Dreaming in Dubai

I'm a little embarrassed by how long it's taken me to get this blog post up. I'd actually had it written and queued up for weeks but between work, preparing for my trip to Pakistan(!!!), technical difficulties on my blog and attempting to take care of my home it's been a struggle to sit down and actually publish it. I finally had a few spared minutes today and managed to make that collage you see up there. Anyways, enough my rambling. Let's get back to the actual post. One of the questions I most frequently get asked most frequently is how do I take and edit my pictures. I find this question quite flattering because I'm far from an expert. To be honest my husband helps me out with photography a lot and by helping I mean he takes a large chunk of my pictures for me. I do like to take credit for the creative aspects though! I think we make quite a productive team with his technical skills and my creative compositions. It's all about the balance after all. There are a couple of things I've learned along the way that have helped me out tremendously when I do take my pictures. Most of our pictures are taken with our Canon 70D that my husband and I impulsively splurged on before our trip to Turkey. It's actually turned out to be our favorite purchase ever. Our camera has allowed us to really learn and experiment photography and take it one step above iPhone pictures. The tips I'll be sharing today apply to all cameras, both iPhones and DSLR's. (I'm working on a separate post just for DSLR's!) I hope these tips answer the questions that so many of you have. If not please leave me a comment below!

1. Use Natural Light

Unless you have extensive knowledge of your dslr and lenses it can be impossible to take good pictures under artificial light. Light bulbs tend to cast a harsh yellow or blue shadow on pictures resulting in a lack luster photograph. Natural light on the other hand provides a natural glow to pictures that make for a gorgeous photograph. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of natural light. Play with shadows, harsh light, dull light etc to see how they impact your pictures. The only way you will learn what light works best for your taste is to experiment. I prefer the bright light that shines through my apartment in the afternoon. This sometimes causes delays for me if I don't get home in time to shoot my pictures but I would rather wait until the next day to get a great photo than to take a photo in light I don't love.

2. Composition

When it comes to aesthetically pleasing photographs, composition is key. Whether you're taking a flat flay, food photo, or nature shot, if you don't compose your shot in a way that's pleasing to the eye it won't look good on camera. Play around with your props, objects, whatever it may be to find the shot that looks best. Explore different angles and settings to find what works best. I often take 20 different shots of the same thing before I find a composition that I love.

3. Don't Drastically Edit

Chances are if you've taken a great photograph you won't need to edit it drastically. When I first started taking pictures I would saturate them until they turned neon. For some reason strange reason I thought they looked best that way but I've slowly come to realize that when it comes to editing, less is actually more. Now, I like my pictures to have a natural look so I hardly ever use filters or editing tools on them. For me filters are a hit or miss, sometimes they can transport a photo into another realm but most of the time they make a picture look discolored (not in a good way), grainy, and distorted. My favorite tools to use for editing pictures are the tools available on Instagram itself which allow you adjust saturation, brightness, shadows etc. I find that these tools make the best impact on pictures. You'd be surprised at what a difference increasing saturation or brightness can make on an image!

4. Taking Straight Photos

One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to pictures are when they are crooked. Crooked pictures throw off the entire balance of a picture. It's best to make sure that you're holding the camera straight when you're shooting. This is very easy to do if you have a phone camera but it can take a little time to master if you're using a dslr because they tend to be more bulky. Luckily there are a number of apps you can use to straighten a picture my favorite of which, surprise, surprise is the Instagram editing tools. The best part of the straitening tool is that not only can you use it to straighten a picture horizontally, you can also pull the photo in different directions (not sure if that makes sense!). But trust me, it makes a huge difference especially if you've tilted the camera up to take photos.

5. The Rule of Thirds

This rule goes along with composition but it's so important that it deserves its explanation. The rule of third is when the composition of your picture is divided into thirds, either horizontally or vertically. This means that the subject of your image falls along one of the thirds. This rule is hands down one of the easiest ways to create an interesting composition in your photo. Rather than having the subject in the middle, if the subject lies along one of the thirds it will create interest in your photo and draw the eye to the subject automatically. I use this rule in almost all of my pictures by having at least one of the subjects of my photo fall along the third lines. You can either imagine the lines in your head when taking the picture or you can use the grid function on your iPhone camera to see where the lines fall. 

I hope these tips are helpful! I will be doing another set of tips that are specifically for dslr's very soon!

This plum, peach, and lime juice is possibly the best thing I've ever tasted.

I think my title for this blog post a little misleading. Tom and Serg, the ultra - hip, incredibly cool, local producing serving cafe that's opened up in Al Qouz of all places has introduced hipster to Dubai rather than bringing it back. I know hipster has garnered a bit of a negative connotation lately because it leads people to think of entitled millennials but in the context of Tom and Serg, hipster is a very good thing. Tom and Serg opened up their cafe in what had originally been a warehouse in one of the most industrial areas of Dubai. While this isn't unusual in places like Brooklyn and LA, it was revolutionary for Dubai where good food is related with opulence and luxury. Tom and Serg is changing the way that people think about food in Dubai. By opening up in an unusual area, creating a selective yet impressive menu and showing that good culinary experience don't have to be luxurious, Tom and Serg has made a mark in the Dubai food scene.

The seared tuna tacos are perfection.

 
A restaurant can't get by with a cool idea, it has to have good food to back it up and Tom and Serg doesn't fail to measure up. The menu  is kept limited but each item has been crafted carefully by Tom and Serg (the owners) themselves. My husband and I first discovered this place a few months ago after hearing raving reviews about it on Zomato and Instagram. We decided to try it and we were blown away. It's become our favorite spot for brunch, early morning breakfasts and everything in between. We've made it our goal to try every item on the menu. So far we've covered their seared tuna tacos, scrambled eggs (best we've had in Dubai!), salted caramel french toast, Moroccan chicken salad, and berry granola. It's kind of sad that I remember every dish that we've tried there but it goes to show how good the food actually is. Oh, and did I mention they serve Valrhona hot chocolate? Because they do. If that's not reason alone to try this place then I don't know what is! Next time you're looking for a place to brunch be sure to give Tom and Serg a try because you won't regret it.

*This post was not sponsored and all opinions expressed are mine, and mine only.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I don't always have the luxury to have a proper breakfast every morning but when I do get the time I always like to have a proper breakfast with the works which is pretty evident from my last few posts here, and here. This may be a biased opinion but I also think breakfast foods are the prettiest. You can't make a plate of curry and rice look as nice as Belgium waffles topped with red and blue berries or a stack of pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar and maple syrup. The other day I was in the mood for breakfast food even though it was 5:00pm. I decided to make a stack of pancakes topped with a little maple syrup and butter. It was the perfect pick me up and definitely satisfied my craving for breakfast food. I don't normally eat a huge stack of pancakes in the middle of the day (I shared them with my husband and we didn't even finish the stack!) but every now and then it's nice to indulge. I would love to know, what's your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

Weekend brunch is a big deal in Dubai. Although my husband and I like to avoid the rush of the brunch scene and have breakfast at home instead we decided to go out today and try something new. I immediately suggested we try The Hamptons, a cafe inspired by the famous vacation town in New York. Despite being from Connecticut I've never been to the Hamptons before but I knew just by driving past the cafe that it emulated the simplistic and elegant vibe that the Hamptons is so famous for. 

Since I'm a sucker for chic, white interiors I felt like I had walked into interior design heaven as soon as I stepped into The Hamptons. The space was filled with natural light with large airy windows and an  understated and classic decor. We were seated on the rooftop level like we had requested. I would definitely suggest making a reservation before going especially if you want to sit on the rooftop since. The place is packed on weekends and it can be difficult to get a table otherwise. When it came time to order we were given two iPads which contained the menus. I ordered the West Hamptons Breakfast which included a yogurt parfait, a croissant, jam, and a fresh orange juice. My husband ordered the French Toast. We also got a hot chocolate which came with a free macaron and we ordered an extra macaron for good luck!



We were so surprised when the food arrived in under 15 minutes. Unlike other places where you have to wait forever for your food we were served so quickly despite the rush. As you can see from the pictures the presentation of the food was incredible. Everything was served on wicker trays which I now totally want to get for my own home. The hot chocolate had the cutest anchor on it. After we were done staring at how cute the food was and taking pictures it was finally time to dig in. As soon as we had our first bite we were blown away. Everything was incredible. The yogurt parfait contained almost everything you could think of from granola to fresh fruit to dried fruit and nuts. The hot chocolate was one of the best I've ever had and the macarons were amazing. We were worried that we might have ordered to little food initially but the portions were more than enough for us.

I really can't say enough good things about this place. From the quality of the food to the amazing service this place has everything that defines a fantastic restaurant. We'll definitely be going back soon!

This morning I was in the mood to make one of all my time favorite foods, khagina. Khagina is the Pakistani version of scrambled eggs. Similar to shakshouka and menemen, it's made with red onions, ripe tomatoes and a long list of aromatic spices. Despite being made with eggs, khagina isn't strictly classified as a breakfast food. It's eaten just as commonly for dinner as it is for breakfast. I make if frequently for dinner myself since it takes such a short time to make and requires simple ingredients that I always have on hand. This dish also holds a special place in heart for another reason as well. During my last semester at Smith I would go home every weekend to visit my parents. I would make khagina for breakfast every weekend while my mom made chai and parhatas. When our breakfast was ready we would sit at the dining table eating, chatting and sipping our hot tea with morning light pouring through the window. Those are some of my best memories. Today I recreated the same breakfast with my husband minus the tea since he's not a fan (I'm still working on changing that!) Instead I served it with warm (store bought) parhatas, Concord grapes and fresh orange juice in Turkish dishes. The light this morning was beautiful. I haven't edited these pictures at all because the natural tones were so beautiful. Since we were worried about getting good on our white sheets we ate at the table but the setting did make for a nice photo at least!

As I sit here typing this post I'm hitting the keys just a bit lighter than I normally do. It's because my right hand, no, my entire right arm actually feels like it's about to fall off. You see, yesterday I made macarons and they were probably the most physically and mentally taxing thing I have ever made in my entire life. And this is coming from someone who's made haleem and biryani. But trust me, don't let what I'm saying discourage you. Part of the reason they were so difficult to make for me is because I don't have an electric stand or hand mixer. That means I spent just over 1 hour and 15 minutes yesterday transforming liquidy little egg whites into a glossy, stiff peaked meringue. This process happened by whisking. A lot of whisking. Now that my macarons are resting in the fridge ready to be eaten I can say it was worth it. Well, kind of. I certainly won't be making macarons again until I buy a hand mixer but the satisfaction of making them entirely from scratch and having them turn out so well on the first try was more than worth it. I think the reason they turned out so well the first time around was partly because of the fact that God must have felt really bad for me watching me turn those egg whites into meringue by hand and partly because I researched these little cookies to no end and followed directions like there was no tomorrow.

I had put of making macarons for months because of all of the stuff I had read and heard about the level of difficultly and precision that they require. Those people certainly weren't lying but I've learned from the process that if you pay close attention to the details, and I mean really, really close attention then you'll come out with pretty decent macarons on the first try. Let me begin by listing the quantity of ingredients I used and then I'll get to the directions.

Ingredients

100 grams of almond flour
180 grams of powdered sugar
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 of a cup granulated sugar









Process

Begin by weighing your ingredients. It's really important that you use weight measurement rather than cups for the almond flour and powdered sugar because it gives you a more accurate idea of the quantity as opposed to a measuring cup.

Next, strain your almond flour and powdered sugar. Make sure you discard any lumpy pieces. Note that whatever you throw away doesn't need to be replaced so you should weigh your ingredients before you sift them. You want the flour to be incredibly fine because other wise you will get lumpy tops on your macarons. I sifted the mixture twice but you can sift it up to five times to ensure that it's as smooth as possible.

Now it's time to make your meringue. If you have a hand or stand mixer this part will be relatively painless. If you don't, it's going to take some blood, sweat and tears. Make sure to use a glass or stainless steel bowl to mix your egg whites in. You have to ensure that your bowl is very, very clean. Any trace of grease will make it impossible for your egg whites to fluff up to their full capacity. After mixing until your eggs get foamy begin adding your granulated sugar in small increments. Don't add the sugar until the eggs are foamy because it will take twice as long for the meringue to form.

You will know that your meringue is ready when you can hold the bowl over your head and the egg whites don't fall out of the bowl. Don't over mix however, because you don't wan the meringue to crack and become hard. This could take anywhere from 10 minutes if you have a mixture to more than one hour if you don't.

At this point you can add food coloring to the meringue mixture. Add much more color than you think you'll need because the color will fade a lot while the macarons are baking. I wish I had known this earlier because maybe then my macarons would have been light pink I had intended them to be rather than the weird light brown they turned out.

Here comes the trickiest part. You have to mix your almond mixture into your meringue. This part makes or breaks the macron. If you over-mix, you'll have runny cookies that don't have feet (the little ridges at the bottom macarons are so well known for). If you under mix you'll end up with lumpy, cracked cookies. I was most nervous about this part. I would recommend mixing with a rubber spatula. I mixed until everything was incorporated but not runny. When I say mix, I mean gently fold the two mixtures together. This isn't the time to go at your mixture. Start around the edges and gently fold towards the middle. Make sure to scrape down the sides as you go.

Now you're ready to pipe your macarons onto your baking sheet. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before you pipe them. You really want to use  parchment paper rather than anything else. It works better than almost any other material. At this point you should also pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

When you pipe your macarons, you don't want to pipe them too close together because they do spread a little bit. I would say about an inch apart is a safe bet. After you've piped them slam them down on your counter a few times until all of the air bubbles have popped. Then leave them out on the counter for around 20 minutes until the macarons develop a sort of skin on top. You'll know they're ready when you touch them and they're not sticky. If you don't do this then your macarons won't develop feet.

It's finally time to put you macarons in the oven. Set your timer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes rotate your baking sheet in the oven. Let them bake for another 6 minutes. Keep your eye on them because you don't want them to get brown when they're in the oven.

Let them rest for at least 5 minutes before you try taking them off the baking sheet and let them cool before you fill them. Since this post is so long already I won't get into the filling details but know that your possibilities are endless when it comes to flavors!

I hope this post encourages you all to try making macarons on your own. Yes, they are incredibly difficult but if you follow the directions meticulously then you're sure to turn out with perfect macarons even on your first try!

If you try to make these then make sure to let me know how they turn out!

I've quickly come to learn that growing up in New England makes one spoiled for choice when it comes to produce. All my life I was accustomed to seeing the numerous local grocery stores in my town packed to the brim with fresh produce, my favorite of which were the berries. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries among many others in the most vibrant hues of crimson red and sapphire blue lined shelf after shelf. As a child I would bring home boxes of each and devour them eagerly as soon as my mother rinsed them off for me. Every now and then I would reach for the strawberries before she had a chance to clean them to her pristine standards but her watchful eyes would quickly catch me and alas I would be left with no option but to wait.

When my mom took me to Pakistan at the age of three she was both frustrated and thrilled by the fact that I would only eat strawberries. Frustrated because a growing child couldn't possibly get the nutrients she needs from strawberries alone but thrilled because at least my picky little self was eating something. She eagerly recalls the story of how my grandmother tried the strawberries herself to see what all the fuss was about. They had just been introduced in Pakistan around the time of our visit (lucky me) and were considered quite the hot commodity. After taking her first bite she quickly scrunched her face because of the tartness and expressed her disbelief at the fact that it was these sour little things I couldn't stop eating!

Fast forward about 19 years to Dubai and strawberries, and berries in general have once again become a hot commodity. It turns out berries don't really grow that well in desert. Gone are the days of my local grocery store emptying out pints of berries practically for free. But even now I indulge my craving by picking up a carton of blueberries or strawberries on my way home from work at the Spinny's nearby.

This weekend I decided to make a berry at home for my husband and I. I wanted to make something small since large cakes end up getting wasted at our home. It's just the two of us and there's only so much cake we can eat before we start packing on the pounds. I used a recipe that I've made many times before but I cut it in half. It's perfect for two or three people. I also added strawberries instead of just blueberries and I baked in a tiny cake pan (5 inches) instead of a loaf pan. The results were fantastic. The berries in the cake taste amazing and it's sweet without being overpowering. One tip I would definitely give while making this cake is to coat the berries in a light layer of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom. That way they'll be evenly distributed throughout the whole cake making for a prettier and tastier cake!







Recipe adapted from

1/4 cup blueberries
1/4 cup strawberries chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease baking pan and set aside.

Mix together melted butter, egg, sugar, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl mix together flour and baking powder.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the egg mixture.

Toss your berries with around a few spoonfuls of flour and fold gently into the batter.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

If you decide to try this cake at home please let me know how it turns out for you!

I don't know about you guys but in the past few months my weekend (and most weekdays for that matter) doesn't feel complete unless I've baked something. I love the way that baking makes my house smell and the convenience of having something quick and easy in my fridge ready to eat for breakfast is an added bonus. Yesterday was Saturday, Dubai's equivalent of a Sunday, since the weekends here are Friday and Saturday instead of Saturday and Sunday. My husband unexpectedly got called into work for the entire day and I was bored out of my mind. After making something for dinner I still had a few hours left before he got home. I decided to try making a pound cake. My husband had been craving pound cake for a while and I thought it would be a perfect surprise for him after spending a Saturday at the office.

I'm not sure whether it was the fact that Eid was last week or that I've been missing my relatives in Karachi a great deal but I wanted to make something that would remind me of Pakistan. Keeping that in mind I went through my pantry and looked at what I could add to my cake to make it similar to the simple cakes sold in Pakistan. I came across my bottle of rose water and packet of cardamoms and I knew that these would be the perfect addition. I added in a teaspoon of rose water along with 4 pods of crushed cardamom. They gave the cake such an incredible aroma. The whole house smelled heavenly while it was baking. The smell was so reminiscent of mithai which I love. While the cake was baking I made some doodh patti chai. For those of you who don't know doohd patti chai is tea that's been steeped in milk instead of water. It's so decadent and creamy and I honestly don't know how people can drink regular tea after having tried doodh patti because I certainly can't. 

When it was finally time to take the cake out of the oven I was nervous because it was my first attempt at a pound cake and I was worried about the rose water being too overpowering or the cake being dry. When I finally tried it I was so happy with the results. The cake had an incredibly moist crumb and the hint of rose water and cardamom definitely elevated it. It was the perfect compliment to my chai. It wasn't exactly a proper Pakistani tea time because that would require more people and some shami kebabs (spicy chicken mince cutlets fried to golden perfection). But it was just what I needed to sooth my nostalgia and pass the time until my husband got home. 

While I was very happy with the cake, the next time I make this cake I will try to beat it for a little while longer to incorporate more air into it. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing. I've shared the recipe below. If you decide to give this cake a try make sure to let me know how it turns out!




Recipe:

1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of softened butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon rose water
4 pods of crushed cardamom
1/2 cup of milk

Begin by mixing together your butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and rose water. Alternate between adding your flour mixture and milk in three increments. Make sure to beat thoroughly and incorporate lots of air into the batter while beating. Because no baking soda or powder go into this cake it's important to beat if for longer because otherwise it won't rise.

Place in the oven for 30 - 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve hot with lots of tea and enjoy! 

Living in Dubai is many things, but cheap is not one of them. I have come to learn this the hard way over my year and a half spent here. Everything costs almost twice as much if not more than it does back home in Connecticut. For a self proclaimed stingy person like me, that's not an easy thing to come to terms with. I'm known for finding things on clearance racks at 80% off. In fact, my parents and husband regularly joke that I've probably never purchased anything for full price in my entire life (that may or may not be true). Anyways, you're probably wondering what any of this has to do with my brownies. I promise, I'm getting to it! When I was visiting my parents in America last month I decided to load up on groceries, clothes and anything else I could possibly need so that I wouldn't have to spend twice as much money buying those items here. I brought back a bunch of baking supplies with me including the cutest cupcake liners I found on sale at Marshall's, baking trays, piping bags etc. So when I decided to make brownies I went to my baking drawer to pull out my brownie pan. It was only then that I realized I had forgotten to pack my brownie pan with me. Ever the hopeful person, I decided to check out my local supermarket in the hope that I could find a reasonably priced brownie pan. Low and behold, I couldn't find a single one that would cost me less than a small fortune (by my standards at least). And with the money I was spending for ridiculously overpriced cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate I decided it was best to forgo the brownie pan altogether. That's when I decided to use my cupcake pan to bake my brownies instead.

I'm not a huge fan of chocolate but I do love brownies and they're also my husband's favorite dessert so I had to give them a try. I was pretty nervous about making them but I found a great recipe online here. My brownies turned out really well but the only thing I wish I had done differently was to take them out of the oven earlier than I did. When I inserted my toothpick into the brownie it was still pretty liquidy inside so I decided to leave them in the oven for another 5 minutes but it made them a little bit drier than I would have liked them to be. I also think they would have turned out moister in a brownie pan so if you have one, I would definitely recommend using it over a cupcake pan. I'm probably making my brownies sound a lot worse than they actually were! Trust me, this recipe is fantastic. I would just recommend taking out the brownies a bit on the early side as a precaution. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be customized in so many ways. I added chocolate chips and lots of walnuts to mine but you can add literally anything you can think of! If you decide to try these brownies make sure let me know how they turn out!



Recipe:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

(Recipe courtesy of Joyofbaking.com) 

Biryani and I have a bit of a history. Growing up, I abhorred any food that contained whole spices. Cloves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, you name it. Just the sight of them in my food would be enough to make me nauseous. This made eating biryani quite the struggle. I was the only Pakistani child I knew of who didn't like biryani. Not liking biryani in the desi community is more than enough to get you ostracized. It's practically considered sacrilege. Over the years I learned how to stealthily pass up biryani at desi gatherings and people learned to like me regardless.

I thought I had finally escaped the curse of biryani until I met my husband. I quickly discovered that he like most Desis loved his biryani. Actually, it's his all time favorite food. I could no longer ignore it, in fact I would have to learn how to make it. I thought if I do have to make biryani I should do it in a way that would appeal to both my husband and I. I left out the whole spices and replaced them with other flavors I could tolerate. Regardless, my first attempt was not pretty. It was a gooey, yogurty, bland mess. My poor husband ate it anyway and that was the moment I knew I had married a saint. Fast forward to around a year later and I've slowly gotten my biryani recipe down. It's a bit different from the traditional variety but it's a crowd pleaser none the less. I infuse it with lots of fresh herbs, lemon, and chilies which create an incredible aroma and taste. I always serve biryani with a bowl of fresh raita (a yogurt sauce) which compliments the spicy rice perfectly. I make my biryani with chicken but it can easily be made into a vegetable biryani by replacing the chicken with any veggies of your choice. Here's my step by step biryani guide. This recipe generously feeds 2 people.