Shaheen Ali

Paneer 65 … a perfect starter for any occasion. Comes under Hyderabadi Cuisine and has prominent Chettinad flavors that make it absolutely scrumptious. Paneer 65 is quite famous in restaurants and even in functions as a starter. The outer part is crispy where as the paneer inside is soft and chewy. The recipe is quick and home style paneer 65 is way better than those what we get in food joints. Another very famous substitute for the non vegetarians is Chicken 65. The marination process is exactly the same in both. Paneer 65 is commonly a starter or you may…

Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects. Still life photography gives the photographer more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition. Still life photography is a demanding art, one in which the photographers are expected to be able to form their work with a refined sense of lighting, coupled with compositional skills. The still life photographer makes pictures rather than takes them. Knowing where to look for propping and surfaces also is a required skill. (source Wikipedia) Recently went through many articles on internet on still life…

Green Lentil and Peas Kebabs are a perfect replacement for all the kebab lovers this winter.. Though i am not much aware of the fasting criteria but still somewhere i feel these kebabs will certainly make festivals more enjoyable. You may enjoy them as a starter , a tea time snack or even send them in tiffin for your lovable kids. They are nutritious but i also agree that as it is deep fried it somewhere restricts the weight watchers. Well in that case, you can simply shape them as a disk and shallow fry in a non stick tawa…

With the onset of festivals, comes a season of sweets and desserts. I always had a fear of making kaju katlis at home, though them to be some rocket science….unless until i found the recipe of my dearest friend Farrukh Aziz from “Cubes N Juliennes”. Recently she made some amazing Kesar Kaju Katlis, that inspired me to try my hands on too. Her recipe was one of the most finest and easiest recipe i came across. Though her’s was saffron flavored and i tried doing some innovation to the recipe by adding a chocolaty touch to the traditional sweet. The…

A lemon flavored drink that is sweetened using sugar or sweetner is a Lemonade. It can be combined with many tropical fruit juices. A complete non alcoholic that not just provides freshness but is also an amazing energy booster specially during summers. I have always been fascinated towards those red wine … hold on! i mean just the color. That deep red color always caught my attention in parties and social gatherings. In my house alcohol is strictly prohibited , hence today i tried making a non alcoholic substitute to go with my Friday darky darky mood……… yea,you got it…

Onion or vegetable fritters dunked in a creamy curd curry cooked with gram flour and flavored with curry leaves and green chilies is Kadhi. Originated in Rajasthan and later gracefully adapted in all parts of India. Kadhi is one such humble dish that can be made with various methods and is open to innovations. Usually Bhajiyas or onion fritters are added in kadhi but in different regions of India, Kadhi is cooked in various styles. Gujrati kadhi, Marathi Kadhi, Sindhi Kadhi and Punjabi Kadhi are the most commonly prepared techniques at home. It can also be made by using various…

These days my family demands something sweet after every meal. If i make cakes, it get’s finished in no time…lol. Btw, whatever sweet i make it gets over too quickly. Today again my son came up with a demand for cookies. He is a big fan of custard and that was his first choice today for obvious reasons. Didn’t had a single fruit at home today… so what? Let’s make something that tdoesn’t need any fruit, will fulfill the sweet craving too and will taste custard….Wohoooo! A CUSTARD COOKIE A cookie that is crunchy yet melt in mouth and gives…

Paneer aka Cottage cheese , the most popular cheese segment adapted in Indian homes. In India, paneer has it’s own significance, often cooked to celebrate happiness. Paneer is supposed to be a food of rich people. Still in my house, i see my mother making paneer dishes on every special occasion. Whether it’s guest arriving or any festival, a delicacy of paneer is a must at our home. I remember the first thing my son loved after he started eating solid food, was paneer. These days we get various kinds of processed cottage cheese , even with different flavors and…

Aloo Paratha – Our very first internationally acclaimed Indian flat bread that is now a common breakfast in every Indian homes (apparently) . Originated in Punjab and is still a staple breakfast of the Punjabi. They say in Punjab, the farmers use to to do plenty of hard work in fields sowing and growing wheat in farms. It was quite a task hence they needed a heavy high protien and high calorie diet that can give them strength all day long. Hence the morning breakfast used to be hot and fat aloo parathas with plenty of makkhan to go with…

A healthy day starts with a healthy breakfast. It is very important to take breakfast in morning and if you choose a healthy option, you stay fit and active the whole day. Among few healthy breakkie options , one of my favorite id Moong Dal ka Cheela. I often make this at home and enjoy it with my favorite chutney. The cheela or the crepes can also be made by using whole green lentils but the spilt lentils work well as they get easily ground and makes a fine batter. Whole green lentils are good for making dhokla or fritters…

RAKSHA BANDHAN is round the corner and everybody must be exited for it. I’m sure many might have already planned the menu as well for their beloved brothers. From past few days i have been seeing everywhere on social media, ladies making amazing sweets for the occasion. Though i do’nt have a brother but i do have a right to celebrate the purity of the festival by making some pure home made sweets. Raksha Bandhan is the festival where the sister ties a knot of love and faith on his brother’s wrist. The pious thread is known as Rakhi. These…

Dhokla is a Gujarati snack that has commonly taken a place at every Indian kitchen now days. Dhokla is usually a savory cake that is baked/steamed and then tempered with mustard, cumin and curry leaves. With time we have come across many variations of dhoklas, usually it is made with Besan/gram flour but there is another very famous version of it made with rice and lentils. Here i had tried another popular version of Dhokla made with green lentils. Though is can also be made with split green lentils but i chose to use whole today. It’s healthy and another…