Let's Chaat!

If you desire escapism from a hard day’s work, then Chana Chaat is what you should be having! Although this dish makes me reminisce on those days of my taste buds being tantalised with the seasoned and spiced chickpeas, it also reminds me of the long days of fasting during Ramadan. This dish is appropriate for every occasion. Whether it’s Eid, Ramadan, a family get together, weddings or just on your own. This dish wins the hearts of everybody. I come from a family of Chaat lovers. If Chaat has been made, then you will see the kids come away from their homework, the people in the kitchen dash to the dining table and everybody else will literally stop what they’re doing to enjoy the moment.

I went into my kitchen today to find a large bowl of Chana Chaat made for my sister’s birthday party. The flavoured chickpeas and potatoes were mixed with Papri flakes, soaked in tamarind sauce and wrapped in the cool set yoghurt sprinkled with Chaat masala along with garnished onions and coriander.

Shezad Hussain says in his cookbook, Food and Cooking of Pakistan, that “This mouthwatering snack has a crunch texture because of the paapri and sev and, like most chaats, it is eaten all over the country, especially in Punjab and Karachi and during Ramadan.” By this, Shezad means that Chaat is something that is eaten by everybody in Pakistan. In this way, Food plays a huge part in Pakistani Identity. Dishes such as Chana Chaat are conventional to Pakistani people and it is what they are accustomed to. This dish is an excuse for Pakistani family and friends to meet up, because it is something that they are all familiar with and love eating!

I did manage to get picture of the Chana Chaat before I gobbled it all up!

 

Portion of Chana Chaat

Reference:

The Food and Cooking of Pakistan: Traditional Dishes from the Home Kitchen – Shezad Hussain Lorenz Books; 1st Edition edition (30 Nov. 2016)

Meat Lovers!

Ingredients for Lamb Karahi

Authentic Pakistani Food. There is so much one can do with Lamb, and with Pakistani methods of cooking, this meat can make so many wonderful meals. The thing about Lamb is that it’s kind of like a blank canvas for flavour. Such that needs a vibrant culture, tradition or secret family recipes to bring out it’s true taste! And Lamb that is cooked the Pakistani way, for me, is just an eternal journey of happiness!

Being raised in a Pakistani family, where the cultural values are so strong and dominant, dishes containing lamb or any other meat is near enough a necessity. Not a week goes by where my family do not cook a meat-based dish. Whether it is grilled, fried or oven-cooked, our meat dishes are defined by the explosion of aromatic flavours. This type of meat has very high importance during the festival of Eid-Al-Adha. The meat of a Lamb is considered highly significance in Islam. With Pakistani culture interlinks with the religion of Islam, I want to tell you a little story of where our love for Lamb originates!

So there is a festival in Islam called Eid-al-adha. This translates to “festival of the sacrifice” and gives importance to Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham) sacrifice of his son, Ismail (Ishamel) in order to fulfil his obligation towards God. But it also signified that one should not sacrifice a human life. So instead, God put a sheep in place of Prophet’s Ibrahim’s son for him to sacrifice. And then this verse was revealed:

“The animal offerings are among the rites decreed for you by God.”- Quran 22:36

Therefore, in this way, through this sacrifice, there is a deep respect shown by Muslims for God. Every Eid, as a reminder of Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice, we sacrifice a sheep or a lamb and distribute the meat to family, friends and the needy. Eid is an exciting time for Muslims and every year my household cooks up a lavish feast with a variety of meats and sweetmeats. One dish that is enjoyed by every family member is Lamb Karahi (Ginger and Garlic infused Lamb). And I managed to get some family members to film themselves cooking this lovely dish.  

This short video teaches us so many things. Family members are like the ingredients of a dish that wouldn’t taste the same without any one of them. The way the son in the family bonds with his mother also allows him to understand how we can make healthy and tasty food at the same time. In this way, it is evident that food certainly brings the family together. The children stir the ingredients whilst the mother offers cooking tips and leads in the kitchen. I think it is a lovely way of not only improving the diets of family members when they are cooking independently but also helps to pass down the most treasured family recipes to the next generation.  

Final Result:

Reference: 

The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics). Trans. M. A. S. Abdel Haleem. USA: Oxford University Press, 2008.