We just got back from a month long (short) vacation which mostly involved driving and halting at each of our homes for a couple of days where we fueled our hunger for home cuisine. Both mom and umma were so keen in serving us our favourite dish day after day even though our size was the topic of discussion. :-P I know the new year is around and as a normal person, I have efficiently not kept up with the resolutions. Lesson learnt - ain't listing any resolutions this year! never. ever.
Back at my in-laws, I knew my bro-in-laws would not spare me as my love for food, photography and blog were displayed all over my social media accounts. I kept dodging the demands, and instead, clicked pictures of most of the food that we got served both at home and restaurants. It is not at all easy to cook effortlessly while in any other kitchen other than yours hence I remained a sous chef all through the vacation. :-)
This time our vacation time was all about meeting with far and near family and friends. Some were planned, some totally unexpected and some because it was customary. Thankfully, unlike last time the universal question of why delaying the "third" one has subsided so much that made me think that the question has an expiry date and doesn't apply to couples married for 3 years! :-D cracks me up. Anyways, all I had to say was, InshaAllah.
With least hope. I had taken my laptop along to share a few recipes while there but as suspected that never happened. I missed sharing the first Muslim Food Bloggers Challenge post though I had cooked it just a few days before I left to India. So today along with a brief life lately, I will share MFB challenge idea too.
Muslim Food Bloggers is a Facebook group that started growing in number and Rafeeda aptly initiated this challenge idea. You can read more about the challenge here. The first challenge was to cook a recipe from the most popular blog - Chef in Disguise by Sawsan. That is not a challenge at all! Her blog is a great source of inspiration to try Middle East cooking.
Though every recipe in her blog is worth trying, I chose to make Kraiza because I had to use my new bottle of Mastic tears! I book marked this recipe the day she posted because I loved the story, the photography, and the simple ingredient. Some of you might be aware of my love for semolina, so Kraiza it is!
Kraiza is a simple semolina pudding that has a very light scent note of Orange blossom water and mastic. I followed her exact recipe skipping the food colour. The quantity prepared serves at least for 4 to 5 people but we had it in the course of 2 days as I am not good in sharing my fav food! :-P.
As I have not made any changes to her recipe, I decided to try and replicate her photography idea too. :-P
For the recipe and instructions on how to make Kraiza, please go to Sawsan's blog.
For my friends and family, who cannot locate mastic gum or tears, I read online that you can try replacing the mastic with any of these Frankincense Tears, Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum and Gum Arabic Powder Organic. You can also use rose water if orange blossom water is not available. Gelatin or agar agar would change the texture and might not give the same output.
I am late to the party and hope not to make it a habit. :-P
Do check the rest of the contributions to the challenge by some of the amazing food bloggers!
This time our vacation time was all about meeting with far and near family and friends. Some were planned, some totally unexpected and some because it was customary. Thankfully, unlike last time the universal question of why delaying the "third" one has subsided so much that made me think that the question has an expiry date and doesn't apply to couples married for 3 years! :-D cracks me up. Anyways, all I had to say was, InshaAllah.
With least hope. I had taken my laptop along to share a few recipes while there but as suspected that never happened. I missed sharing the first Muslim Food Bloggers Challenge post though I had cooked it just a few days before I left to India. So today along with a brief life lately, I will share MFB challenge idea too.
Muslim Food Bloggers is a Facebook group that started growing in number and Rafeeda aptly initiated this challenge idea. You can read more about the challenge here. The first challenge was to cook a recipe from the most popular blog - Chef in Disguise by Sawsan. That is not a challenge at all! Her blog is a great source of inspiration to try Middle East cooking.
Though every recipe in her blog is worth trying, I chose to make Kraiza because I had to use my new bottle of Mastic tears! I book marked this recipe the day she posted because I loved the story, the photography, and the simple ingredient. Some of you might be aware of my love for semolina, so Kraiza it is!
Kraiza is a simple semolina pudding that has a very light scent note of Orange blossom water and mastic. I followed her exact recipe skipping the food colour. The quantity prepared serves at least for 4 to 5 people but we had it in the course of 2 days as I am not good in sharing my fav food! :-P.
As I have not made any changes to her recipe, I decided to try and replicate her photography idea too. :-P
For the recipe and instructions on how to make Kraiza, please go to Sawsan's blog.
For my friends and family, who cannot locate mastic gum or tears, I read online that you can try replacing the mastic with any of these Frankincense Tears, Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum and Gum Arabic Powder Organic. You can also use rose water if orange blossom water is not available. Gelatin or agar agar would change the texture and might not give the same output.
I am late to the party and hope not to make it a habit. :-P
Do check the rest of the contributions to the challenge by some of the amazing food bloggers!
