INTERVIEW WITH ADMIN OF ASMIE'S KITCHEN: Asma'u Sada.
     *                   *                   *
* Zahra : Can you briefly tell us about yourself?

*Admin: My name is Asma'u Sada. Born and brought up in Kaduna. Attended both primary and secondary school in Kaduna. A graduate of Kaduna State University. I studied English. I am a writer, a caterer, bead maker, bag maker, shoe designer, artist & Event Decor. I also make homemade spices & air freshener.

* Zahra : Who motivated you to cook?

* Admin :Actually, am gifted. Because I have been cooking at young age. I am a person that always love to create and try new things especially cooking. I have a great passion for cooking and don't think I can do without it.

*Zahra: Can you tell us your kitchen blunder?

* Admin:I can't really say I had a  biggest mistake when I was novice in cooking. What I can really remember is my parents always encouraged and praised me when ever I cooked. Because I cooked for twelve people. I can still remember when I started cooking dinner for the family, my Mom had to call the attention of my family members to come and see me cooking 'Tuwo ' for the family. 😄

* Zahra: Any ingredient you always find difficulty with?

* Admin: I think it's beef. I'm not always lucky when buying beef. I had to boil it for a long time before it's cooked. Most of the time,I had to keep on adding more water before it becomes tender.

*Zahra: What food can you cook within a short time?

* Fried Rice. I love fried rice a lot. It doesn't take too much time to prepare it.

* We will like to know your favorite  Kitchen equipment.

* Frying pan. I love cooking with frying pan. I cook almost everything with frying pan. If you go through my recipes, you will see that. 😊

* Zahra :Any favourite food?

*Admin: I love any food that is cooked with potatoes.

* Zahra : What is the food you dislike most?

* Admin:  Tuwo Shinkafa with Vegetable Soup. I always frown at the food whenever I see it. 😞

* Zahra : What is favorite cookery book?

* Admin : I'm not a fan of cook books. I'm not familiar with it. I always love creating my own recipes.

* Lastly, what advice can you give to upcoming chefs?

* Admin : Read cook books, learn from professional chefs and also from  their mothers. If possible they should join cookery groups online to learn more from others.
(c) Asmie's Kitchen
               ***Inter

 Hafsah Iftikhar is the owner of the fabulous Haffa's Kitchen Adventures. She is an exceptional Chef with a great passion for cooking.
     *** THE INTERVIEW!!! ***

*Admin: We will like to know who Hafsah Iftikhar is and what your blog entails.

 Hafsah: My blog is regarding the simplest of recipes for the new comers, like myself..as the name suggests its all abt adventures in my kitchen which ive gone through while learning how to cook.

* Admin: Who motivated you to cook?

Hafsah:  They say road to ur husband's heart routes through his stomach..thats true for me, my inspiration my hubby

* Admin: What is your favourite ingredient?

Hafsah:  I believe that taste comes with right amount of ingredient at the right time so there is no specific ingredient i can't live without.

*Admin: Can you tell us your kitchen blunder?

Hafsah: I can think of 2 blunder...can't decide which one was a bigger blunder.
My first try to chicken biryani,which was never meant to be...i really feel sad for the pain and agony the poor chicken had to go through :p
Seondly, trying to impress my  hubby 3rd day of my marriage i decided to make coffee...a hot mug of coffee on the winter night was ready with a creamy heart in the centre..it wasn't until my hubby tasted it. Then I realized i added 2 teaspoons of salt instead of sugar..hahaha ...i cudn't forget his face once he had a sip of it.
P.S till date my mother in law is unaware of the incident
.
* Admin: Favorite Pakistani recipe?

Hafsah: Pulao..any sort...probably because I've almost never faltered in it.

* Admin: What's your unforgettable  Kitchen incident?

Hafsah: Being naive to cooking in the beginning i used to cook following others' recipes..i had no estimation...just stick to the recipe was my way. Once i had to use 1/4kg onions n i wasn't at all sure how many onions to use. I just blindly googled it. How much is 1/4kg onions in quantity. in urdu(aik pao pyaz kitney hotay hien) what made it funny was when my saw it once he returned from job ...hahaha he was like WTH.
After that my hubby agreed to buy me a weight scale ;)

* Admin: How do you know you wanted to become a chef?

Hafsah: Definitely after my marriage once i realized my hubby was a food lover.

Admin: Where do you see food blogging years to come?

Hafsah: Any where, where delicious food is served but nothing in the world is like pakistani food.

*Admin: Can you tell us what motivated you to start a food blog?

Hafsah: Being a doctor by profession and no job i was damn bored once my hubby was in office. Especially once his job demanded long working hours, he introduced me to blogging. I happily dived into it in order to kill my boredom. Infact he thought i would b more interested in medical related blog,but i had other plans

* Admin:Do you have any adventurous dish ?

 Hafsah: Adventurous dish -  I'm still searching for that moment. May be if i become a master chef judge some day then ill be able to answer precisely.

*Admin : What is your expectation regarding food blog?

  Hafsah: Last question: may be when smelling or tasting food online becomes possible some day :p
(c) Asmie's Kitchen
   *           *         *www.haffaskitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
3 medium beetroot (peeled & diced )
5-6 potatoes (peeled & diced)
2 eggs
1 large onion (diced)
1-2 handfuls of chopped parsley/ any green vegetable
Salt
2 stock cubes
A dash of chat masala
1 tsp curry
1 tsp mixed spices
1/2 tsp Chicken masala
1 cooking spoon oil

Method
Boil the potatoes and beetroot. Strain and set aside.
   Heat the oil in a pan, add the beetroot and potatoes and fry for 5 minutes. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the seasonings and spices, stir fry for a  minute. Then add the chopped parsley or any green vegetable, stir fry for some minutes. Lastly, pour the eggs without whisking and allow to set, then stir fry and allow to cook for few minutes.
  Serve with any soft drink of your choice and enjoy!
(c) Asmie's Kitchen

 SAMOSA
Ingredients:
3 small cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 satchet onga (classic)
Pinch salt

Fillings:
1/2 kilo minced meat
2 onions (diced)
1 green pepper (diced)
2 handfuls of chopped spring onion
2 stock cubes
1-2 cooking spoon oil
Salt to taste
1 tbsp thyme

METHOD
Heat the oil in a pan, put the minced meat and fry till it change its colour, add the onions, spring onions, green pepper, seasonings and spices and fry till stock absorbed in the meat. Remove from fire and set aside.
  In a deep medium rubber, pour 2 medium cups of water, gradually fold in the flour, stirring till thick like pap, add baking powder, egg, onga and salt. Stir. Place your non stick frying pan on the fire, when it's piping hot, dip your clean brush in the bowl and quickly rub in the pan, for the second time dip the brush and quickly rub it in the pan,it should be rubbed round the pan. Then after a minute or almost a minute or so, you will remove it from the pan and place it on a board cut the crust if there is any and divide it into 2. Fold it into a cone shape, put it between your thumb and  the other finger and put a spoonful of the fillings, fold a part of the samosa sheet inside to cover the fillings then use the other part to fold it like envelope; you can rub a  mixture of flour and water at the edges of the sheets so that it will not open when frying. Do that to the rest of the paste, till you exhaust it. Then fry in hot oil till golden brown.
  Serve with a tomato sauce or a lone and enjoy!
©Asmie's Kitchen       

Ingredients:
1 pack of spaghetti
6 carrots (peeled & diced)
Green beans (diced )
1/2 small cabbage (shredded )
1 medium cup blended tomatoes, bell peppers & onions
1 diced onion
Salt to taste
1 tbsp mixed spices
1 tbsp curry
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp ginger
1 cooking spoon oil

Method
Parboil the spaghetti, wash and strain. Set aside.
  Heat the oil in the pan, add the blended veggies and fry. Add the carrots, cabbage, green beans, onions, seasonings and spices. Fry for 5 minutes. Add the parboiled spaghetti and stir fry.  Allow to cook for few minutes.
   Your Spaghetti is ready!
(c)Asmie's Kitchen 

Spaghetti
Ingredients :
Spaghetti
Water
Method
Bring some water to the boil.  Add the spaghetti and stir. Cover the pot and allow to boil. Remove the pot from the fire. Wash the Spaghetti and strain. Rinse the pot and place it back on the fire. Add some water and bring to the boil. Add few drops of oil, then add the Spaghetti and stir. Cook on low heat till the water is absorbed.
  Remove from the fire, pack and set aside.
(c)Asmie's Kitchen

    Cucumber  & Egg Sauce
Ingredients :
1 cucumber (thinly sliced )
2 eggs
2 carrots (peeled & cut vertically)
1 diced onion
1 cooking spoon grated Bell peppers & onions
Seasonings
1 tbsp mixed spices
1 cooking spoon
Method
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the grated veggies and onions, stir fry for five minutes. Add the carrots and spices,  fry for 5 minutes. Break the eggs and pour inside the pan. Allow to set. Then stir fry and add the sliced cucumber. Allow to simmer for few minutes.
  Serve with the Spaghetti.
(c) Asmie's Kitchen

  BEAN PUDDING
Ingredients:
2 cups beans
3/4 bell peppers (cleaned and cut)
1 onion ( chopped)
Crayfish
Salt
2 stock cubes
1/2 small cup oil
1 tbsp mixed spices
2 boiled sliced eggs
2/4 tbsps crayfish

Method
Soak the beans with some water. Allow it to soak for 15 mins. Wash and remove the peel. Blend with bell peppers and onion. Add some water, seasonings, spices, cray fish, sliced boiled egg and palm oil or vegetable oil. Stir thoroughly. Pour in a Santana leather and cook in warm water. Till cooked.
 
  Egg Sauce
Ingredients :
4 eggs
1 cup blended bell peppers & onions
1-2 handfuls chopped spinach/ moringa
1-2 stock cubes
Salt to taste
Spices (garlic, pinch nutmeg, black pepper, curry & mixed spices)
1 cooking spoon oil
1 diced onion

Method
Heat the oil in a pan, add the blended veggies and fry for 5 minutes. Then add the diced onion, seasonings and spices and fry for 2 minutes. Break the eggs and pour inside the pot,  stir fry. Add the chopped spinach or moringa. Cook on low heat.
  Serve with Bean Pudding
©Asmie's Kitchen

   SPICY BEEF PEPPER SOUP
Ingredients:

1/2 kilo beef
3 Irish potatoes ( peeled & cubed)
2 carrots ( scraped & diced)
Some spring onions ( chopped)
1 diced onion
3-4 grated bell peppers & onions
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
3 stock cubes
Salt to taste
Pinch nutmeg

Method
Wash and boil the beef put in a medium pot, add salt, pinch black peppers and spring onions. Cover and allow to boil. When beef is almost soft, add the grated bell peppers and onions, potatoes, seasonings and spices. After 5 mins, add carrots, and onions. Cook on low heat.
  Serve a lone or with any  dish of your choice.
©Asmie's Kitchen               

Ingredients:
3 small peak milk tin Semovita
1/2 small peak milk of cooked rice
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

Method
Mix the semovita with the cooked rice, add some water and stir. But it shouldn't be too thick and too watery. It should be moderate. Add the yeast and stir. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and allow it to rise for some hours.
  Then add the baking powder, salt, sugar and stir. Heat your iron ware till piping hot and fry on both sides till a bit brown.
  Set aside.

Bitter Leaf Soup
Ingredients :
1 medium bunch bitter leaf (washed, mashed & washed again & strain)
2 cups blended tomatoes, onions and bell peppers
Biscuit bones
1/2 kilo beef
1 small cup groundnut (grinded)
2 cooking spoon palm oil
Salt to taste
2 stock cubes
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp mixed spices

Method
Wash the biscuit bones and the beef. Pour in a medium pot and boil together with the blended veggies till the water absorbed. Add the groundnut and stir, allow to cook for 4-5 mins. Then pour the palm oil and stir now and then till the veggies is well fried. Pour a cup of water, add the seasonings and spices. Allow to boil  for for 5 minutes. Add the bitterleaf and stir. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
(c) Asmie's Kitchen

  MORINGA SOUP
Ingredients:
1/2 bunch moringa  chopped, washed & strained)
1/4 kilo beef
2 dry fish ( deboned)
1/4 small cup crayfish (ground)
3-4 cooking spoon blended tomatoes, peppers & onion
2 cooking spoons vegetable oil
2 stock cubes
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp ground pepper  (optional)

Method
Place a medium pot on the fire. Wash the beef and put inside the pot with some water, salt, ginger powder, crushed garlic and chopped onions. Cover the pot and boil till almost cooked. Then add the dry fish and boil for 4 mins. Add the blended vegetables and a little potash or 1/2 tsp baking powder. Allow it to boil till the water in the vegetables is absorbed. Add the vegetable oil and fry for 5 mins. Then add some water and stock cubes. Cover the pot and allow to boil. Taste for salt, if it is okay, you leave it. Add the ground crayfish and stir. Allow it to cook for 4-5 mins. Then lastly, add the moringa and stir. Reduce the heat and cook on low heat.
     Serve with Pounded yam or semovita.
©Asmie's Kitchen

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 carrot (peeled & diced)
1 boiled potatoes (peeled & diced)
1 onion diced
1 handful of chopped spring onion
1 green pepper (seeded & diced)
1 tomato (deseeded & diced)
1/4 small cup liquid milk
1 bouillon cube
1/2 tsp chat masala
1 tsp mixed spices
Pinch black pepper
Pinch salt
1/2 cooking spoon olive oil

Method
Heat the oil in a pan, add the tomatoes, green pepper, carrot, boiled potato, onion, spring onion and fry for 5 mins.Season with bouillon cube and spices. Whisk the eggs with milk, salt and black pepper. Pour over the veggies and allow to set. Then scrambled the eggs.
   Serve with bread and tea.
(c) Asmie's Kitchen