Recipe: Palak Ki Roti

'Palak ki Roti' is a special treat for a monsoon day. This time we dint had a single shower but that shouldn't keep us away from the delicious "Palak ki roti"

Making Palak ki roti is simple. There are three steps. 

Step 1. Make Spinach Purée

Remove stalks from a bunch of fresh spinach leaves and wash them. Now put the leaves in a pan with 1/2 cup of water, 2 garlic cloves, 1 red whole chilli and a tsp cumin seeds. Simmer for 3 minutes. Next, let it cool for a few minutes and then blend it into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

Step 2. Prepare Dough

Take 2 cups wheat flour and add a tbsp of olive oil to it and mix. Make a well in the centre and add the spinach purée to it. Gently bring the ingredients together and knead until the dough is firm. Add more water if its too dry or flour if its sticky. Allow it to rest for 1/2 and hour. 

Step 3. Roll a Roti 

Divide the dough into 2 inch balls. Heat the Tava or heavy based griddleon medium heat. Use extra flour to roll the balls into 5-6 inch diameter roti. Place it on the preheated tava, let each side cook for 30 secs or until it has lil brown spots. Brush extra olive oil or butter on top if you like :)

Palak ki roti tastes brilliant with grilled eggplant dip or garlic chutni and kachomar salad. 

I made these this month but without rains, they seem incomplete. Do make these to remember monsoons.

DIY: Eid-able Pots

A beautiful pot deserves a perfect spot in your home, especially, when it is from the famous Satrangi designer, Fizza Ali, who happens to be my little sister :)

Designing "Truck Art" inspired pots its not exactly what Satrangi is famous for but Fizza can put chamak-patti on just about anything! Luckily, this time it was a set of pots for me. Dazzling vibrant tapes on coloured pots looked stunning and had to have a special purpose.

I had pots from Satrangi and super fast growing seeds from Muslim-Grower and a brilliant idea of growing Crops in Pots for EID. Here is a simple 3 steps to make your own Eid-able pots that you can proudly place on your dinning table on this Eid and inspire your guests.

DIY: Eid-able Pots

Things you will need:

• A decorative 3-5 inch container
• Fast growing herbs or lettuce vegetables such as mustard, cress, fenugreek , leaf lettuce etc.
• Soil and compost mix 
• Some coconut husk

Simply, fill your pots with soil mix, scatter seeds on the surface, cover with coconut husk and water gently.

Since, I planted mine just a week before Eid, I used Mustard (3-4 days), Fenugreek can be harvested in about 1-2 weeks and Cress that can be picked as early as a week.

Some ideas

• You can also transplant your herbs into a beautiful container and place it nicely on your dinning table for special occasions. Of course, they can not live indoors so do bring them out in the sun after a day or two. Alternatively, place them near a sunny window indoors.
• Do keep a tray under your pots to avoid water leakage.
• Coconut husk is just to make it easy for the young plants to spring up. It also makes your pots looks neat and highlights the green foliage. You can use marble chips, gravel or beads once the seeds have sprouted and standing strong.
• Do visit Satrangi for their collection of truck art accessories. And Muslim Grower to  meet and learn from vegetable growers from around the world.

Have a lovely Eid ! 

Happy Gardening!

- Zahra

Celebrating Pakistan

Lets redefine the colors of our flag today.

 White is love, peace and unity.

 Green represents sustainable growth,

 social equity and green economy. 

Happy Independence Day Pakistan!