Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a very weird name for something that has eggs in it.

Shak means 'to suspect' in Urdu which is a common expression in both man and women, shuka on the other hand is nothing in any language I presume but when you join these two together you get Shakshuka which is considered as the apex of all eggs recipe.

Shakshuka is originated from Northern Africa and is a tangy/spicy egg recipe. It is currently being served in Pakistan as a breakfast dish with many of its variations in the top restaurants and cafes.

I never had it any where but I always wanted to try it out. So, I came along a recipe which was publish by none other than Hirra Pervaiz on her blog ticklethosetastebuds.blogspot.com. This blog is a must visit specially for all the ladies out here. Not only for the food but a lot of other things which you will absolutely love.

Since I'm making Shakshuka for the first time and without even tasting it before I did not meddle around with the recipe except for the tomato puree quantity and made it exactly as Hira has published in her blog.

Let's start now.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 big onion chopped finely

4 large tomatoes chopped finely

1/2 cup of tomato puree

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

1 teaspoon of garlic paste

chopped coriander for garnishing.

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

I chose a non-stick pan to cook it but you can also cook it in a medium skillet.

Heat oil in the pan and add chopped onions to it. Cook them till they are translucent.

Add the garlic paste and cook until fragrant.

Add the chopped tomatoes now and cook for five minutes on medium heat until they turn soft.

Add the tomato puree now along all the spices and seasonings. Mix well and keep on stirring until it is mixed properly together and the sauce starts to thicken.

A taste check is due at this time and if its not according to your taste you should adjust it right now because life is short.

Now make three wells in the sauce at distant places.

Break an egg in each well but carefully as the yolk should not break.

Turn the heat to low now. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes depending on how yo want the yolk to be. (runny or hard)

Uncover and remove from heat. Your Shakshuka is ready now.

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on each egg.

Garnish the recipe with chopped fresh coriander.

Serve it with your favorite type of bread, sour cream or different cheese or vegetable toppings as you prefer.

Ladies and gentlemen, open your eyes for Shakshuka.

Fish Karahi

Sometimes I think about how great I am. I mean there is no limit to my greatness. I'm like the highest ranking Jedi from Star Wars.

Sometimes people bother me but I never want to show that(which I just did) because I am too cool for this nonsense.

Sometimes I do not know what the hell I am writing but I keep on writing because its amusing, at least for me it is.

Anyway

Winter is gone but not my love for sea food. Last week someone told me fish is too delicate for karahi but thanks to thechefinme.com I found the perfect Fish Karahi recipe which I will share with you all today. Thechefinme.com is run by a wonderful lady who bakes the most delicious custom cakes in Lahore and I've tried and tested that myself. She also shares some amazing recipes and Fish Karahi is one of them. Absolutely one of the most amazing fish recipes ever.

You need:

Around 1 kilogram of boneless fish fillets 1 inch cut.

Around 6 roughly chopped tomatoes.

1 teaspoon ginger paste

2 teaspoon garlic paste

2 teaspoon whole coriander

2 teaspoon whole cumin

A small piece of ginger julian sliced

4 sliced & de-seeded green chilies

3 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

5 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt per taste

2 teaspoon red chili powder

1/4 cup cornflour (maeda)

1/2 cup flour (atta)

First for the fish:-

Mix cornflour with flour. Season it with a pinch of salt, chili powder and add chilled water to form a medium thick batter.

Coat the fish properly and deep fry it till golden brown. Take out and set aside to prepare the karahi now.

  

Roast the whole cumin and coriander on low heat in a separate pan. Grind the roasted whole cumin and coriander in a raw powdered form.

Heat oil in a non stick pan or wok. Saute ginger & garlic paste on low heat.

Add whole cumin & coriander. Mix every thing on medium heat for 30 seconds and add chopped tomatoes. 

Cook the tomatoes on medium heat until they are chunky soft. Add 1/4 glass water. Add salt, chili powder & turmeric.

Then throw in the fresh cut ginger, green chilies and coriander. Masala is done when the oil comes out from the sides.

Add the fish now with 1/4 glass water and cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

What you are about to witness shall change your life completely. People, I bring you Fish Karahi. 

Singaporean Fried Black Pepper Crabs

Crabs, I don't know them and they definitely do not know me. The reason is maybe I never went to Karachi or never to a proper sea food restaurant. 

I am ghareeb aka poor. It's hard to dine out. I'm just messing I prefer to cook and take it as a challenge in fact.

I was always fascinated from crabs and lobsters so I thought I should finally give them a try and see where it goes. 

TO BE VERY HONEST till the end of this recipe I did not even know how to eat them but this is my very first attempt to crabs. As most of the dishes I have made and uploaded here are just experiments.

Take a good look at this face because this face is about to make Singaporean Fried Black Pepper Crabs.

You need:

4 blue crabs

125 ml chicken stock

5 cm ginger cut in thin slices


4 garlic cloves crushed

60 ml soy sauce

60 ml oyster sauce

80 grams butter

Half bunch green onions

2 tablespoon sugar


Few thin sliced red chilies 

A tbsp of coriander leaves

Lightly crushed black pepper corns about 30 grams


& I don't even know how to eat crabs. LOLOLOLOLOL

  

Heat 250 ml of oil in a pan on around 180°C. Cook crabs on both sides two minutes each. Cook them like it's your ex girlfriend's feelings.

 

After blue crabs turn to red, take them out and throw half of the oil out from the pan. THROW IT OUT!!!

 

Add pepper, ginger, garlic, half spring onions, half red chilies in the oil and fry for a minute till AROMATIC. YEAH! 

Aromatic is a very tough word but it has to do something with the smell.

Now add butter, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and chicken stock and simmer shimmer for a minute.

Simmer shimmer once again for a minute. SHIMMY SHIMMY YA'LL !!!

Add the crabs and cook for 4 more minutes or until the sauce is thick to your undisclosed desires

.

So after doing something which I did not  have any clue of. The crabs were all done.

Took me 15 minutes to figure how to eat these little monsters. PEOPLE I PRESENT! Singaporean Fried Black Pepper Crabs 

REPEAT AND I REPEAT there is no salt in this recipe and so do not put any. K