Whatcha Got Cookin

[Najah]

Nraf: u can't hide ur Passion for cooking brother, it will obvious to ur future wife one way or another.

Sister. Men can do washing, they just pretend they don't know how.

[Abu Coburg]

I wouldn't use ghee though, just because it's not healthy, I'd probably substitute butter or oil if that'd work.

I don't know if you got me. The ghee is purely for the aromatizing. You wouldn't eat it, 'coz it would mix with the ash.

You take a small clay cup, or an open can, like an open tuna can, or make a smallish cup out of aluminium foil. Place a burning piece of coal in it. Pour a table spoon or two of ghee onto the coal.

Place this little cup thing inside your almost done biryani pot. Seal it with dough (preferably) and let it get pressured and steamed for another 10 or so minutes on a low flame, like you do, with an extra pan under the pot.

When you open it, throw away that little cup with the coal and the ghee. Every grain of rice is going to have the sensational aroma of the charcoal smoked ghee, mixed with the biryani's own aroma.

You could use ghee or butter or oil to fry the biryani's meat & spice base, but that's not what I was talking about.

[Sister.]

@ najah's post

[NRaf]

Nraf: u can't hide ur Passion for cooking brother, it will obvious to ur future wife one way or another.

Sister. Men can do washing, they just pretend they don't know how.

Whilst it may very well be excruciatingly obvious that I enjoy cooking, that doesn't mean I'm going to want to do so everyday. :| Then it'd go from being a hobby to becoming a chore... And everyone knows that chores aren't relaxing. I'm sure there's a rule somewhere that mentions that chores are meant to be boring and creativity is highly discouraged and frowned upon. Also, failures in chores (i.e. pie falling onto floor) are more serious than failures in hobbies (i.e. pie falling onto floor).

[from water]

I don't know if you got me. The ghee is purely for the aromatizing. You wouldn't eat it, 'coz it would mix with the ash.

Gotcha AC, yeah I understood that wrong. I'm definitely going to have to try this, and I'll post my findings when I do insha Allah. Although I'll have to be careful with handling hot coals.

Sister. Men can do washing, they just pretend they don't know how.

We can even tidy the house >_>. I live alone, so I have to do all that stuff. I think the reason women would end up cooking is because men are out working and they're helping out. But of course it's always a nice gesture to take the cooking off your wife's hands every now and then, esp for a surprise. I heard from a married friend of mine that women appreciate that sort of thing.

Edit: Btw Nraf, chocolate pie eh? I actually never heard of that before, but I guess you can make a pie out of anything.

I actually tried a really nice homemade pie exactly two weeks ago from today (let this be a testament to the niceness of this pie). Basically it was full of walnut chunks, sugar, and maybe a little bit of orange blossom water (maa' zahr). You know, just like what they stuff ma3mool with. Then on top of the pie (but still mostly inside it) were pitted dates. I took one look at that pie and said "me no likey", because I'm ignorant and judge books by their cover. But then a friend offered me some, and I was like waow thas good! The dates were actually very good in it, because they were cooked and thus completely melty and gooey, not chewy at all. And all that with that great walnut mix and pie dough/bread. It was good bro, give it a try sometimes.

[Najah]

InshaAllah from water you will marry a wonderful sister who will help u out in the housework/cooking. Housework/cooking is a chore, I hate it!

[aussiemu]

I was going to make chicken curry till I got home and found out that my gas is not working. So now I have no hot water, stove or ducted heating an it is freezing. ended up getting nandos. which is yum.

[Curiously_Undercover]

Nandos - overrated.

FW: Get the recipe please!

[Najah]

I'm yet to make jimmys butter chicken, still got thigh breast in the freezer.

[from water]

FW: Get the recipe please!

I don't really follow a specific recipe, but this is definitely where I started with my biryani:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOvFCGjGp1A

This guy is so funny. He actually eats a bit of his biryani at the end and cries because he liked it so much. Then he comes back to say that this only makes his appetite better >__>

Anyway, I don't even really do it the way that recipe states. Depending on my mood, I'll either mix my own spices with some pre-packaged biryani mixes, or just make the whole thing from scratch. Most important thing is to use yogurt though, that makes a world of difference. Yogurt in cooking is just amazing in general tbh.

[Sister.]

Lol I like your little friend; "we are going to make the lamb marination" hehe

[Curiously_Undercover]

I don't really follow a specific recipe, but this is definitely where I started with my biryani:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOvFCGjGp1A

This guy is so funny. He actually eats a bit of his biryani at the end and cries because he liked it so much. Then he comes back to say that this only makes his appetite better >__>

Anyway, I don't even really do it the way that recipe states. Depending on my mood, I'll either mix my own spices with some pre-packaged biryani mixes, or just make the whole thing from scratch. Most important thing is to use yogurt though, that makes a world of difference. Yogurt in cooking is just amazing in general tbh.

I was talking about the pie

[NRaf]

I second pie recipe.

And yeah, Vahchef has pretty cool videos. I like his keema mattar recipe - good for a quick dinner.

[Sister.]

He has pretty cool facial expressions and hand gestures too

[Ummi_Abdulmalik]

Pasta with bolognase sauce

[aussiemu]

Vahchef is cool!

[S I M B A]

That looks like a rely hot biryani

[from water]

I was talking about the pie

Well, I don't have the pie recipe, but... it's very easy to make I think.

Do you know how to make the ma`mool's nut stuffing? I personally do not, but I know it's crushed walnuts with sugar and orange blossom water. You make the pie dough (which Nraf should know how to make), you place nut mix inside, you place top layer of pie dough, then embed some dates on top of the pie and cook it for... not sure how long.

I'm not sure who made the pie at the time, because it was in a large gathering. Still though, reproductions possible I'd say. Tis simple, yet effective.

[Curiously_Undercover]

The dates were on top of the crust?? cool...

Isnt it heavy though? Cause ma'mool is quite heavy..

[from water]

It's definitely on the heavy side, but yeah the dates go on top of the crust. They're embedded such the only one side of the date is exposed, and the rest of it is inside the pie. You can line them up in a circular fashion where they all point to the center of the pie.