flavors together in holy matrimony... or something like that. Also, I am happy to report that the heat is finally letting up now. My a/c is turned off, so aside from me clicking way on my laptop and the fridge slumbering away in the kitchen, the night is pretty quiet and cozy. I've slipped on that cozy sweatshirt for real this time, too. The only thing that makes sense right now is to pour some of that amazing soup and build a canopy of tortilla strips!

Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

Recipe Type: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Rookie With A Cookie

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 45 mins

A chicken Tortilla Soup that will make you want to cozy up in front of the TV watching some classics!

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast
1/4 tsp each cumin powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper (roasted on stove and chopped)
4 tomatillos, husk removed and chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes in jalapenos (OR diced tomatoes in chilli, OR just diced tomatoes if you can't find the other two AND 1/2 of a jalapeno pepper deseeded and chopped)
5 cups chicken stock
1 15 oz can black beans
Juice of 1 lime
2-3 corn tortillas
cheese (optional)
coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

Sprinkle chicken breast with cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper and rub evenly.
In a saucepan with high sides, add about a tbsp of oil and cook the chicken on high flame until brown on both sides. Remove to a clean plate. *The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked right now.*
To roast the green bell pepper, simply place it directly on the burner with the flame on. Rotate the bell pepper until the skin is charred and you get black spots around it. Remove from burner. Let cool for a few minutes, then chop.
In the same saucepan in which you seared the chicken, throw in chopped onion, bell pepper and chopped tomatillo. Sautee the vegetables until soft, about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
Next, add garlic, stir, then add in cumin and cayenne pepper.
Stir the vegetables really well until they're coated in the spices.
Next, tip in the can of diced tomatoes in jalapeno along with the chicken stock and black beans.
Squeeze the juice from one lime and let the soup come to a boil.
Once the soup is bubbling, immerse the half-cooked chicken breast into the soup and turn the flame to medium-low and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the soup to a clean plate and shred it thinly.
To thicken the soup, ladle half the soup into a blender and puree until smooth.
Pour this back into the soup along with the shredded chicken and let the soup simmer for about 5 minutes.
To make the tortilla strips, cut corn tortilla length wise.
Next, heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a pan for frying. Add in your tortilla strips and fry them until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove them to a kitchen towel.
To assemble, ladle the soup into a bowl, add shredded cheese, crushed tortilla strips, and a few cilantro leaves. Serve warm and become a couch potato!
This easily serves 6-7 people!

October 28, 2015October 28, 2015 by Rookie With A Cookie

Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Truffles

Pumpkin Pie is a classic fall dessert. But what do you say to a pumpkin pie truffle? I say yes! It’s really the most delicious little bites of fall that you will giddily munch on. The pumpkin pie filling comes together in no time. And can I tell you a secret? This was my first time playing with chocolate. And when I say playing, I mean tempering. That evil process always seemed so intimidating. But when the chocolate set within minutes of coating the pumpkin pie filling, I knew I had it down.