Meal Course – Breaks & Bites

Restaurant-Style Chicken Jalfrezi at Home (Quick & Delicious)

December 9, 2025December 9, 2025Leave a comment

I wasn’t in the mood to make dinner, but I had no choice so I went for the easiest, quickest option I could make. A fast and delicious Chicken Jalfrezi recipe that comes together in no time. I scanned my refrigerator for options and realised I had everything I needed for a simple homemade Chicken Jalfrezi. That’s how I saved myself from spending too long in the kitchen, yet still served a flavour-packed dinner with enough leftovers for the next day. A total win-win!

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Hearty Chicken Manchurian – Authentic and Easy Desi Chinese

November 26, 2025December 9, 2025Leave a comment

Even though Chicken Manchurian is considered a “Chinese dish” in Pakistan, I’ve always had my doubts about its true authenticity. Let’s be real, this is proudly Desi Chinese, and we love it just the way it is. You can take a Pakistani out of Pakistan, but you can’t take away their love for bold flavours, comfort food, and nostalgic favourites. There are moments when we deeply miss the flavours we grew up with, and this Chicken Manchurian recipe was born out of one of those late-evening cravings. It’s simple, easy, hearty, and hits the spot every single time – perfect for anyone looking for a fool-proof, flavour-packed Pakistani Chicken Manchurian that tastes just like home.

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Easy Dum Kabab – Chicken/Beef Kabab Karahi

November 20, 2025November 21, 2025Leave a comment

Last Saturday, we had the final session of the Student Leadership Programme for E. Before leaving, I quickly placed chicken breasts on the counter to thaw, planning an early dinner when we returned. But after the session, I came home with absolutely zero motivation to cook. HI walked in after his match asking, “What’s for dinner?” The kids were hungry too, and even though I didn’t feel like cooking, I wasn’t keen on a takeaway either.

So, I stepped into the kitchen telling myself I’d just whip up a quick batch of kababs. But that simple start soon rolled into a full dum kabab dinner with fresh roti — the kind of hearty, comfort meal that makes all the effort worth it. Sometimes all it takes is that first step; once momentum kicks in, you actually start enjoying the process. I used chicken that day, but this easy dum kabab recipe works perfectly with beef mince as well and can be adapted into a delicious kabab karahi too.

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Borani Banjan – The Authentic Afghan Eggplant Dish Everyone Falls in Love With

October 16, 2025October 18, 2025Leave a comment

Last week, I hosted a lunch and, as always, made this recipe as the vegetarian option on the menu. Among the guests was a friend’s mother visiting from Pakistan. When she saw her daughter filling her plate with these baingans, she looked genuinely surprised. The conversation (in Urdu) went something like this:

Mother: tum baingan kha rai ho? (You’re eating baingan?)
Friend: ji (Yes)
Mother: Tum to ghar pe nhi khati thein… (You never used to eat those back home!)
Friend: Q k ap aisy nhi banati thein. (because, you never made them like this) 😀

Not just them, everyone loved the Borani Banjan and asked for the recipe. Honestly, this has been happening at almost every dawat lately, and I don’t know why I’ve been sleeping on sharing it!
Believe it or not, I actually filmed this recipe almost over a year ago, but it somehow slipped into my archives and never made it out. This time, though, I gave myself a deadline, and finally, here we are!
Dair aye, durust aye! (Better late than never) 😀

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Khichdi – A Simple & Quick Comfort Food

October 8, 2025October 10, 2025Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, HI asked me to make khichdi, and it hit me how rarely I cook it these days. It used to be such a staple at my nani’s (grandmother’s) home, and I absolutely loved having it for dinner there. Fresh, aromatic, steaming rice and lentil mix straight out of the pot, we’d usually enjoy it with leftover curry from lunch or with raita and those spicy onions she’d specially make for my nana (grandfather). Those were truly the days.

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One Pot Yakhni Pulao – An easy pilaf recipe

September 10, 2025September 11, 2025Leave a comment

One pot and yakhni pulao usually don’t go together but I’ve cracked the code to prepare a pulao (or pilau as some people say) in one pot for those days when you’re craving it but don’t wanna go through all the steps or just don’t have the time and energy to use (and wash) multiple pots.

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