Notes From a Winning Campaign

July 4, 2018

Not food related but since my days since November 2016 have been split between baking, family and activism, I thought I’d share some of my experiences from the campaign that has rocked America the past week.

Wouldn’t be a celebration without cake! Photo source: Getty Images

The candidate

I first met Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a Queens Stands Up Rally circa June 2017, organized by my friend and local activist Ethan Felder. I was struck by her patience – she waited in the sweltering heat, in heels and a black dress, while 2 hours of speeches went by, then went up to the podium, and made her case for the need for new leadership, new policies, and a new path forward for our country. She delivered her message powerfully. At a time when Democratic leadership’s message was “We’re working on the message”, she offered bold, progressive policies – medicare for all, criminal justice reform, and a green energy based economy.

Gajer Halwa Mousse (Carrot Mousse)

February 28, 2018

In my journey of blending the flavors of my ancestral home in the Indian Subcontinent with the desserts I know and love here in America, I pull a lot from you and those around me. In brainstorming dessert ideas, a dear family friend (and ad hoc babysitter – love you Tasfia and Tanifa!) suggested gajer halwa. It’s carrots that’s been cooked down with milk and sugar so that it’s almost a pudding.

Hajj – Spiritual Journey to Mecca & Medina

October 3, 2017

Umbrella lining the courtyard of Masjid Nabawi in Medina

I apologize in advance for the less than quality pictures included in this post. Since this was a spiritual journey, photography was not high on my priority list. I actually took very few photos considering I am a blogger on a trip, but the few I did take I thought I’d round up in a post since I’ve been wanting to collect and share my thoughts on the whole experience.

There are fans + misters blowing cool mist onto pilgrims in the courtyard

Hajj is a pilgrimage that all Muslims must make once they are financially and physically able to. It is the final of the five pillars of Islam. It is performed between the 7th and 13th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. Though the actual Hajj rituals last only 5-6 days, the typical itinerary lasts between 2 weeks and 40 days. Mainly because it is customary to visit Medina (the Prophet’s city, where he found a safe haven during persecution) and spend some time in Mecca before the actual days of hajj.

One of the minarets of Masjid Nabawi

Grainy but OK! Make up free for 3 weeks and it felt amazing!

On the way to Mount Uhud where the historic battle was fought and early Muslims had lost, teaching the Prophet and his companions many lessons, one of which: patience.

I can’t describe to you the feeling of seeing the Kaaba for the first time. Perhaps it is most similar to seeing your first born child for the first time. You hear stories about it, you imagine for the longest time what it will be like, but when you see it you’re utterly unprepared by the awe you feel. Your breath is taken away. You fall to your knees and cry. You imagine the angels circumambulating the same exact way, perpendicular to this location in the heavens. You imagine all the times you’ve faced this structure. All the times you’ve faced it from afar with fear, with hope, with joy, with pain and it all bundles up and comes pouring out in your tears and your prayers.

After our first Tawaf or circumambulation of the Kaaba (7 times)

I won’t go into the semantics of hajj, because there are quite a few steps and it can be overwhelming, but I will include the following:
you have to complete a few tawafs (circling the kaaba)
running between the hills of Safa and Marwa (aka sayee)
staying in a tent at Mena for a few nights (a 10sq mile camp site housing 2 million pilgrims)
making supplication in Arafat (the site of the Prophet’s last sermon, and Abraham’s historic sacrifice)
overnight stay under the night sky (no tent, no nothin) in Muzdalifa
stoning the jameraat (the site where Ibrahim threw stones at Shaytaan for trying to deter him from his mission)

High up on this mountain is the cave of Thawr where the Prophet (peace be upon him) hid from his enemies who were deterred by the sight of cobwebs and a nesting bird who appeared miraculously.

The first thing they tell you to prepare you for Hajj is Sabr or patience. You strive to stay calm and collected through the heat, the crowds, the long waits, the discomfort, the homesickness and the ailments. Honestly, none of those things tested me too much. The group I traveled with, Dar Es Salaam, kept us very comfortable (with a few exceptions).

Mount Hira, where the Prophet Muhammad would go up to meditate. His wife at the time, Khadjiah (RA) would meet him halfway to bring him food and water. This was where the Angel Gabriel revealed the first verse of the Qur’an. “Read” or “Iqra” in Arabic, he said. Muhammad (SAW) replied, “I cannot read” for he was illiterate. Gabriel repeated, “Read” and he once again replied “I cannot read”. This exchange happened 3 times until Gabriel started reciting Surah Al’Alaq, “Read in the name of your Lord who has created man from a single clot [of blood]…”

Most of us did our own thing throughout the journey. Once we arrived in Mena though, that changed. We were in huge tents lined with pull out one seaters placed one after another. Personal space was limited to a 2x6ft area. I never felt such a strong bond of sisterhood. Many of us younger women left behind similar aged children at home. We were dealing with missing them, dealing with the fatigue of our journey, the overarching questions of how to maintain our good deeds once back home and instilling good values in our children. The older aunties reminded me of my mother. There were so many opportunities to help them – getting them water or tea, mixing up electrolytes when they got sick (many people got dehydrated), etc.

Inside one of the extensions of Masjid Haram (the masjid housing the Kaaba)

The focus on increasing your good deeds was such a transformational point for me. Every time I helped someone out, I saw someone else that was doing it on a monumental scale. There were the sisters who brought their elderly moms, pushing them around in wheelchairs, getting them food, taking them to the bathroom. Husbands caring for ailing wives. Parents tending to their adult disabled children. It was a humbling experience. To see others committed to such service. It demonstrated to me the importance and the nobility of serving others. Whether it is a parent taking care of a child, a doctor taking care of a patient, or a worker handing out a water bottle to a thirsty pilgrim – you realize that these are the deeds that will be carried on long after you are gone.

With my baldy. It is customary for men to shave their heads after umrah. And a face mask because when you’re in the midst of so many people, there’s bound to be something contagious in the air!

Watching the flow of people circling the kaaba is truly mesmerizing: like celestial bodies orbiting a central mass.

Prior to hajj I was constantly plagued by feelings of inadequacy. Being a stay at home mother while my former classmates were becoming VPs and MDs, I always questioned my path. Whatever path you choose, or is chosen for you, the sooner you make your peace with it, the sooner you can give it your all.

Swissotel really spoiled us. I did not lose any weight during this trip.

Mounds of baklava and other regional sweets.

Since I’ve gained this clarity of purpose, my cake designs have improved. Now that I view my children as my first priority, and not just getting in the way when I have a deliverable, my focus has improved. I have the energy to stay up late, working on a cake, and tend to a sick child either intermittently or in a few short hours. I am so grateful for this perspective, for this experience, for the lessons I learned. I hope to carry it with me as long as possible.

We stayed at Swissotel for a few days to take advantage of the vicinity to the Kaaba, then we were transported to a Meccan suburb for the days leading up hajj, preparing physically and spiritually for the journey. It struck me how mountainous, dry and barren the landscape was. How people lived here for thousands of years, how tough they must have been, puzzles me. We were coddled, air conditioned from point A to point B, fed and hydrated round the clock. How they traversed and inhabited these lands in the intense heat and minimal provisions is beyond me. Pictured here are clothes hung to dry as we took advantage of the washers on the rooftop of our travel group’s building.

Source: https://alsajdah.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/the-hajj-graphic-step-by-step/

I hope to return to this sacred place with my children. Nothing cements faith like seeing the historic sites that one has learned about since childhood. The convening of so many from around the world engaging in the singular activity of worship is otherworldy. The barren landscapes, the unimaginable hardships our ancestors endured, is inspiring and humbling.

The first Jameraat, or stone wall symbolizing where the Prophet Ibrahim threw stones at the devil for attempting to sway him from his mission.

Al Mashaer train. Really improved transport for Hajjis.

That is all for now. I’ve had this saved as a draft for well over a week. Peep through the rest of the pictures and come back soon!

Mt Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, gave his final sermon. Also the place where Ibrahim alaihi wa salaam performed his historic sacrifice.

Sunrise as we leave Muzdalifa. You make every attempt to leave at dawn, before the scorching sun gets to you.

For the morning of Eid, I indulged in some sweets (left). On the right was this delicious Indian breakfast: savory semolina cooked with mustard seeds and bay leaves with a spicy coconut chutney. Yum!!

We indulged in some halal McDonald’s once.

Everyone was up every morning at dawn for prayers.

After our last tawaf on the rooftop, I sat down and snapped this picture of the royal clock tower and surrounding hotels that dwarf everything in its vicinity.

Banana Almond Muffins

February 24, 2017

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For all the carbs one consumes when having a muffin, I expect it to have hold me over for some time! I’m getting old! My metabolism is slowing down! I can’t afford to just “eat tasty things” when I’m “hungry”. I have to snack on things like nuts, eat quinoa for breakfast, and add kale as a permanent fixture to my weekly grocery list.

I always tweak breakfast cake recipes to include some heavier elements, like nuts, whole wheat flour, chia seeds (haven’t ventured much with qunioa flour or flax seed but I’ll get there). Hence banana almond muffins. Chocolate chips because everything tastes better with chocolate chips (and because my kids won’t consume them with the same voracity without them). fullsizeoutput_4b83
These freeze well – I made a batch and froze them for our first family trip of the year to Vermont. It’s pretty warm for this time of year but we will try to introduce the kids to skiing! And these muffins definitely helped get us through the car ride up here.

Original, almond free recipe available on Food Network by Tyler Florence.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (can substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup (or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.
Combine the flours, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mash 2 bananas with a fork until it forms a chunky mush.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or in a bowl using a handheld mixer, beat remaining two bananas with brown sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, melted butter, extracts and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients (flours, soda, salt) and mix until just combined. Add pecans, chocolate chips and mashed banana, then stir by hand.
Use an ice cream scoop to measure batter into each muffin liner to about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. I only have one muffin pan so I do 1 batch at a time.

Royal Icing

December 29, 2016

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I just started decorating with royal icing after all these years. Why have I been torturing myself all these years with confectioner’s sugar/milk concoctions that thin too easily, and pipe too painfully?!
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Since royal icing is made with egg whites (I use meringue powder so I don’t have to deal with leftover egg yolks), it has a lot of structure from the protein. Pipes wonderfully for borders and outlines and thins easily for flooding.

I have been a fan of Sana Sodawalla of SugarBase_ for a while now. Her gorgeous marbled cookies, whimsical cakes, and informative videos are something to aspire to. Since I’ve started baking and cake decorating more, I’ve been creating more content tailored to Instagram. I like how the platforms caters to creatives, offering a very visual space to share our content, with lots of real estate for pictures, and just enough for explanatory text.
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I’ve created these cookies after watching her technique on marbling sugar cookies. I got the idea for gold splatter after taking a wonderful mommy and me art class I took with a talented local artist on paper collages.
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I don’t know if I’ve done justice to Sana’s beautiful cookies, but I hope you try your own version at home. My go to recipe for royal frosting below.

Recipe courtesy of Toba Garrett of ICE.

Ingredients

1/4 cup meringue powder
1/2 cup water
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp lemon juice or extract*

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer, use the paddle attachment to combine meringue powder and water at low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low and start to add the sugar, one cup at a time, until all of the sugar has been added. Turn the mixer off, scrape down the paddle and sides of the bowl and turn mixer back on to a low speed. Add the lemon juice/extract and increase speed to medium high. Beat for 5 to 7 minutes until you reached the desired level of stiffness. Keep well covered until ready to use. Can be piped, or thinned with small of amounts of water at a time to use for flooding. Will keep for 1 day at room temperature, or 3 days, covered in the refrigerator.

*I prefer lemon extract since the lemon flavor is a lot more pronounced.

Level Up: #BlogHerFood2016

October 10, 2016

REAL TALK ALERT: What follows are some hard truths about my shortcomings as a blogger, but what’s even more real is my determination to succeed!

I’m going on year 5 of this blog and I’ll admit, things have not gone as I expected. When I started this blog, with my terrible smartphone photos, shot at night under fluorescent lighting (cringe), I thought people were going to visit my page in DROVES. Because hey, I’m a decent writer, right? I’m going out and transcribing Bangladeshi recipes from my mom and loved ones so that others wouldn’t have to. Here I was posting those very recipes so you wouldn’t have to do the hard work of figuring out what exactly two finger widths of water per cup of rice actually meant! A nice market, but, no, I haven’t been able to work it between kids and my day job. The Blogging Universe does not reward those who do not produce content like a Southern kitchen turns out biscuits.

So I had a bit of a learning curve. I consulted with my awesome food photography specialist friend, Aaisha Shaikh of LattesandChai (formerly BakingPartTime). I consulted with local lifestyle blogger and my junior high buddy Aileen Olmedo of TheStyleBoro about blogging as an industry. She pointed me in the direction of SheKnows and the BlogHer conferences as a resource for female content creators and social media influencers. For context, SheKnows is a parent company of BlogHer, an advertising network built by women for women. They hold two conferences yearly, one for bloggers across the spectrum, and another food focused. I decided the latter would have the right mix of the resources I was looking for: industry insights, networking, and practical applications. Boy was I right.

This year’s conference included:

Instagram best practices and editing tutorials from Jane of A Taste of Koko
Trends and the strengths weaknesses of each social media platform from Ashlee Marie Cakes
Strategic advice for bloggers and entrpreneurial women from a really awesome person, Elisa Camahort Page, co-founder of BlogHer

I learned a lot, and now I see why so many who had started their blogs before mine, were able to take off in a lot shorter time. People with experience in media, marketing are in the know. Before my conversation with Aileen, I’d never heard the term “influencer” or “working with a brand” or even “content creator”. With the rise of blogging and social media, the advertising industry has changed on a fundamental level. It even changed drastically from the early days of blogging before the rise of social media and big data. Now there are “influencer agencies” to match up bloggers, IGers, Pinners, Youtubers and the like with the brands that would fit best with them. Instead of generating revenue from ads placed on the site, influencers now earn income from sponsored posts (the following is not an #ad rather swag!).

It was as whirlwind of information. In an industry that changes so quickly, it’s important to stay informed in order to stay relevant.

And meeting my idols were just the cherry on top. Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes, Elise Strachan of My Cupcake Addiction, Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grand Baby Cakes, and the craziest one of all…

FREDDIE PRINZE JR.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are a late 20 something, early 30 something women, you are swooning right now. I see you. I watched She’s All That, too. And I Know What You Did Last Summer, and the episode of Friends where he played the male nanny. And yes, he is just as cute and funny and endearing in real life as he is on screen. He was part of the closing keynote with Lisa Lillien of Hungry Girl and Carla Hall from The Chew and Top Chef.

Year. Made.

I picked up his cookbook (yes ladies, he cooks and is happily married to Buffy the Vampire Slayer) since I was intrigued by the New Mexican recipes. I LOVE New Mexican food, made so tasty by the local hatch chili peppers. They are out of season now and I am far from New Mexico, but I did pick up a bunch of canned peppers from my last trip and apparently, you can order them online!

I forgot to ask him if he was red, green or Christmas. So I ask all of my New Mexican readers: which one are you?!

Thanks, BlogHer and SheKnows for a great conference! And for my readers, wish me luck as I attempt to implement the strategies and learnings I’ve come away with to level up to Kitchen3N 2.0!