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Category:#Life

my covid-19 experience
#Life

My COVID-19 Experience: A Story of Recovery and Death

It all started with a mild sore throat and back pain. Masood and I have been careful ever since the pandemic was announced last year. We hardly leave the house unless it was extremely necessary, take all precautions when we’re…

  • June 4, 2021
  • 1014
  • 14
  • 4
#Life

On to a Lifetime Filled With Fond Memories of My Father

I wake up to the phone ringing at 3:20 am. The screen shows Abbu’s name. Just as I was about to swipe on the screen, the call ends. The last time I received a call from my father at this…

  • February 28, 2017
  • 2542
  • 12
  • 15

About

Tips, advice and inspirations to help you plan your next adventure.

Places

nadiamasood

Visual storytelling from India and beyond.
Moved to Hyderabad in 2020.
#ExpatInIndia

Nadia Masood
Chicken daleem with cashew and boiled egg, Hyderab Chicken daleem with cashew and boiled egg, Hyderabadi style.

This is originally an Arabic dish, made with meat, ghee, wheat, rice and whole pulses. It is said to have come to Hyderabad during the Mughal period via Iran and Afghanistan.

Daleem is traditionally prepared in 'Bhattis' or brick-and-mud ovens, during Ramadan. It is a slow-cooked delicacy, often cooked for 7-8 hours and is done on firewood.

Around 2,000 restaurants and hotels across Hyderabad usually prepare and sell daleem of different varieties during Ramadan, and people look forward to this months before Ramadan. However due to the ongoing lockdown, the only daleem available this year is homemade.
Do you know the difference between broasted chicke Do you know the difference between broasted chicken and fried chicken?

Well, broasted chicken is fried in oil, but inside a pressure cooker (pressure fryer?).

In most parts of India, however, broasted chicken is often synonymous with fried chicken so there’s no telling if pressure fryer is being used.

This particular broasted chicken is from @pistahousegachibowli and it tastes good, although it would have been perfect had they sprinkled red chili powder while it’s hot. Some parts of the chicken tasted bland to our desi tastebuds.

Also, did you know that Broaster is actually a company started back in 1954?
Ramadan comes while we’re in the midst of a pand Ramadan comes while we’re in the midst of a pandemic. This is unusual for us Muslims, as it makes us improvise on our usual customs and traditions, like going to the masjid for taraweeh each night or socializing at iftar gatherings. But you know what? It’s okay.

We’ve always been taught that Ramadan is a month where we learn perseverance and patience. So let’s make the best out of it.

Let’s continue to be responsible: stay at home, pray with family, be grateful, consume less and share more, remember and make dua for those who are not doing as well as us ... let’s just simply try our best.

Ramadan Mubarak!
You guys, I seriously had NO idea what I was getti You guys, I seriously had NO idea what I was getting into!

So I saw this South Korean noodles in my neighborhood supermarket and had gotten curious.

It’s called the buldak ramen by Samyang Food, and it comes in different levels of “spiciness”.

Deciding that the “mild” and “1x Spicy” varieties were too mild for my desi tastebuds and “3x Spicy” might be too hot to handle, I naively picked up the “2x Spicy” variety.

First of all, I’m impressed by the quality of the thick noodles (I’m comparing it with the locally available instant noodles). This South Korean noodles are thicker and chewy.

So I went and cooked the noodles, following the instructions to the T. It’s instant noodles, after all, so it was ready to eat in a few minutes.

Now this is where my happy story ends because in the next few minutes I think @masoodxb almost rushed me to the nearest ER.

I was obviously living under a rock and didn’t know that this buldak ramen is THE noodle of the “fire noodle challenge” 🔥

If you haven’t heard about it yet, feel free to Google #FireNoodleChallenge because I think I’m still too traumatized to explain it 😂

Guys, just one bite and my mouth was on fire! I was certain my intestines would burn and necrotize. I’m not even exaggerating.

To save myself, I drank cold milk, ate the cheese that was in the fridge, drank water, ate sugar, ate honey - all in an attempt to save my poor GI system.

“What in the world did I just eat? Is South Korea trying to end the human race one ramen at a time?” I thought to myself, alarmed. That’s when I went online and discovered the fire challenge thing 🤦🏻‍♀️

The noodles were expensive, being imported and all, plus I don’t like throwing food away. So I boiled some pasta and mixed the deadly noodles in.

Finally, I can say that the flavour is really good when it’s not trying to kill you. Plus points for it being halal.

Have you tried this? I’d love to hear your experience if you did!
Did you know that Kashmir is the prime source of t Did you know that Kashmir is the prime source of the total apple production of India?

Our friend and neighbour recently went home to celebrate Eid with his family in Kashmir. When he returned, he brought these apples for us - picked from their own orchard.

The horticulture industry is one of the pillars of Kashmir's rural economy and apples remain the jewel of this industry.

Unfortunately since the lockdown, which coincides with the harvest season, locals are unable to sell their produce. Most of it are either rotting on the trees or in the vehicles or fruit markets.

I pray things start getting better for them and also for the rest of us.

These apples brought back so many wonderful memories of the time @masood and I spent in Kashmir. That hand-carved wooden bowl was also bought during that trip, something that always reminds me of that beautiful trip.
This dessert is easy to make and pretty enough to This dessert is easy to make and pretty enough to make a good impression!

Fresh mango chunk topped with fluffy whipped cream, then wrapped with a thin, moist and elastic crepe, this pillow-shaped Hong Kong style mango crepe is a must-try.

For a better presentation, use a single piece of mango for each crepe. When you cut the crepe through, a nice neat look will appear on each side.

These are originally called Mango Pancakes, by the way. You can experiment with other fruits, like bananas and strawberries.

Have you tried this before? Don’t forget to save this post if you haven’t yet!
Noodle wrapped chicken by @makskitchenhyd. Hot, cr Noodle wrapped chicken by @makskitchenhyd. Hot, crunchy and deep-fried! It was so good.

This can easily be made at home. Maybe you can bake these instead of frying, but I’m sure the taste won’t be the same.

There are several recipes online but the one we tried was by @sooperchef, which came out great.
What’s your favourite Indian street food? I hav What’s your favourite Indian street food?

I have so many! And one of them is this dabeli. Potato filling is cooked in dabeli masala & is garnished with sev, pomegranate seeds & roasted peanuts (which add the crunch). The essence of dabeli are the chutneys: the sour and sweet tamarind-date chutney and the fiery chutney made of red chillies and garlic!

The name Dabeli pertains to the act of pressing & is Gujarati in origin. It is essentially a snack where a potato filling is pressed into a paav or a bun.

Have you ever tried this?
This is the unfinished tomb of Mirza Nizamuddin Ah This is the unfinished tomb of Mirza Nizamuddin Ahmed, who died in 1674.

This structure stands just outside the second gate, the area that’s now a parking lot.

It stands there in it’s sad, mournful, unfinished state for 400 years now.

Mirza Nizamuddin was the second son-in-law and successor of Sultan Abdullah. The eldest son-in-law was a Mughal prince, who was probably busy with ruling his own kingdom and, therefore, didn’t need the Golconda dynasty?

I couldn’t find much information, but apparently due to the political or social situation back then, Mirza Nizamuddin couldn’t succeed to the throne after his father-in-law (the 7th ruler of the kingdom of Golconda).

After the Sultan Abdullah died, it was his youngest son-in-law who sat on the throne.

Don’t you think this was just sad?
Do you love hummus? I feel like it’s one of the Do you love hummus? I feel like it’s one of the best dips in the world!

I am yet to find good hummus here in Hyderabad - the kind one finds in middle eastern restaurants.

Good thing hummus is super easy to make at home!

Please swipe left for the recipe, including how to make your own tahini paste with only 2 ingredients, and also for tips to help you make your own creamy hummus at home.

Don’t forget to bookmark or share this post ❤️
You no longer need to buy jams because it’s so e You no longer need to buy jams because it’s so easy to make them at home!

The mango season has come to an end, and I want to make something that would last a couple of months - mango jam.

You only really need 3 ingredients! It’s super easy to make but tastes so much better than store-bought ones.

It’s like having sunshine and happy memories sealed in a jar.

Swipe left for the recipe and some tips to help you make the perfect mango jam.
Other people vs me visiting the Natural History Mu Other people vs me visiting the Natural History Museum.

On a serious note, this museum is a must-visit when you’re in London. Entry is free!
What’s your go-to photo editing app for Instagra What’s your go-to photo editing app for Instagram?

Mine is Snapseed. I use it for almost all my photos. I rarely post unedited photos (because I like my feed to look pretty). For this particular image (taken using my phone camera), I first edited the colours on Snapseed so they appear more saturated.

And then I used Pixaloop to make the clouds move. So cool, right? This app has been sitting in my phone since forever, and I now wonder why I’ve never used it!

I’d love to know what you use to edit your photos!
What’s your secret to making your favourite panc What’s your secret to making your favourite pancakes?

Did you know that the oldest pancake recipe comes from an English cookery book, 1954 edition? It’s quite richer than the recipe we use these days. They suggest adding 3 tbsp of ale, ‘copious’ amounts of sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.

Swipe left to see some of the steps I take to make fluffy, soft pancakes that the family loves.

Also, did you know mascarpone cheese on the side goes so well with pancakes?

I’d love to learn more from you!
Easy to make, 3-ingredient pineapple preserve. In Easy to make, 3-ingredient pineapple preserve.

In a pot add 4 cups of fresh pineapple chunks, 1 cup of sugar and 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice.

Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 45-50 mins or until the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. I then used an immersion blender to crush the pineapple. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

And there you have it: deliciously sweet tropical sunshine in a bottle!
This is the syrup that has been adding depth to Pe This is the syrup that has been adding depth to Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries.

Pomegranate molasses, or Dibs Rumman in Arabic, is simply pomegranate juice that is reduced to about a quarter of its initial volume.

The thick, deeply red syrup has an intensely rich, fruity, sweet-tart flavor with underlying dark bitter notes. It pairs surprisingly well with salads and savory dishes, especially grilled meats.

I’ve gone the traditional way and squeezed the juice out of pomegranate arils. This gives a brighter, more radiant red color when compared to pomegranate molasses made with store-bought juice.

Also, keep a close watch while simmering the molasses, especially after 40 minutes or so, or it will end up very hard.

Now I’m excited to find ways on how to use this syrup! Any suggestions?
Mango season is here! Did you know that mangoes we Mango season is here! Did you know that mangoes were first grown in India over 5000 years ago?

The first few mangoes of the season aren’t always sweet, so we end up making shakes with them.
That guy in the opposite train (holding a green fl That guy in the opposite train (holding a green flag to let our train pass) appears to be unfazed by us taking photos. It’s just a typical day for him.

This is our train from Vizag to Araku. Seriously, if you’re ever traveling this route, ditch the air-conditioned cars (the cloudy glass windows ensure zero chances of getting good photos).
This is a super easy way to make delicious kimchi This is a super easy way to make delicious kimchi bokkeum bap!

My current obsession is kimchi, and I just love adding it to fried nice and noodles.

For those who haven’t tried yet, kimchi is made of fermented vegetables (napa cabbage, radish, scallion, and cucumber are used) and it’s a staple in the Korean diet. It tastes spicy and sour and has a slight pungent smell.

Chopped kimchi adds a little crunch and a lot of flavour to the rice, and kimchi juice finishes off the dish for a jolt of tangy-spicy goodness!

You can add meat, fish or vegetables, like carrots. But I prefer to keep it simple.

Also, I’ve used @bazzinga_brew kimchi which already has carrots, radish and Napa cabbage so I don’t need to add additional vegetables.

For those in Hyderabad, @bazzinga_brew kimchi is honestly the best.
Korean steak bowl with kimchi fried rice. There i Korean steak bowl with kimchi fried rice.

There is no specific recipe for this. It’s one of those meals that one puts together based on the ingredients one has at home.

I have the kimchi fried rice recipe in a previous post. It’s easy to cook and is very flavourful. I’ve used my favourite kimchi from @bazzinga_brew. 

The carrots are sautéed in a drop or two of sesame oil and salt.

The steak is marinated with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, garlic paste, and juice from the kimchi jar. It is then chopped and pan-seared (it’s essential that we work quickly with a very hot pan to keep the meat juicy and tender!).

Too bad I’ve ran out of chili sauce. That’s probably the only thing missing.

What are you having for lunch today?
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