White Jasmine

2012-01-10T09:15:00.001-08:00

An interesting culinary experience last Friday. Had to wait 90 mins. for our entree to arrive at a local Madison restaurant. Restaurant was gracious enough not to charge us for the entree. Desserts were fairly decent. It was one of the evenings which turned out fairly enjoyable as my friend and I had plenty of time to catch up while we were waiting for the food:)

Pakoras-Perfect for the changing weather!

2011-10-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

With the changing seasons we tend to have different cravings. I am not sure about everyone else but I tend to crave fried food as the weather starts to get colder. Here is one of my favorite recipes, Spinach Pakoras. Pakoras are more like fritters, fresh spinach dipped in a spicy garbanzo beans flour batter with whole cumin and then deep fried. I love to make Raita- yogurt sauce to use as a dipping sauce which adds a flavorful dimension to the experience. What is there not to like!

Check out the traditional Pakora recipe below, can substitute other vegetables like, zucchini, potatoes, green onions.

Spinach Pakoras – Fresh spinach dipped in gram flour batter:

2 cups garbanzo beans flour
1 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
3 cups fresh spinach-coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
cooking oil for frying

Mix garbanzo beans flour, water and all spices to make a batter. Add chopped spinach, green onions and cilantro. Heat oil in a frying pan, so it is hot but not smoking. Add a tablespoon of the batter to the oil at a time. Turn it over when one side is firm and light brown. Take it out when both sides are done and leave it on kitchen towel so excess oil is absorbed. Transfer to the serving dish and serve warm with raita (yogurt dipping sauce with cumin and cilantro).

Check out other delicious recipes

Another Year-A New Leaf

2011-01-26T07:10:00.000-08:00

There is something special about turning a new leaf and starting fresh. As this new year starts, I have committed myself to a couple of resolutions. First resolution; once a month, creating at least one recipe, highlighting one of the fresh herbs. Second resolution is more on the personal side; once a week learn to spare an afternoon/evening for myself. I think it will work to start small with two resolutions unlike in the past when I try to make too many resolutions, then struggle to keep up with them or fail miserably and feel guilty for the rest of the year:)

Here is my first recipe for January and the fresh herb of the month is Fresh Rosemary:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fresh whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon White Jasmine Sajji Masala
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish. In a bowl, add yogurt, Sajji Masala, salt and rosemary, mix well. Spread the mixture on the chicken breasts and place the dish in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.

Serve with a fresh salad and mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!

Huma Siddiqui
President

White Jasmine Gouda Cheeses highlighted in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

2010-12-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

White Jasmine Cheeses are highlighted for the fourth day of Christmas, enjoy!

Stately gift-giving
Wisconsin foods can fill out your Christmas list

By Marybeth Jacobson, Journal Sentinel

Dec. 14, 2010 |(14) Comments
Related Coverage

* Wisconsin foods can fill out your Christmas list
* Lake Mills couple peddle artisan marshmallows

If the gift-giver in "The 12 Days of Christmas" had shopped in modern-day Wisconsin instead of merry old England or France, the lucky recipient would have been too busy eating to sing about dancing ladies, leaping lords and geese - a-laying or otherwise.

While Wisconsin might have its maids a-milking, our state's food scene offers much more than dairy products. Wisconsin's farmers, entrepreneurs and artisans offer a range of culinary delights sure to tempt the taste buds and win the affections of the most discerning true love.

What's more, food gifts from Wisconsin fit with the local foods movement, a concept dear to the hearts of a growing number of consumers.

"People want to know where their food is coming from," says Christine Lindner, who in her role as Wisconsin's 63rd Alice in Dairyland is traveling the state encouraging residents to shop locally this holiday season.

We've looked beyond the familiar in assembling a list of Wisconsin food gifts for your 12 Days of Christmas giving. And we encourage you to look beyond this list. The shelves of your neighborhood grocery store likely hold a wide selection of Wisconsin products, from maple syrup to artisan cheese to Door County cherries and more.

Lindner suggests seeking out products with the Something Special from Wisconsin trademark, which assures shoppers that at least 50% of the item's ingredients, production or processing activities are from or take place in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has operated the Something Special from Wisconsin marketing program since 1983.

Shoppers can go to www.savorwisconsin.com for a list of Something Special from Wisconsin companies and their contact information.

Another website for Wisconsin food products and gift baskets is www.wisconsinmade.com, which ships anywhere in the United States. While you'll need to act quickly and pay for expedited delivery for your gifts to reach their recipients in time for Christmas, don't panic. The 12 Days of Christmas start Dec. 25 and run until Jan. 5. And wisconsinmade.com offers gift certificates.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Lu Austin fruit and jalapeño jams. Husband and wife Jeffrey Austin Klean and Linda Lu Klean combined their middle names when they named their Elkhorn company in 2003 and have been putting together unique combinations ever since. Their Jalapeno Jams Variety Pack includes a 10-ounce jar of each of four flavors: raspberry jalapeño, strawberry jalapeño, blackberry citrus jalapeño and cherry chipotle. $22 at wisconsinmade.com. Or buy individual flavors for $5.50 each at luaustin.com. Lu Austin products are sold at all four Wild Flour Bakery locations in Milwaukee and at Sendik's Food Market in Greenfield.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Babcock Hall ice cream. The University of Wisconsin has been making and selling ice cream on its Madison campus for more than 90 years. Choose among some of the most popular flavors, such as Orange Custard Chocolate Chip, Mint Fudge Marble, Cookie Dough and Strawberry Swirl, to create your own four-pint variety pack. $31.50 from wisconsinmade.com.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Cranberry syrup from Urban Processing. Three generations of the Urban family raise cranberries in their marsh in Wisconsin Rapids. Their deep red syrup adds a sweet-tart punch to everything from pancakes and ice cream to fruit smoothies. $5 for a 10-ounce jar at wisconsinmade.com. For a selection of other Urban Best products, go to cranberryproducts.com.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Tandoori Gouda cheese from White Jasmine. Madison resident Huma Siddiqui promotes the cooking of her native Pakistan through her classes, television show and White Jasmine website and products. East meets West in her latest contribution to the state's culinary scene: a line of Gouda cheeses from Wisconsin that are seasoned with her spice blends. Her tandoori masala blend gives her tandoori Gouda a smoky richness. White Jasmine cheese, which also is available in cumin Gouda and sajji barbecue flavors, is sold in a number of area grocery stores, including Grasch's in Brookfield and Metcalfe's Sentry in Wauwatosa. Go to whitejasmine.com for a complete list. A selection of three 8-ounce wedges costs $19.49 at wisconsinmade.com.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Herbal tea from Rishi Tea. Warm your true love's heart with a selection from the Milwaukee company's new herbal tea line. Try Tangerine Ginger, which plays spicy ginger and succulent tangerine against a backdrop of essential citrus oils, sweet licorice root and tart berries. Other flavors include Cinnamon Plum, Chamomile Medley, Bergamot Sade and Hibiscus Berry. Tins of the tea, which vary from 1 ounce to 2.9 ounces depending on the flavor, retail for $9.99. The organic, naturally caffeine-free blends are sold at Whole Foods and most Sendik's Food Markets and will be available at Outpost within the next few weeks.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Jazzed-Up Marshmallows. Jason and Michelle Quednow of Lake Mills are out to prove that marshmallows aren't just for hot chocolate and s'mores anymore. They say their handcrafted confections make a worthy stand-alone snack. Choose from strawberry, cookies and cream and many others. Half a pound, which contains 20 to 30 1-inch marshmallows, costs $10 at jazzedupmarshmallows.yolasite.com.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Seymour Dairy blue cheese and Potter's crackers. Seymour Dairy Products in Seymour crafts premium blue-veined cheeses with an old-world taste in the traditions of Denmark, Germany and Italy. An 18-ounce sampler of four different types sells for $27.25 at wisconsinmade.com. Or create your own selection at seymourdairyproducts.com. Give the blue cheese a worthy partner in the form of organic artisan crackers from Potter's Crackers in Madison. The Classic Wisconsin Variety Pack at wisconsinmade.com contains a 5-ounce package of each of three flavors: Caraway Rye, Garlic and Baby Onion, and Six Seed. It costs $16.50. Potter's crackers also are available through foodzie.com.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Chocolate roses from Beerntsen's Confectionary. The eighth day of Christmas, New Year's Day by another name, will smell as sweet as a bowl full of roses for University of Wisconsin football fans. Mark the Badgers' appearance in the Rose Bowl game with a dozen chocolate roses from Beerntsen's Confectionary in Manitowoc. $10.99 at wisconsinmade.com.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Pheasant brats and buffalo hot dogs from MacFarlane Pheasant Farm with Old Man Charley's brat sauce. MacFarlane Pheasant Farm in Janesville offers a new take on game day with its pheasant brat and buffalo hot dog sampler, an ideal choice for a Lambeau Field tailgate. The sampler contains four brats in each of three flavors - smoked golden harvest with apple, cranberry and almond; Southwestern with pepper cheese and jalapeño; and cordon bleu with ham and Swiss cheese - plus six buffalo hot dogs for $37.50 at pheasantfordinner.com. The brat sauce gift assortment from Old Man Charley's in Oshkosh lets you select four 16-ounce jars from six varieties of brat sauce. Old Man Charley's describes original, which is made with yellow peppers, sweet onions, red and black pepper and lemon and lime juice, as "spicy but not too spicy, hot but not too hot." Other flavors include horseradish, spicy mustard, onions and sauerkraut, hickory smoke and extra mild. $22 for four jars at wisconsinmade.com.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Portobello salsa from River Valley Ranch. The Burlington mushroom farm and kitchen, which has been featured on the Food Network's "Food Finds," roasts its Portobellos and combines them with Roma tomatoes, chiles, onions, cilantro and Key lime to create memorable salsa with medium heat. Order a 10-ounce jar for $5.49 or a 16-ounce one for $7.99 at rivervalleykitchens.com, or buy the salsa as part of a sampler that also includes River Valley Ranch spinach-artichoke dip mix and dill "shrooms" at wisconsinmade.com. Get a 10-ounce jar of each for $16.75.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Salted beer and pretzel caramels from Becky's Blissful Bakery. Rebecca Scarberry, the Becky behind the Pewaukee confectionary, raises the irresistible salty-sweet combination to new heights, and the resulting treat sticks, in a good way, in the form of her beer and pretzel caramels. The beer is from Lakefront Brewery, and all ingredients are 100% organic. Available online at beckysblissfulbakery.com and a handful of stores including Outpost and Sendik's Fine Foods at Brookfield Towne Centre. $10.49 for 4 ounces.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Festival Medley wild rice blend from Rice River Farms. Keeping a New Year's resolution to eat more healthy grains is easy with this Spooner company's selection of wild rice products. The Festival Medley contains dried cranberries and slivered almonds with a maple and apple seasoning packet. Just add water and cook. Rice River Farms' products are available at Whole Foods, the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe in the Milwaukee Public Market and Bunzel's Meat Market. Or order a three-box variety pack for $17.95 at wisconsinmade.com.

White Jasmine in the news!

2010-08-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

Cut a slice with spice: Entrepreneurs add Pakistani flavors to Wisconsin cheese:
By CHRIS MARTELL | cmartell@madison.com | 608-252-6179 | Posted: Friday, July 30, 2010 4:35 am |
New cheeses and spices are now part of the White Jasmine line of products made by Huma Siddiqui and Samir Karimi.
MIKE DeVRIES — The Capital Times

Huma Siddiqui left Pakistan almost three decades ago, but memories of the aromatic spices that filled her home never left her.

So when Siddiqui and her two children moved to Mount Horeb 15 years ago to join her brother’s family, much of the culture shock was culinary.

“Everything here was so unbelievably bland,” her son, Samir Karimi said recently. “I grew up in London where curry was everywhere. I’d never seen a cow, and now I had friends who lived on farms.”

Aside from the fresh white cheese, paneer, and an occasional novelty import like Cheddar, cheese — that Wisconsin staple — was almost nonexistent in the Pakistani diet.

So the entrepreneurial mother and son team, who are now business partners, recently arranged a marriage of the Dairy State and Pakistani spices by introducing three new cheeses: cumin Gouda, made with whole cumin seeds and red chili flakes; tandoori Gouda, which includes spices like turmeric, chili powder, powdered tomato and beetroot, lemon peel, paprika, garlic and red chili flakes; and Sajji BBQ Gouda, dressed up with chipotle flakes, chipotle powder, oregano, onion, garlic and red chili flakes.

The new cheeses are an expansion of their existing business, White Jasmine, which specializes in spices and other imports. Their line of spices include blends like tandoori masala — traditional in Pakistani cuisine, but Siddiqui said they work “in any dish from any culture,” like pizza and burgers.

“The blends eliminate the need to buy a lot of different spices, which get stale quickly,” she said.

Both believe the timing of their arrival in Wisconsin was fortunate.

“People were getting interested in trying spicier foods back then, and getting used to it,” Siddiqui said.

And new studies on the health benefits of certain spices have upped interest even more.

“In Pakistan, spices have always been used in healing — especially turmeric, which is used topically, and ginger for the stomach. And the more spices you use, the less salt you need,” Siddiqui said.

Through their product line, cooking show “White Jasmine Everyday Cooking” (Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on Ch. 15; on hiatus until fall), cooking classes at Orange Tree Imports in Madison and All Through The House in Stoughton, plus a busy schedule of appearances at food festivals and events, the duo is encouraging the fusion of Pakistani spices and cuisine with those of other cultures.

“The spices of Pakistan are a lot like those used in lots of other places, especially Mexico and Italy,” she said. “We’re encouraging people to experiment, and to cook at home.”

The new cheeses are sold at HyVee, Whole Foods, Metcalfe’s Sentry and are coming soon to Woodman’s. Prices vary depending on the store.

Posted in Dining on Friday, July 30, 2010 4:35 am Updated: 6:39 am. Huma Siddiqui, Pakistan, Samir Karimi, White Jasmine

Power of Food

2010-05-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

Time to time it is important to take some time to reflect on the years past. When I look back and think about the journey it is overwhelming at times how my life unfolded over the past 30 years or so. Growing up in Pakistan in the midst of a big family, leaving the culture and the country behind to move to Africa and starting a new phase of life as a married couple, having my daughter, then moving to England, having my son and then moving to Wisconsin as a single parent and with tons of responsibilities, now running a business with my son, hosting a cooking show, working and meeting some of the most wonderful people.........I could have never imagined I would be fortunate enough to experience such adventures, challenges and successes in my life.

Cooking and sharing the food with my kids and friends has been a staple, regardless of which part of the world we happened to live. I have come to believe in the hidden power of food, it served as an anchor when our lives were going through many changes. Food is not only meant to satisfy our hunger but also brings families and friends together in the best and the worst of times in our lives. Cooking to me is a critical part of my life because it brings a positive energy in our home, the experience of cooking some great dishes, the fragrances, the warmth, is outstanding. What better way to get to know other cultures and communities than share a meal, just makes it simple to cross the bridge of alienation and isolation.

Here is one of my favorite recipes, which to this day my best friend Tess still refers to as Karachi Chicken. This is her favorite dish and I get frequest requests from her. The best part is that she is a picky eater and doesn't like onions and green peppers. Whenver we go out to eat I see her picking out these ingredients from her dishes. Guess what are some of the main ingredients in this recipe; onions and green peppers. All I can say is that food, family and friendships are powerful things in life, which we treasure!

Karahi Chicken:

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 whole green cardamoms

2 whole black cardamoms

2 whole cloves

1 4 inch cinnamon stick

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

1 tablespoons cooking oil

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons White Jasmine garam masala

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oli in a wok or a deep pan, add all whole spices, add the chicken and saute for a couple of minutes, add garlic and ginger and saute for another 2-3 minutes until chicken is not pink anymore. Set aside. heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a separate pan and saute all the vegetables, add all ground spices. Add the sauteed vegetables to the cooked chicken and let everything simmer for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and serve with basmati rice.

Enjoy the Karahi or Karachi Chicken:)

Infused Olive Oils and Balsamics-How Delicious!

2010-05-04T04:43:00.000-07:00

There is just something so wonderful about trying new flavors and playing around with them, that is one of my favorite past times. I have been trying some of the infused oils and vinegars at The House of Oils in Hilldale Mall, Madison. That place is a flavor-haven for someone who wants to try new recipe ideas and flavors. The wonderful oils and White Jasmine spices together create out of this world flavors and the best part is that you don't have to be a gourmet chef to bring these dishes to your dining table. As you know. I am fond of simple, easy recipes bursting with flavors and I am always on the look out to incorporate new, healthy and invigorating ingredients to continue to develop new recipes and flavors.

Some of my favorite olive oils are Cilantro-onion, Tuscan-herb and Harissa. You can add them to any recipe and it feels like the recipes suddenly come alive. I have never tasted dark Chocolate Balsamic, a healthy and flavorful balsamic, which can be used in desserts or any other dishes you would like to add this amazing flavor to.

Here is one of my recipes you might want to try:

1 pound cake, sliced

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

2 cups, heavy whipping cream, lightly whipped

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon lime rind

4 tablespoons House of Oils Chocolate Balsamic

Place the pound cake slices in a pie plate, add strawberry slices. In a bowl lightly beat the cream and sugar, add lime rind. Pour on top of the pound cake and strawberries. Drizzle the chocolate balsamic. Enjoy with a warm cup of your favorite tea.

So try something new and savor the experience!

New Year, New Products!

2010-04-13T05:23:00.000-07:00

Just love the feel of introducing something new to the world, something that didn't exist before. At the moment I am enjoying the wonderful feeling of seeing our new line of cheeses flying out to the stores and off the shelves, very exciting! The beautiful marketing materials, recipe cards for each cheese flavor are proving to be a great help in helping our customers know the flavors better and also learn how to use these unique products in everyday recipes. Gouda cheese melts very well which helps create, delicious quesadillas, pizzas, roast potatoes and out of this world grilled cheese sandwiches!

So far our Tandoori Gouda has been proven to be the leader of the pack especially at Metcalfes Market we keep refilling the shelves. It is always difficult to predict which flavor would turn out to be the favorite, time tells it all.. All the three cheeses are so different in flavors that it is hard to predict sometimes, but it is all fun and games for us. The cheeses are available at Metcalfes Market Madison and Milwaukee, Hy-Vee, Millers in Verona, three Outpost stores in Milwaukee, Sendicks-Brookfield, Drftless Market-Platteville and Grasch Foods in Milwaukee. Soon will be available at Whole Foods Market Madison, 12 other Sendiks stores Milwaukee, a couple of stores in Chicago and many more. We are working hard on distribution. The first batch of cheese has already been distributed and sold, working on a larger second batch now.

Cheese it is!

2010-02-19T05:20:00.000-08:00

It has been an experience to create new flavors of cheese with our spices, Samir and I have been working on this project since last April, unbelievable! Finally, the labels are in print and we are working on creating a marketing campaign, one of my favorite parts of running a business. Samir is busy doing the artwork and putting the recipe cards, brochures and many other marketing pieces together. This guy, I tell you is a genius at these things!

Here are the three delectable flavors: Cumin Gouda, Tandoori Gouda and Sajji BBQ Gouda. White Jasmine spices have added beautiful color and incredible flavor to these cheeses and complement the creamy texture and flavor of original Gouda.

It is time for Pakistani flavors and Wisconsin cheese to play together, wouldn't you agree? My experience of cheese growing up was a small can of imported cheddar, brought as a gift by my dad when he will visit other countries for conferences. We would make sandwiches and a cup of coffee to have a western experience:) Who knew I will end up in Wisconsin, the cheeseland!

Will keep you posted of when the cheeses will be available in the stores, at the moment we are expecting it to be out by 3rd week of March.

have a great day!

New Year, New Recipes

2010-01-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

Last night to celebrate the New Year, I made this beef roast with our Sajji Masala, garlic, salt and olive oil with some golden potatoes with salt and chili flakes, it turned out to be a light but hearty meal. Today I am going to saute the leftover roast with red peppers and use it to make hot sandwiches, can't wait for dinner tonight.

Every year I liketo plan to try new ingredients and recipes and this year is no different. Love this part of my business, to me it feels like opening a door and stepping into a whole new world of exotic flavors, colors and fragrances. Very much like traveling to a new city or country and start learning the local language and finding the food market, Anyone who loves to cook and appreciates adventure in life can relate to the feeling, which is more like being in heaven!

Beautiful Holiday Season!

2009-12-24T10:28:00.000-08:00

I am quite enjoying the winter wonderland here in Wisconsin, looking outside while having a warm cup of tea and a slice of brownie............life is good! During this time of the year, it is almost fascinating to see the beautiful snow. At the moment, I can't even remember how Spring or Summer was this past year, hard to imagine warm, sunny days. Growing up in Pakistan, we didn't really experience any snow, it would get cold enough to wear a wool coat but no snow. It snowed in the mountains and occassionally we will go there as a family to enjoy a snowfall or two. Who knew I will come to Wisconsin one day and get a chance to shovel heaps of snow, quite fun at times. Having said that I am not very fond of icy roads and driving during these few months, if it was up to me I would probably hibernate for 3-4 months in a cave or somewhere. Just cook, eat and sleep, start life again in Spring.

Apart from the cold weather, I do like to take the time to sit back, relax and reflect on the passing year and enjoy the anticipation of a new year with many exciting projects to accomplish. I am delighted to start a new year with a spirit wrapped up in hope for another fun and exciting year and many more to follow. The idea of cooking some great food, introducing our new cheese flavors and a couple of new spice blends is truly invigorating.

Hope you get a chance to enjoy this time of the year and count your blessings.

So much to be thankful for

2009-11-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

Greetings

I love the American tradition of Thanksgiving, it is wonderful to devote a day to create delicious recipes to share with family and friends. You know how I feel about cooking and sharing, I am in heaven with events like Thanksgiving, it provides me a lovely opportunity to take the time to cook some great dishes, sit back and enjoy. It is always a pleasure to take a step back from day to day busy life and spend some time to reflect on the past months.

I am thankful for many things this year, our cooking show has made great headway. I am thankful to our fans who have made it possible for me to continue to bring easy, healthy and innovative recipes to their kitchens. I am especially grateful for my production team, Samir and Stephanie for making this show fun and wonderful, apart from all the bantering that goes on during the tapings:) I am always thankful for my family, health, being alive and have an opportunity to do so many fun things in life...........feel blessed.

This Thanksgiving, my son Samir and I will be home, our menu this year is a little different from a traditional holiday menu. I am planning to make lamb curry, basmati rice with green peas and Ras Malai for dessert. Ras Malai is a delicious dessert, made with ricotta cheese, sugar and half and half...........yummy!

Hope you get a chance to try my lamb recipe.

Wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Lamb Curry:

2 pounds boneless stew lamb, cubed
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 large cardamoms
2 small cardamoms
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick 2 inches long
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups warm water
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat cooking oil in a saucepan and add all whole spices. Add sliced onions. Fry everything for a few minutes until the onions turn light brown. Add lamb and continue to fry the mixture for about ten minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Leave the mixture to cook for about five minutes, add all the ground spices. Keep adding the yogurt until all of the yogurt is used. Add chopped tomatoes, cilantro and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then leave it to simmer for about 45 minutes or until the lamb is tender. Serve warm with pulao rice or parathas.

Cooking Classes this week!

2009-10-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

It has been a while since I had a moment to relax and take some time to reflect. Life is busy and it feels like the business is running like a wild dog, dragging us along:)

This week I taught two cooking classes, one at Orange tree Imports and the other at All Through the House, they were fabulous! Teaching the classes is one of the favorite parts of the business, it gives me an opportunity to get upclose and personal with other foodies, create delicious recipes, chat, share laughs and of course, the food is excellent. Feels like home. Growing up, I loved the times when my aunts and cousins used to visit, everyone sat around the dining table and talked for hours after dinner. It was so much fun to sit back, keep making tea for everyone and hear all sorts of juicy gossip, unresistable.

The philosophy of White Jasmine stems from storytelling and sharing unforgettable food, my cooking classes are a complete reflection of our philosophy. White Jasmine started by offering teaching classes around Madison and grew from there to what it is now, quite amazing! Every business has somewhat of a yardstick to measure the success of their business. At White Jasmine, we feel we are successful when we hear someone watched the show or took a class with me and now feel confident to experiment with the spices and our recipes. Makes me very happy:)

Hope you enjoy the following recipe I made in one of the classes this week:

Spinach Pakoras – Fresh spinach dipped in gram flour batter:

2 cups gram flour
1 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon whole cumin
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
3 cups fresh spinach-coarsely chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
cooking oil for frying

Mix gram flour, water and all spices to make a batter. Add chopped spinach, green onions and cilantro. Heat oil in a frying pan, so it is hot but not smoking. Add a tablespoon of the batter to the oil at a time. Turn it over when one side is firm and light brown. Take it out when both sides are done and leave it on kitchen towel so excess oil is absorbed. Transfer to the serving dish and serve warm with raita (yogurt dipping sauce with cumin and cilantro).

Happy cooking until the next time!

Huma

This food has soul!

2009-09-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to share that I have often heard, 'this food has soul' in my classes, from our cooking show audience, etc. After hearing this several times, I was compelled to take a moment to start thinking, what does this really means to that person? Following some interesting discussions with several of our fans it became clear to me that we have been successful in delivering the core philosophy of White Jasmine. White Jasmine represents a culinary lifestyle, I truly believe that food is not only to satisfy our hunger but actually a gratifying experience for our body and soul. It provides a window of opportunity to all of us to create a sound and enriched dynamic in our homes.

I can speak from my own experience of moving around the world and facing some life challenges. During my moments of reflection, it has become clear to me that providing the home-cooked meals for my family created an anchor for all of us. It was something my family could depend on when everything else around them was different. Depending on something tangible like meal times created structure and sustainability for all of us, a critical element during life changing times.

I would like to invite you to take a step back from the frenzy of our busy lifestyles and evaluate the foundation of our family, what really matters at the end of the day?

Here is one of my favorite recipes to warm up your table:

Zucchini, Colorful Peppers and Garbanzo Beans in a rich Tomato Sauce with Tandoori Masala:

2 tablespoons cooking oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin
½ cup chopped onions
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large orange pepper, chopped
3 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons White Jasmine Tandoori Masala
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 8 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
½ cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a sauté pan, add whole cumin and let it sizzle. Add chopped onions and sauté them until light brown. Add zucchini and peppers, sauté the mixture for 2 minutes, add salt, Tandoori masala and chili powder. Add garbanzo beans. Add fire roasted tomatoes. Stir everything together, add chopped cilantro and leave it to simmer for about 15 minutes. Serve as a side or main dish with basmati rice, couscous or pasta.

Enjoy!

Delicious Corn!

2009-08-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but I love corn and seeing bunches of corn everywhere during this season really reminded me of home. I guess I was feeling a bit homesick, it happens time to time.

Every afternoon about 3:00 pm the 'corn guy' will wander around in our neighborhood with a cart full of corn, cooking in hot sand. My older brother Sohail and I would wait anxiously for him to come by our house. The 'corn guy' will pull out a corn, remove the husk and get his half lemon, dip it in a mixture of chili powder and salt, rub it on the warm corn and hand it to us. Believe it or not, my mouth is watering as I am writing this. This used to be our routine every weekday afternoon, we will get the corn, sit in the back porch and eat the whole thing.

So I decided to make corn on the cob my way! I added our Tandoori Masala in addition to the chili powder because it has a bunch of flavors which I really like. If you try this one time, I can assure you, you will never go back to plain corn again.

4 corn boiled (husks removed and cleaned up)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon White Jasmine Tandoori Masala

1 lemon, cut in half (can substitute lime)

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl. Take half a lemon, dip it in the spice mixture and rub it on the corn while slightly squeezing the lemon when the corn is still warm.

Enjoy!

Huma

Basmati it is!!!!

2009-08-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I am often asked for words of wisdom for cooking the 'perfect rice' in my classes and during/after the cooking shows. So today I want to share some of the techniques about cooking a perfect and delicious pot of rice, White Jasmine way! Believe it or not you can do it, however, there are several things as follows to think about before anyone even makes an attempt to prepare a rice dish:

1.Purchase Basmati rice, not long grain or one-minute or anything even close to that

2. Select a non-stick saucepan, no more that 3 inches deep with a lid

3. Rinse the rice only a couple of times very gently in cold water

4. Use canola or vegetable oil

5. Use whole spices in the oil

6. Only add warm water when needed

7. Do not stir the rice after adding the warm water

Now that you are armed with these tips, I welcome you to an unforgettable pot of rice to enjoy with your family and friends.

Check out my infamous Matar Pulao recipe- Matar means green peas and Pulao means rice cooked with whole spices in oil.

2 cups uncooked basmati rice

1 tablespoon cooking oil

2 cloves

1 large cardamom

1 small cardamom

1 bay leaf

1 2 inch cinnamon stick

1 cup frozen peas

½ teaspoon salt
pinch of turmeric

Rinse the rice gently under running water. Heat oil in a saucepan, add the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Let it sizzle for a minute. Add green peas, turmeric and salt. Add rice and 3 cups of water. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve with meat or vegetable curry.

Happy Cooking!

Huma

Successful day of Filming

2009-08-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Last sunday, for the first time we filmed 3 White Jasmine Everyday Cooking shows. Almost 2 years ago, we started filming one show a day, then we decided to go for 2 shows a day and now this was our first time filming 3 shows in a day. I have a brilliant production team who makes it all come together and look seamless. Thank You Samir, Stephanie and Callie, you guys are the best!

The demo kitchen at Allen Kitchen and Bath was filled with beautiful aromas, laughter and great food. Our guests and production team members looked well fed and happy:) Some of the entrees were Tandoori turkey burgers, pan-fried salmon with White Jasmine Sajji Masala and chicken strips in a yogurt and cilantro sauce, and of course I had a couple of side dishes like, couscous with roasted peppers and pineapple salsa, etc. etc.

We are planning to film another set of 3 shows this sunday, August 16th, can't wait! Feel free to sign up on our website http://www.whitejasmine.com/ to be a part of this extraordinary experience.

have a smashing day!

Huma Siddiqui

Food and Life Philosophy

2009-08-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome to White Jasmine Blog.

Sometimes it is easier to get caught up in the day to day frenzy of life and forget that actually life can be so simple. The important issue is to be mindful of the nourishing elements in our lives and believe it or not we all have some sort of outline of what they are. Over the years I have realized that there are several nourishing elements which pull my life together, the most important ones are family, friends and great food. Our business, White Jasmine is built upon the philosophy of cooking and sharing with family and friends.

I am so excited about blogging and wanted to start my blogging experience with talking about Turmeric, one of my favorite spice; full of color, fragrance and flavor. Over the past several years, there has been an increasing interest in Turmeric and its medicinal properties. Here are some facts about Turmeric (Curcuma longa). This flowering plant of the ginger family is widely used as food coloring and is one of the principal ingredients in most of the Pakistani/Indian recipes. Turmeric has long been used in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory to treat digestive disorders, liver problems, the treatment of skin diseases and wound healing. So in other words, Turmeric not only adds color and flavor to recipes but also provides great health benefits. Don't be afraid to add some to your favorite recipes!