Friday, August 28, 2020

Foodie Diaries: August 2020 - Bringing Abbie's Cafe Back

♨️☕️Foodie Diaries: I was beginning to think my kitchen belonged to the contractor and his team and I was the one on guest status. It was creepy as I sat in the living room behind a curtain of painter's plastic, watching them do their renovation show before me --- debris, dust, scrap tiles --- I was living off a microwave in the basement kitchenette. Finally, I have the cooktop running --- proper Chai everyone! --- the dishwasher (named it Molly Weasley) is washing dishes, and now I am working on bringing Abbie's Cafe back with a hint of fancy. Let the Foodie Diaries (formerly Food Journals) begin. I am trying out new recipes (time permitting and God Willing), and experimenting with whole grain and sugar free options with each of them. Most of August will be kitchen cleaning and organization. Due to Covid19 the kitchen has become Disinfecting Central! Too much work! Sanitizing, washing, drying everything. My mother's possibly planning to call Harry and Meghan for dinner because she's gone commando about post-reno cleanup and organization. I only have two hands (Sara has two as well FYI) and the clock is not planning on giving me a 25th hour. I am racing like a maniac but trying to respect my mental health. Mantra of the month is: Dimagh Thanda Chai Garam (Cool Mind, Hot Chai). That funky graphic is from @thedaftdraft the amazing illustrator.

♨️🍽 Lately, dinner times have become very peaceful, Alhamdulillah. I am focusing on cooking simple foods. Simple foods for simpler life for now, as I am investing most of my time in deep cleaning and organizing the kitchen ••• For instance, tonight was Chicken Korma and a side of Dal Chawal ••• simple, delicious ••• After a hard day of breaking my back cooking, cleaning, disinfecting, and paperwork, a hot meal 🥘 comes as a blessing ••• Alhamdulillah ••• God needs to be thanked for every bit.
🍒As if the universe is giving me signs too ••• My Oui yogurt pep message this evening was “Say Oui To Take Time Off” ••• Flavored yogurt (just a tablespoon) comes as an innocent dessert choice ••• I can do it everyday 🍦
🧇 You can never have too much syrup 😉

🍕 Bua becomes a superhero 🦸🏻‍♀️ when the cheese strings out far from the slice of pizza! •••
🥚Fried eggs ••• This is how I do it (my Nani’s style) with tarka (tempering). These go into Anda Aloo Curry and Anda Chana Curry, both. The tarka contains: cumin seeds, red chili flakes, oil, and sometimes a curry leaf or two.
🪔Two days of Ashura fasting are over for me today. I did Friday and Saturday. Kept it super simple. Most things were instant or frozen. May Allah accept our fasts, ameen. ♨️Sehri 🔸Date 🔸Cheese Omelette by Sara 🔸Whole wheat paratha 🔸Orange juice with Magnesium powder 🔸1/2 cup oatmeal 🔸Nihari ♨️ Iftar 🔸Maggie 🔸Punjabi samosa 🔸Rooh Afza Doodh Wala Sharbat 🔸Kheer ♨️Anda Chana Curry ••• recipe coming soon InshaAllah! Working on typing it out. Promise! 😉 Any Harry Potter fans? That potholder is from Etsy. 🌽 Masalaydaar Desi Bhuttay ••• Ah! After a long time ••• Baked plain, without any rubs or toppings, at 425 F! ••• Once they were done, I prepped a baking sheet with Chaat Masala, cumin powder, and salt all sprinkled around, squeezed a generous drizzle of lemon and rolled the corns around on the sheet ••• all done! I have more corn in the fridge and will be working on perfecting the rubs! 🥘 National Quick Haleem Mix ••• I used it to make Chicken Haleem ••• It’s a make do kind of thing so I will recommend only for quick fixes ••• Shan is better I feel, more flavorful ••• 🥒Lauki ••• Bottle Gourd ••• Finally mustered up the courage to cook some homestyle gheeya lauki with the most basic masalas ••• ♨️Baby Welcome Party Menu 🔹Fried Mutton Chops 🔹Anda Chana Curry 🔹Mini Pizzas 🔹Mutton Pulao Theme: 🍼 Baby Boy Welcome Dinner Party

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