1. Place cashew nuts in small bowl, cover with hot water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the garam masala, chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder (or contents of spice pack if using), garlic and ginger, to the pan and fry, stirring for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning to coat well.
4. Add the tomatoes, mix well then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, turning from time to time, until the chicken is tender.
5. Drain most of the water from the cashew nuts, then transfer to a food processor and process to a thick paste. Add the cashew paste and cream to the chicken, bring to the boil, adding a little water to give a smooth, slightly thick sauce. Continue to cook until the oil floats on top then add the sultanas and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Serve hot.
Shahrukh Khan
Age: 124
7848 days old here
Total Posts: 43596
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Location:
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Mutton Biryani
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
240ml/8fl.oz. Ghee or Oil 2 Onions, finely chopped 675g/1-1/2lb Mutton or Lamb, cut into 2.5cm/1 inch cubes Salt to taste 2 teasp Red Chili Powder 2 teasp Turmeric Powder 1 ½ teasp Black Cumin 4 2.5cm/1-inch pieces Cinnamon Sticks 4 Cloves 4 Cardamom Pods 2 Bay Leaves 2 teasp Ginger Paste 2 teasp Garlic Paste 720ml/24fl.oz. Water 4 Tomatoes, chopped 180ml/6fl.oz. Plain Yoghurt 675g/1-1/2lb Rice 1 tbsp Freshly chopped Coriander a few Mint Leaves 1 teasp Lemon Juice
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown.
2. Add the mutton and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes, turning from time to time.
3. Add the Salt, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Black Cumin, Cinnamon Sticks Cloves, Cardamom Pods, Bay Leaves, Ginger and Garlic Pastes together with the water, mix well then reduce the heat, partially cover and cook for 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the rice in another saucepan, cover with 5cm/2-inches of water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes only until half cooked. Drain well and set aside.
5. After the 45 minutes cooking time, stir the yoghurt into the meat mixture and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.
6. Place one quarter of the half cooked rice on the bottom of a large saucepan then top with one quarter of the meat mixture. Continue layering until the rice and meat are finished. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander, mint leaves and lemon juice, cover and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes unit rice is completely cooked. Serve hot.
Shahrukh Khan
Age: 124
7848 days old here
Total Posts: 43596
Points: 0
Location:
Netherlands, Netherlands
Chicken Pakoras
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
450g/1lb Boneless Chicken Breast 1 tbsp Lemon Juice 1 teasp Garlic Paste 1 teasp Ginger Paste 2 Green Chilies, ground ½ teasp Ground Turmeric 1 tsp. Red Chili Powder 1 teasp salt 1 teasp Ground Coriander
Oil for deep frying For the Batter 200g/7oz Gram (chickpea) Flour 1 teasp Salt 1 teasp Chili Powder 1 teasp Coriander Seeds, crushed 1 teasp Garam Masala 1 teasp Bicarbonate of Soda 2 tbsp Freshly chopped Coriander 300ml/10fl.oz. Water (approx)
Instructions
1. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces, place in a bowl and rub the with the lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger paste, salt, chili powder, turmeric, green chilies and ground coriander. Pour over the chicken pieces and mix to coat well. Cover and set aside for at least 2 hours.
3. Place the dry ingredients for the batter in a large mixing bowl and gradually add the water, beating to a smooth paste. The consistency should be like thick pancake batter. Leave aside to rest for 20 minutes.
4. Heat the oil to 180C/350F.
5. Dip a few pieces of chicken into the batter to thoroughly coat, then using your fingers or tongs, carefully drop them into the hot oil. Fry for a few minutes, then turn them over and continue to fry for a further 5-8 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Serve hot
Shahrukh Khan
Age: 124
7848 days old here
Total Posts: 43596
Points: 0
Location:
Netherlands, Netherlands
Spicy Garlic Fish Fry Serves 4
Ingredients 675g/1-1/2 lb Skinless White fish fillets (sole, cod, monkfish) Salt 1 tbsp Ground Cumin Vegetable oil for-deep frying 2 teasp Ground Coriander 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed 1 teasp Ground Anise Seeds 1/2 teasp Chile Powder 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
1. Cut the fish into large chunks and place in a shallow dish. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, coriander, ground anise, chili powder, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Spread over the fish, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Heat the oven to low and heat the oil to 175C/350 F. Add the fish to the oil a few pieces at a time, and fry for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven whilst you cook the remaining fish. Serve hot.
Shahrukh Khan
Age: 124
7848 days old here
Total Posts: 43596
Points: 0
Location:
Netherlands, Netherlands
Chris Tucker returns to the big screen after a six-year absence as he reunites with the all-star team of co-star Jackie Chan, director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2, X-Men: The Last Stand, Hannibal), and writer Jeff Nathanson (Rush Hour 2, Catch Me If You Can) to deliver the third installment of the blockbuster Rush Hour franchise. Arriving in theaters on August 10, 2007, Rush Hour 3 sees the beloved action comedy duo of Tucker and Chan reprising their roles as LAPD Detective James Carter and Chinese Chief Inspector Lee respectively. This time around, the two must travel to Paris to battle a wing of the Chinese organized crime family, the Triads.
In Theatres: August 10th, 2007 Action and Adventure Rating: PG-13
Brett Ratner (dir.) Jackie Chan Chris Tucker Hiroyuki Sanada Youki Kudoh Max Von Sydow
Shahrukh Khan
Age: 124
7848 days old here
Total Posts: 43596
Points: 0
Location:
Netherlands, Netherlands
Khuda ke liye - Music Review!
What can one say about the upcoming film Khuda Kay Liye that hasn't been said before? It is, for many, the most anticipated film of the year. In many minds, it is 'the film' that will unleash a new kind of cinema in Pakistan and pave path for others to follow. It is a film that vows to touch issues close to Muslims and to Pakistanis. It is a film that has dared to touch the most sensitive of all subjects: religion. And finally, it is the film debut of the reclusive and brilliant Shoaib Mansoor, the man behind Fifty Fifty, Alpha Bravo Charlie, and the mentor and lyricist for the most successful and inspirational pop act of all times – Vital Signs. Enough said
Hence, the expectations from the OST of Khuda Kay Liye are great. Thankfully enough, the music for the film meets them.
So what if Khuda Kay Liye soundtrack doesn't bring forward the big guns of our pop music world, as one would expect? It cleverly reunites Shuja Haider and Ahmad Jahanzeb, who teamed up in 2003 on Ahmad's debut album, Parastish. Most surprisingly, it puts spotlight on raw talent, unexplored, unheard voices, three of whom are females (yippee!) who can actually sing. Isn't that something? Together these various artistes under the wing of veteran melody catcher Shoaib Mansoor unite and fuse various styles of music such as classical, folk and pop together and as a result, it makes for an excellent album. An unpredictable charm Thematically, the OST of Khuda Kay Liye has a moody character that seems to be going through a different stage of life within each song. It's beautifully sad at times, happily carefree at others, somewhat confident, reflecting on moments as they pass by.
The moodiness is a prime factor in each song. From the confident and cheerful 'Hamaray Hain' where Ahmad Jahanzeb and Shuja Haider make quite an impression on vocals as they sing, "Hamaray hain/Jahan mein hain jitnay haseen/Milangey hum/Milangey hum sabhi say kahin na kahin/Poochhein gee jahan mein awaazein hamari/dilon mein utar jayengi/" to the slightly rockish and upbeat 'Bandya' where Khawar Jawad provides delightfully harsh and striking vocal work with ample support from Farah Zala. Where Khawar often is rough, Farah is slightly sultry in her "woohh wooh" and here's the surprise element: she sings in English while Khawar sings to the words of Bulley Shah and she provides backing vocals in Urdu with equal grace. It is quite an interesting collaborative effort, especially since Pakistani music hardly has many great male-female duets to offer… anymore.
Another version of 'Bandya' comes on later in the album and here it is a newcomer Faiza Mujahid who replaces Farah Zala. She too stuns with her Lene Marlin-like voice. Compared to Farah, Faiza has a slightly sharper voice and it just provides more flavour to the album.
The cheerful, happy attitude continues with 'Duniya Ho' which points at happy love and "dancing tonight" and "feeling the beat". It is a thumping dance number that skillfully merges English and Urdu together and one can picture a scene where liberal youngsters of this nation are just dancing and enjoying the night away.
The optimism continues with the retrospective and thought-provoking title track, 'Khuda Kay Liye' that is perhaps the best track on the album. This is a song that beautifully reflects on faith and love for God as it goes, "Khuda kay naam sey/Khelo na/Khuda kay liye/Khuda tau azeem hai/Raheem bhi/Kareem bhi" without being preachy.
As a lyricist, Shoaib Mansoor still has that magic. He skillfully pens simple but thought-provoking lyrics that give this album an intense quality. This is classic Shoaib Mansoor from the old days of Vital Signs. That said, he isn't making Vital Signs pop here but a film music album and it seems that he knows this fact well.
One discovers the dark side of this album with songs like 'Mahi Way', 'Allah Hoo' 'Tiluk Kamod' and 'Janie Janie'.
Where 'Mahi Way' stuns with its mysteriously haunting melody, poignant wordplay in English that goes, "So many tricks/So many lies/Too many whens and too many whys/No one's special/No one's gifted/I'm just me/warped and twisted" and heart wrenching and despairing vocals from Khawar Jawad and Faiza Mujahid respectively, 'Janie Janie' reflects love from the eyes of a hopeless romantic. With its subtle bass lines and orchestra-like feel and Ahmad Jahanzeb's soft and emotive singing, this is certainly a laudable effort. This is Ahmad Jahanzeb that one first heard on songs like 'Aap Ki Yaad'.
And speaking of Ahmad Jahanzeb's talent, he shines as a soloist on another soft, heartbreaking number, namely 'Tiluk Kamod'. Here he really makes Ustaad Rafees Khan, his teacher, proud. Ahmad Jahanzeb sings in a mature tone as he does, "Tana Na Na Deh Na Naa" and then as the wordplay progresses, so does he. Here Ahmad shines once again. Bravo!
A definite fusion comes with the soulful 'Allah Hoo'. With fantastic folk singer Saeen Zahoor and newcomer Zara Madani joining hands together on this enchanting melody with gorgeous bass and percussion nuances, it simply blows the mind! This is a song that can be put to repeat and it will not bore you because of its textured sound and numb, brooding feel. If Saeen sings hypnotically, Zara broods, feeling the need to call out the higher force as if in a moment of pain and it works superbly. The last track on the album, an instrumental, with its air of calm sadness and slow melody gives out a grand feeling even if unconsciously. The slow soft piano really is classic here, reminding one of Italian composers who excel at this instrument effortlessly.
Surprise elements As an album, Khuda Kay Liye is filled with surprises. It uses Urdu, English and Punjabi as languages and ties up all of them in crisp style that really gives this album a diverse flavour. Musically, this album has something for everyone. From pop to dance to classical, it fuses all genres together and does so effortlessly. It is always interesting to hear instruments like a melancholic sitar paired with soft piano, blue flute with acoustic guitar magic and so on.
Shuja Haider and Ahmad Jahanzeb fit well on this album because their vocals are not harsh but soft even when at peak. For a film album, you need such voices. And hey, together these two are a rock solid combination, not just as singers but as composers as well.
Most importantly, the OST of Khuda Kay Liye is exciting because of its surprisingly good new vocalists. Ammar Hasan and Khawar Jawad shine as singers. There are few vocalists whose vocals cannot be matched. Names like Faisal Kapadia, Ali Azmat, Shafqat Amanat Ali and Atif Aslam come to mind. Ammar and Khawar belong to that unfathomable breed of singers. On the other hand, Farah Zala, Zara Madani and Faiza Mujahid impress with their vocal dexterity and ability to sing in English and Urdu. Mind you, these girls are not reminiscent to the young pop princess Annie. They remind one of Nazia Zuberi (Rushk). That said, each of them has a rawness that makes all the difference.
While Zara Madani, Ammar Hasan and Faiza Mujahid are newcomers, Khawar Jawad has been around for quite some time and has worked in studios with names like Ali Zafar and Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan. And Farah Zala has an English album, Twist of Fate to her credit. That said, none of these artistes are really known in Pakistan.
The only question that comes to mind is one: where have these singers been all this time? In retrospect, one is glad that it was through this album that these singers have come forward. Anyone who can differentiate between good music and bad will definitely take notice of these young voices. Ultimately, this album works because of its collective effort. It is not just Shoaib Mansoor alone but him with a bunch of multi-talented singers and composers who have maintained consistency even as they have experimented.
In the end, it really is a very offbeat film music soundtrack as far as Pakistani standards go. How the masses react to this album remains to be seen but right now, this album is hot in the market. Within a day of its release, half the stores at Boat Basin have run out of copies. In the end, this album plays testament to Pakistan's talent and to the man that is Shoaib Mansoor. He has never disappointed us ever and with KKL he once again proves that he is a force to be reckoned with in the music business.
karney waley kabhi pakrey nahi jayien gey...
