Bihari Kabab in 8 Steps

Bihari Kabab is the food of my people. The recipe I am sharing here is sort of a family heirloom. My mom inherited this recipe, from my grandmother, and she has now passed it down to my sister-in-law and me. The only difference is that growing up we called it Seekh Kabab, since these kababs are cooked on thin flat skewers, called seekh in Urdu. It is kind of like that Friends' joke:

Joey: [to Ross] Forget about Rachel. Go to China, eat Chinese food.
Chandler: Of course there they'd just call it food. 

The story behind Bihari Kabab is that apparently there was a Moghul Emperor, who lost his teeth, but still wanted to eat Kababs. He commissioned his royal chef to create a kabab recipe that did not require too much chewing. The chef brilliantly decided to marinate the meat in green papaya. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with an enzyme called papain, found in green papayas. So without further adieu, let's get cooking.

Bihari Kabab
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Chicken Biryani in 11 Steps

My sister gave me the first edition of Mark Twain's 'The Innocent Abroad', photographed above, as a baby shower present; to remind me the lasting impression a mother can have on an individual's life. The readers of the travel book will know that Mark Twain dedicated this travelogue to his mother. 

Although, I am not a writer, but in my own humble ways, this biryani recipe is my homage to my very own loving mother. Biryani is a staple in Pakistani households. The Pakistani diaspora is incapable of having a celebratory dinner without the grand presence of this aromatic rice dish. South Asian grocery stores are laden with Biryani spice blends. In this recipe, I am using two types of pre-boxed Biryani spice blends, Sindhi Biryani Masala for the marinade, and Bombay Biryani Masala for the curry. The Sindhi one has dried plums, and the Bombay one has nutmeg. The combination of two results in more aromatic and flavorful Biryani. So let's get cooking.

Chicken Biryani
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Kubideh in 6 Steps

Persian Kababs are so easy to make that they can easily become a weeknight fare, with some serious weekend flare. You can marinate the meat ahead of time, and when it is dinner time all you have to do is mold the meat around the skewers, and just grill in the oven for half an hour. These chicken kababs or Kubideh will also be ideal for Eid dinner or other special occasions.

Kubideh
Wondering what to cook for Eid? Make Kubideh in 6 Easy Steps. For the full recipe go to:http://www.cultivateflavors.blogspot.com/2015/09/kubideh-in-6-steps.html
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Monday, September 21, 2015

Orange Souffle in 13 Steps

To quote Ai Weiwei, whose art exhibition I saw at the Art Gallery of Ontario:

There is a humanitarian crisis happening in Syria, forcing many to leave their homes, their country, and to risk their lives to find refuge in Europe. Many have been wrongly referring to this crisis as the Migrant Crisis, as opposed to the Refugee Crisis. Author John Green pointed out, these people are fleeing their homes because they are left with no other choice, hence making them refugees, not migrants, who actually choose to leave their country in search of better job or education opportunities. European countries by referring to the refugees as illegal migrants are exonerating themselves from the legal responsibilities laid out by the International Law.

It is really important to remember they are humans just like the rest of us, yearning for safety for their families and young children. These people have not left by choice. They have left their homes because after four years of war, they had no choice. I urge you to please do whatever you can to help out. Furthermore, if you celebrate Eid al-Adha, organizations like Helping Hand have arranged to do Qurbani/Udhiya or give the gift of sacrifice to Syrian communities who can really use our help. We lead such privileged lives. We have a responsibility to help those in need without any bias.

Since we are talking about stepping up, or rising to the occasion, let me share the recipe for Orange Souffle with you. These souffles are extremely decadent and ethereal. If you prefer, you can prepare the base of the souffles ahead of time, and refrigerate the base for a couple of hours. 

Orange Souffle
The most ethereal dessert, ever. Full recipe coming up soon, in the meantime enjoy the video :).
Posted by Cultivate Flavors on Saturday, September 19, 2015