Saturday 11 February 2012






 Haripur  city is one of oldest cities of Khyber Pukhtoon Kha.
 There are few places over here to visit  with family &  enjoy .
Tarbela jheel (lake) is one of them. Its is a striking deep blue lake. Tarbela lake is built  on the Indus river.
 Lake is situated at a distance of 3 km to the south of Haripur city..
Tarbela lake is a very beautiful lake where while boating one can enjoy beautiful sights of the banks spread over miles. The half sunk hilly bank on the Tarbela Lake presents a fascinating view.  In summers water spreads upto  nearest town khalabat. People come here for fishing,   boating and hunting. At sunset the view of the lake is so enchanting.  A walk on the bank of the lake is so romantic .But for our own safety we should avoid it.What me love the most about this is the crops on the banks of the lake. The crops are there till mid april and the as the water rises the fields go underwater .  I remembered the wording of Henry David Thoreau, of after such a great view “A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Gajar ka Halwa


Gajar ka halwa
Its  winter season here. Winter means different kind of halwa(pudding),dry fruits ,and oranges. And   yes that warm sandali( a pashkun traditional  way to keep warm),Aatisdan ( chimney fire). When ever there is  rain or snowfall   halwa  is   a must  dish.
Awwww dry fruit ,halwa ,oranges , yummmmm .


My way to make halwa.
Ingredients:
Carrots: 1kg    
Milk: half liter
Sugar: to taste (approx 6 tablespoon)
Oil or ghee: 3 tablespoon
 water to boil 
For Garnishing:
Walnuts: 5

Method:
Peel and grate the carrots. Take a pan boil carrots . Now add milk and sugar in it and   stir continuously .At the end add oil and stir continuously till its brown.

Garnish:
Garnish it with walnut.

Sever it  hot  gajar ka halwa

Sunday 15 January 2012


Berries 

Berries, berries me know hardly two or three kind of berries. Hmmmmm, so thought to research about it  and then share. Berries are small fruits that are delicious, as well as nutritious. Berries are a favorite of the majority of people. Besides strawberry and blueberries. Me like   strawberries & raspberries. The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary.

Blackberries: These are the most common types of false berries found in UK. These berries are small dark, purple berries that are found as a major ingredient in jams and pies. These berries have high Vitamin C level.

Raspberries: These are small, tightly packed red false berries found during summer or autumn. Raspberries are used to make jams, jellies, pies and ice creams. They have high Vitamin C and manganese content. Raspberries also contain Vitamin K and magnesium.

Cloudberry: These are small brown colored berries that ripen in autumn. They are used to make jams, juices, tarts and liqueurs. They are high in Vitamin C content and has benzoic acids that act as natural preservative.

Nanny berry
Boysenberry: These are deep maroon colored, glossy, large, juicy berries that are a cross between raspberries, blackberries and loganberries. They are used as pie fillings and to decorate cheesecakes and tarts.
Marion berries: These are a cross between Chehalem and Ollallieberry cultivars. It is glossy and darker than blackberries. It is used to prepare pies, ice creams, jellies, etc.

Tayberries: These are a cross between a blackberry and raspberry. These are very fragrant and soft berries. They are used to prepare jams.

Blackcurrant: This popular flavored berry is like the red currant in appearance. It is used in jams, pies, ice creams, tarts, etc. Blackcurrant is packed with high Vitamin C content. It also has high levels of potassium, phosphorous, iron and Vitamin B5.

Bilberry: Bilberries are edible berries that are closely related to blueberries and huckleberries. They are nearly black in color with a slight hue of purple. The pulp is red or purple in color and can stain your fingers while eating the raw fruit. These berries are very difficult to cultivate and fruits are generally collected from the wild. They are used in different jams and dishes or eaten raw.



Blue berry
Blueberries: These berries are dark-blue or purple in color. These come under the false berry type. They are used in jams, purée, juice, pies and muffins. They contain high levels of antioxidants and can help prevent many diseases, like stomach ailments, heart degeneration and heart diseas.

Chokecherry: Also called bitter-berry or Virginia bird cherry they are closely related to Black cherry. The berries have a very sour, astringent taste. The ripe berries have a dark color and are not very astringent in taste. The red colored berries are not yet fully ripe and may be very sour to taste. They are used to make jelly, jam and syrup. They require a lot of sugar or sweeteners for preservation as they are slightly bitter in taste.

Gooseberries: These are small, round, oblong or teardrop shaped berries. They have a variety of colors like red, green and purple. Gooseberries are used to prepare gooseberry tarts, pies, puddings and fruit salads. Gooseberries are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium, and manganese.

Red Currants: These are small round red or white berries that are used in making jams, tarts and salads. They have high Vitamin C, iron, potassium and fiber content.
Strawberries

Strawberries: These are the most popular fruits eaten all over the world. They are made to prepare a number of culinary dishes like jams, ice creams, coulis , tarts, pies, milk shakes, etc. Strawberries contain high Vitamin C, manganese and folic acid levels.

Grapes: Say grapes and you think of wine! Grapes are loaded with Vitamin A, C and B6. They also contain potassium, calcium, magnesium and folic acid. Grapes are the main ingredients for making wines. Try making homemade grape jellies, they taste excellent.

Acai Berries: These small, round black berries are the biggest cash crops of Brazil. Acai berries are used in juices, smoothies and other beverages. These berries are known for their antioxidant properties.

Goji Berries: These red berries are usually found dried and shriveled and are similar to red resins in appearance. They are also known as wolf berries. Wolf berries are usually cooked before consumption. They are used to prepare herbal tea, wines, rice congee, goji juice, etc. They contain 11 essential and 22 trace dietary minerals, 18 amino acids, 6 essential vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dietary fiber, etc. 

Cranberries: These are epigenous berries that are white when unripe and turn red on ripening. They are used to make juices, sauces, wines, etc. There are many cranberry health benefits that have been recently discovered. Cranberries contain moderate levels of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, minerals and manganese.

Grapes
Elderberries: Also called Sambucus, these small, dark berries grow in clusters. They are black to blue in color. They are used in jams, cake mix, muffins and syrups. They are a good source of anthocyanins and antioxidants.

Huckleberries: Do not confuse the name Huckleberry with Huckleberry Finn. It is no way associated to the fictional character created by Mark Twain. This is a small round berry that looks and tastes similar to blueberries. They come in colors ranging from deep crimson to eggplant purple. They are used to make excellent jams, pies, syrups and preservatives.

Juneberry: These red berries turn blue-black on ripening. They are similar to the size of blueberries. They are easily distinguished by the crown on the end, away from the stock. They are great to make jams, muffins, cobblers, etc.

 juniper berry
Juniper berries: These berries are false berries that are actually modified cones. They berries are green in color and on ripening turn to purple-black. They are used to season pork, cabbage and sauerkraut. They are also used to prepare gin.

Lingo berries: These berries are also called cowberry, fox berry and mountain cranberry. Lingo berry is actually a false berry that is red in color. It is used to make lingo berry jam, juice, syrup, compote, sauce, etc. It is rich in Vitamin C, provitamin-A, Vitamin B (B1, B2, B3), potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.

Loganberries: This is a ruby-red, blackberry shaped berry. It is a very sweet, juicy berry that turns purple-red when ripe. They are used to prepare juices. Loganberries contain Vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates.

Mulberries: These berries remind me of the popular nursery rhyme, 'Here we go round the Mulberry bush'. This is a multiple fruit which has red, purple or black fruits. It is used to prepare pies, tarts, cordials, jams and 'sherbets'.
Ollaliberries

Ollaliberries: These are a cross between loganberries and youngberries. Ollaliberries look similar to blackberries. They are used to make jams, toppings for ice creams and yogurt, etc.

Sea-buckthorn Berries: These are orange color berries that are soft, juicy and rich in oil. There are many nutritional benefits of sea buckthorn oil. They are used to make pies, jams, lotions and liquors. It has high Vitamin C, arytenoids, Vitamin E, amino acids, dietary minerals, β-sitosterol.


Nannyberry: These are seasonal drupes that are blue-black in color. These sweet berries are eaten by many birds and animals.
Crowberry: These are dry black berries very similar to blueberry in taste and appearance. They are used as natural food dye, pie and jelly. The Native Americans use them to heal sore eyes. Crowberries have low vitamin content and high water content.

Service berries
Service berries: This berry-like pome is red to purple in color. It is a sweet berry that is used to make pies and jams.
Salmonberry: The ripen fruit has a sweet taste and it is yellow to orange-red in color. They are made into jams, candies, jellies and wines. The Native Americans eat these edible wild berries along with half-dried salmon roe, hence the name. Salmonberries are also called thimbleberries.

Barberry: The barberry fruit is a small berry that is red or dark blue in color. Barberries are long and narrow fruits like a bar, hence the name barberry. They are used to make jams and infusions. They are rich in Vitamin C.
Wild Rose: These are red and oval berries, also known as rosehips. They are the pomaceous fruits of rose plants. They are rich in Vitamin C content.

Oregon grape: These berries have a grape-like appearance and are purple or blue in color. They look as if they are covered in powder. They are known to be anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial in nature.

Indian Plum: These berries have dark-blue or plum color and were thought to have medicinal properties by the Native Americans.

Jerusalem Cherry
Baneberry: Baneberries or bugbane are produced on a flowering plant that belongs to the family Ranunculaceae, called Actaea. The berries are the most poisonous part of the plant as they contain cardiogenic toxins. These toxins affect the cardiac muscle tissues that lead to cardiac arrect and death. The baneberries have a waxy, shiny appearance and are either red or white in color.

Jerusalem Cherry: These poisonous berries are often confused for cherry tomatoes.
Doll's Eyes: This berry is large and white and has a black mark that gives it the appearance of an eye. Doll's eyes are highly poisonous berries that you should watch out for.

Poke berry: These dark purple berries are poisonous to humans, whereas birds are able to ingest them. They are also called pokeweed, poke bush.

 I missed out lots of berries.  There are a few kinds of berries that are known to us and some that we may have never heard of. so enjoy reading about different kind of berries.
Thanks to
    Batul Nafisa Baxamusa

Monday 9 January 2012


Spaghetti & meatball with capsicum



Ingredients:

Beef or chicken mince finely grounded (meatballs):300 gms
Chopped  capsicum:2 medium size
Chopped Onion: 1 medium size
Chopped Garlic: 1 tablespoon
Chopped Ginger: 1tablespoon
Cooking Oil: 4 tablespoon
Tamarind paste: 1 cup  
Water:  3 cups
Black pepper: Half teaspoon
Salt: To taste
Red chili: Half teaspoon

Method:
Boil spaghetti in boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes or cook till tender. Drain& rinse under cold water now add 1 tablespoon oil in it and set aside.
 Make balls of beef or chicken mince. Heat oil in pot, fry balls for 5 minutes. Remove meat balls from pan .Now add chopped onion, garlic paste, ginger paste, &fry it till light brown. Now add capsicum and fry it for a minute .Now add meat balls and, red chili and fry it for half minute. Add water & tarmarind paste to the mixture .cover it and cook it on slow heat.
At the end add spaghetti mix it well.
 Sever
Sever it hot.


Hujra and jirga

Hujra


Hujra   in  Pashto stands  for Mehmaankhana or Drawing room. Hujra is derived from   Arabic means room or cell.  The  place where guests are entertained by housemates in south India, Bangladesh, Pakistan. Its   also called  baithak in hindko . The term hujra is especially prevalent in the predominantly Pashtun areas of Pakistan. Pashtun hujra are used mainly to entertain male guests by household males. Although sometimes  community hujra are also maintained by tribal units. In individual houses, the size and trappings of a hujra are sometimes indicative of family status. At our side hujra is kind of community center where men come have chit chat with their fellow villagers.
Rabab
Some times   people gathered in hujra for jirga .
Jirga is pashtun tradition in which respected people from their communities sit together and solve problems of people. Everyone respect decision of jirga. 
In old days rabab was used to play by the local artistes at night in singing mahfel or singing get together.
The rabab tradition is dying now a day which makes me sad because I loved that tradition. 
 Tribal jirga 
In this picture you can view a traditional jirga being held for some problem between two groups. The charpai (bed) are being put upside down position. That indicates an old tradition of tribal jirga held on special circumstances