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How
to make things available ?
Very
few special utensils are needed for cooking Pakistani
food. Pots and pans found in most western homes are
quite adequate. Even so, it is always exciting to know
about and, if you wish, to cook with specialized Pakistani
equipment.
Tawa
Breads such as chappatis, rotis and parathas are all
made on this heavy cast-iron sheet which looks similar
to the griddle used for making cones. Any ordinary heavy
frying pan makes a good alternative.
Karahi
This is used mainly for deep frying. It looks like a
Chinese wok but is heavier (usually made of cast-iron)
and deeper. A wok or deep-fat fryer makes a good substitute.
Meats cooked in Karahi is one of the very famous dish
from Punjab.
Other
equipment
I find an electric spice grinder or an ordinary
pestle and mortar are invaluable for grinding small
quantities of spices. Food processors or electric blenders
save many hours - and tears - when it comes to chopping
up the mixture of onions, ginger and garlic which is
often called for.
How
to make Ghee
Take 1 lb / 450g of the best quality unsalted butter
that you can find. Put it in a heavy, smallish pot and
let it melt over a low flame. Soon it will begin to
simmer. Let it simmer on low heat for 10-45 minutes
(timing really depends upon the amount of water in the
butter), or until the milky solids turn brownish and
either cling to the sides of the pot or else fall to
the bottom. Because you have to boil all the water away
without letting the butter brown, you must watch it,
especially toward the end of the cooking time. Now strain
the ghee through a quadrupled layer of cheesecloth.
Homemade ghee is best stored covered in the refrigerator.
Unlike butter, it will not spoil.
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