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Category:Reviews

Reviews

10 Tips to Help You Travel During Corona Outbreak

The world wakes up to the news that the new strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, is declared pandemic by WHO. So what does it mean to travel in the time of corona? We’ve put together 10 tips to help you travel…

  • March 13, 2020
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Adoni

The Jinn That Lived Near Maasaheba Masjid

He looked and couldn’t stop staring. It was the most unusual thing to witness. He might have dismissed it as a figment of his imagination, but others had seen it too. This happened twenty years ago. Masood was a young…

  • November 4, 2019
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Adoni

Shahi Jamia Masjid

A woman clad in a colourful sari sits on the roadside. Spread in front her are carefully arranged bunches of freshly-harvested coriander, mint, and fenugreek leaves. Next to her is a young man selling lemons. The main market of Adoni…

  • October 28, 2019
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London

How to Spend the Day at Warwick Castle

I am assuming the reason for the conflicting reviews online for Warwick Castle is that it has been commercialized into some sort of a theme park. Therefore, those who are particularly over-sensitive about authenticity may find the experience offensive. We…

  • January 12, 2019
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London

The House Where Shakespeare was Born

During the warm summer months in Karachi many years ago, my cousins and I would spend the afternoon reading. To be honest, the responsibility of reading fell upon me—the eldest in the group—and it was mostly Shakespeare that the children…

  • November 18, 2018
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London

On a Clear Day from the Top of the London Eye, You Can See Forever.

It is the fourth-largest Ferris wheel in the world at 443 feet high. On a bright, clear day from the top of the London Eye, you can see forever. I’m told one can see Windsor Castle—more than 40 km away—from…

  • August 5, 2018
  • 5474
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London

Summer In London

It’s another sunny and hot afternoon. The windows are wide open, the fans are on most part of the day, and we are eating homemade falooda to cool us down. This is our first summer in London. And it’s incredibly…

  • July 23, 2018
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Bangalore

What to Expect When Visiting Bangalore’s Famous Lal Bagh

The Mughal-inspired botanical garden is located in the midst of a bustling city. Thousands of local and foreign tourists visit Lal Bagh each year. But is it worth visiting? In this post we’ll tell you what to expect when visiting Bangalore’s…

  • May 21, 2018
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Bangalore

Why You Should Visit the Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan, One of the Most Powerful Rulers of India

Tipu Sultan was the most feared Indian of his time in Britain. When he died there were jubilant celebrations in Britain, with authors, playwrights and painters creating works to celebrate it. Kate Brittlebank, author of “Tiger: The Life of Tipu Sultan, further wrote…

  • April 21, 2018
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Bangalore

Recommended Halal Restaurants in Koramangala

Luxury apartments, posh bungalows, Instagram-worthy restaurants, and commercial structures line the wide, tree-lined boulevards of Koramangala. This is one of the largest neighborhoods in Bangalore. I joined Masood on his recent business trip to this city that is dubbed as the…

  • April 17, 2018
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Guangzhou

Halal Restaurants We’ve Tried in Guangzhou

Chinese food outside mainland China is usually modified to suit the palate of the people where it is served. In Pakistan and India, for example, Chinese food is typically served with a thick, spicy sauce and vegetables that are stir-fried…

  • December 7, 2017
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Beijing

The Great Wall of China: An Iconic Travel Experience

“They surely have the air-conditioning on high around here,” I told Masood as we stood outside the arrivals gate at Beijing airport waiting for a taxi. We just flew in from Guangzhou where we attended the Canton Trade Fair. It…

  • November 25, 2017
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Dubai

Asateer Scarves: An Online Boutique for Premium Scarves

“Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love. If you have an exit strategy, it’s not an obsession.” –Mark Cuban, serial entrepreneur and investor. Masood and I always knew and talked about how someday we would save up…

  • October 22, 2017
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Newport

The 124-Year-Old Summer Cottage that Took Our Breath Away

About 119 kilometres from downtown Boston stands a palatial summer cottage. When Masood and I were in US last spring, our colleague and good friend, Ellen, suggested we drive to Newport to see these summer cottages. While there are ten…

  • July 31, 2017
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Guangzhou

Huaisheng Mosque: One of the Oldest Masjid in China

It’s been drizzling on and off since morning. The clouds are thick and the sky overcast, the spring breeze cool. The taxi takes us to Guangta Road. We are in Guangzhou for the Canton Fair, and both of us wanted to…

  • July 3, 2017
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Guangzhou

A First Timer’s Guide to the Canton Fair

One of the world’s biggest import and export trade fair is held bi-annually in Guangzhou, China. It was my first time at the Canton Fair, and I am impressed by how massive yet well-organised the event was! Masood had wanted…

  • June 4, 2017
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Hong Kong

A 9-Hour Stopover in Hong Kong

Flying Cathay Pacific means stopping in Hong Kong, and we picked one that gave a 9-hour stopover. Time constraint did not allow us the chance to explore more. I would have loved to get the chance to know the place where…

  • May 13, 2017
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Dubai

Carnival by Tresind, Dubai

How often do you get welcomed in a restaurant by getting bubbles blown at you? Having had a good impression with Trèsind, I looked forward to trying out Carnival by Trèsind. Both Tresind and Carnival by Trèsind come under the umbrella of…

  • April 15, 2017
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Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Bellamy: Where the Locals Make Excellent Ikan Bakar

“Go to Jalan Bellamy and don’t forget to try the ikan bakar!” the taxi driver cheerfully suggested. He seemed pretty excited about suggesting the place, therefore I immediately had my hopes up. A quick Google search had confirmed that people do…

  • March 19, 2017
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Airbnb Apartment in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur

Why Staying in an Airbnb Apartment in Kuala Lumpur is a Good Idea

Tourists in Kuala Lumpur would find it best to stay in the city center where famous landmarks, malls, restaurants, and hotels are nearby. The traffic situation in Kuala Lumpur during weekends and peak hours is really bad. Therefore, staying further…

  • March 5, 2017
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Dubai

Bollywood Park: The First Theme Park in the World Dedicated to All Things Bollywood

Several leisure and theme parks opened in Dubai late last year, one of which is Bollywood Park. It is the smallest property within Dubai Parks and Resorts, a massive park containing two other theme parks: Motiongate Dubai and Legoland Water Park. The term Bollywood…

  • February 11, 2017
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Ipoh

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat

It was a choice between an upscale hotel in the middle of the city with a very famous infinity pool on the 57th level that one shares with a massive number of people taking selfies, or a quiet luxury resort away from the…

  • February 9, 2017
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Langkawi

Telaga Seafood Restaurant: Fresh Grilled Fish, Good Customer Service

When the planned lunch at Seashells Restaurant did not work out—because they do not have fish available—we turn the car around and head back to Pantai Cenang, which is the busiest beach town on Langkawi Island. Randomly peeking through the restaurants…

  • November 22, 2016
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Langkawi

Dinner in a Rice Paddy: Seashells Restaurant, Langkawi

A popular vlogger on Youtube sang praises about Seashells restaurant, and each morsel entering his mouth resulted in a delightful bliss with him closing his eyes and cherishing the bite as if a gift from heaven. I was sold. No matter what…

  • November 21, 2016
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Dubai

Jodhpur – A Royal Dining Experience

The historic city of Jodhpur—whose origin dates back to 1459 AD—is the second largest city in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is called the Gateway to Thar, as it is literally on the edge of the That desert. Not too long ago I’ve…

  • October 24, 2016
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Ajman

Friday Garden Brunch at Kempinski Hotel

  It’s finally cooling down in this part of the world! Hello, beaches, BBQ, picnics and garden brunches! We got invited to Kempinski Hotel’s Friday Garden Brunch in Ajman earlier today, and it was fun! An event held every Friday…

  • October 14, 2016
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Reviews

Boudin, San Francisco: Bakery, Restaurant, & Museum

7 am. Best time time to explore Fisherman’s Wharf: it’s clean, cool, and peaceful. Based on what I’ve read online, locals do not particularly care for this part of the city. Perhaps because it’s crowded with tourists? As a tourist, however, I…

  • August 16, 2016
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Dubai

Farzi Cafe: Bringing Indian Cuisine back “in-Vogue”

Infusing a generous dose of Indian flavours, Farzi Café presents Indian cuisine where culinary art meets the alchemy of modern presentations and cooking techniques like molecular gastronomy to absorb the guest into the ultimate gastronomic illusion. With a vision of bringing…

  • August 14, 2016
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Chicago

Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe: Best Breakfast in Town!

Everything about Wildberry Cafe is big – the menu, the portions, the flavors, and quite unfortunately, the queue for a table. Arrive early like we did! This place was very convenient for us—our hotel was in downtown Chicago, just a couple of blocks…

  • April 19, 2016
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Princeton

Thomas Sweet Ice Cream: Creating Fun Flavors Since 1979

First, kindly take a moment to admire how pretty this building is! Word of Thomas Sweet’s delicious “blend-ins” spread quickly around town the moment they opened their doors on Nassau Street in Princeton in 1979. What’s a blend-in? This is when you take the…

  • April 2, 2016
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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
It was at a Syrian restaurant in Dubai, sitting ou It was at a Syrian restaurant in Dubai, sitting outside one evening under a canopy of fairy lights, where I first fell in love with falafel.

Later I discover, within walking distance of this restaurant in Al Muraqqabat, a little shop called Sultan Dubai Falafel that serves, in my opinion, the best falafels in the city.

And given how great-tasting falafel was readily available in Dubai, I never attempted to make them at home. Until I moved to Hyderabad.

Good thing is that delicious falafel can be made at home so easily! You can bake or shallow-fry them, but they won’t taste as good as when deep-fried.

I also prefer to shape them in cute little balls so I know they’ll be cooked through. Each ball is a tablespoon of falafel mixture.

Falafel is best served immediately after frying, with a drizzle of tahini sauce. Also, I experimented and added some plain mayonnaise to the tahini sauce and it tasted so good.

............

This crispy falafel with tahini sauce is my entry for the food collaboration that I’m participating in. The theme is: Eid 2020 Appetisers.

Do check out the following talented food bloggers who are part of this fun collaboration!

Warda @cocina_secreta (host)
Iqra @apprentice.chef_93 
Noor @noorlicious.food
Eram @eramkitchenette
Saher @untoldstoriesofafoodie
@blendedflavoursinstyle
Tag someone who loves shawarma! This is our homem Tag someone who loves shawarma!

This is our homemade chicken shawarma that I’m truly proud of and so excited to share with you!

Swipe left for the recipe.

EDIT: It’s ‘wheat’ not ‘whear’, and jalapeño ‘pickles’ not ‘pepper’. Thanks!

Thank you to @masoodxb for being our shawarma wrap & grill expert. Having had countless shawarmas in the UAE, even at 2am(!) I’m so glad we can recreate something close to the original right in our home.

Guys, toasting or grilling the wrapped shawarma before serving makes such a difference, so don’t skip this last step.
The first time I’ve ever tasted Marag was at a f The first time I’ve ever tasted Marag was at a friend’s house in Jeddah, and I’ve been in love with this spicy mutton soup since then!

Later, after moving to Hyderabad, I discover that this is a common starter course served in weddings.

So when I was invited by Farhana of @mommyandkitchen for this Eid collaboration, I knew I wanted to share this dish.

It’s actually pretty easy to make and tastes so, so good!

Need inspiration this coming Eid? Check out delicious recipes by

@apprentice.chef_93
@eramkitchenette
@ummyahya_cooks and
@chroniclesoffriends
What’s your favourite recipe for when you find y What’s your favourite recipe for when you find yourself with lots of delicious, fresh cherries?

COVID restrictions have been eased down in Kashmir, much to the local farmers’ delight. This means harvesting of seasonal fruits is in full swing. #BuyLocal

We’ve made few really good Kashmiri friends through @thenawabees, and they sent us a couple of boxes of these sweet cherries today.

My sister-in-law makes amazing cherry cake. What do you like to make with cherries?

PS. The last picture is from India Times.
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!
Do you agree that food tastes better outdoors? Pro Do you agree that food tastes better outdoors? Probably something to do with fresh air and nature.

The flask pictured in this post is 4 years old. We bought it in Dubai, and it has been a constant picnic companion since.

Everyone in the family loves tea. Not the weak, bland, tea-bag-in-hot-water fiddle-faddle, but properly brewed karak chai. Therefore we make tea at home and take it with us on picnics or long drives.

This picture is taken on a recent drive out of town. An aunt packed us lunch and we made tea. Along the way, we found a nice spot under a tree and had lemon rice, rotis and gosht ka achaar.

It doesn’t even matter how simple your meal may be. Eating outdoors make any type of food taste more delicious.

What is your favourite picnic food?
Is there a dessert that you didn’t care for as a Is there a dessert that you didn’t care for as a kid but end up liking as an adult?

That’s Zarda for me. As a child, I couldn’t understand why rice must be sweet. But now I appreciate and enjoy it.

The name Zarda comes from Persian word 'zard' meaning 'yellow'. It is greatly influenced by the cuisine prepared in the royal kitchens of the Mughals.

From the North Indian cities & small towns to Deccan Hyderabad, and the neighboring Pakistan, Zarda is a popular dessert served during festivals & occasions such as marriage & birth ceremonies.

Swipe left for the recipe and tips to make this traditional dessert.
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 ❤️
This is what’s commonly called murukku or murkul This is what’s commonly called murukku or murkul in South India.

The reason why @masoodxb bought them is because they’re colourful, and thought I’d find them pretty.

These are to be fried (they double in size!) and are often eaten as a snack or to munch on with meals.

I don’t see a complete list of ingredients on the packet, but I’m told these are primarily made of white lentils and rice flour.

I haven’t fried them yet. They seem prettier sitting in my glass bowl for now.
Phenti hui, or whipped coffee, is a common way to Phenti hui, or whipped coffee, is a common way to make coffee in India and Pakistan. Growing up, that’s how I’ve seen women at home make coffee.

However, it is apparently a South Korean actor who named this “Dalgona Coffee” and made it viral.

How ironic to make something “viral” during a pandemic! This coffee will now forever remind me of COVID-19.

I made cold Dalgona coffee. It’s sweet, creamy and, undoubtedly, delicious. It’s also a lot of work for a cup of coffee.

Now please excuse me as I need to wash the 10 items (used to make this coffee) waiting in the sink.

#DalgonaCoffee
#QuarantineLife
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!
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.
When authorities deem bakeries ‘non-essential’ When authorities deem bakeries ‘non-essential’ and close them down, is when I feel the need of bread in my life even more.

Of all things baking related, bread intimidates me the most. It’s because one needs to take so many factors into consideration in order to make decent bread. One tiny mistake, and the end result suffers drastically.

Fortunately, these pav (dinner rolls) turn out well. Not bakery-perfect, but good enough. If you have bread-making related questions, please reach out to my expert friend @didipaterno 🍞
These pillowy, soft donuts filled with sweet vanil These pillowy, soft donuts filled with sweet vanilla custard are easy to make!

Store-bought donuts are mostly too sweet and I hardly buy them. But when you make your own, that’s when you can control the amount of sugar and the end result is so worth the effort.

I made these for the first time, following @emmafontanella’s recipe on YouTube. You guys, they turned out so good!

They’re obviously not the uniformly-sized, good looking donuts like the ones Emma made, but they turned out soft and delicious.

Do you have a favourite donut recipe?
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.
Finger-licking good peri-peri fries. It may look Finger-licking good peri-peri fries.

It may look small in the picture, but this bowl of fries is good enough for two. These were served hot and crispy with a small container of mayo dip.

📍@feranoz_hyd
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.
We’re picking wild berries today. Well, to be p We’re picking wild berries today.

Well, to be precise, our Kashmiri friends are doing all the picking (claiming that the activity is high-risk for us city dwellers) while we do the eating.

Do you know what these little raspberry-like fruit is called?
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.
Finally, the perfect classic tiramisu (without the Finally, the perfect classic tiramisu (without the alcohol) in Hyderabad!

Tiramisu is probably the most commonly made and copied of all Italian desserts. It’s light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth!

It’s my all-time, most favourite-test dessert ever, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have tasted authentic tiramisu created by talented Italian chefs in Dubai.

Imagine my joy when I found tiramisu that’s similar to that here in Hyderabad! Yes, the coffee could have been stronger, but it’s so good regardless.

What’s your favourite tiramisu place?

📍@feranoz_hyd
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