A Hidden Gem: Lale-i Rumi

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Have you ever tasted delicious Turkish foods? Perhaps, you have some Turkish friends or have visited a party where you may have gotten the chance to taste them. When I first moved to Karachi, I would always crave for my favorite Turkish dishes. Though, I can prepare most dishes by myself, I still long the authentic taste of home cooked meals that my mother would make. The Turkish cuisine is very complex and is not widely eaten or found in Pakistan. Because of its unique flavors and intricate techniques, you cannot easily find Turkish traditional foods everywhere, plus these foods are very difficult to cook. As a Turkish person living in Pakistan,I really miss my country, citizen and  of course, the food. To get over our nostalgia, my friends and I often gather to cook together.

However, finding the right ingredients becomes a problematic a task so sadly, it becomes quite difficult for us to recreate the same dishes. Fortunately, we were able to find an adorable Turkish restaurant by the name of  Lale-i Rumi in Defence, Karachi. When we first found out about this restaurant, my friends and I were all over come with joy however at first I was prejudiced and hence didn’t expect the restaurant to have too many dishes and would be up to par. After all, we are living in a foreign country that has a completely different culture. When I went to the Lale-i Rumi, I realized I was wrong about my prejudices.

Image Credits: Hacer Çapraz

Trust me, the moment you enter Lale-i Rumi, you will be beginning your journey toTurkey. Everything is very well designed according to the Turkish tradition. The ambiance is quite good. Everything is in harmony. The food is prepared by talented Turkish chefs. The menu is filled with delicious foods such as  as lahmacun, pide, adana, iskender, ayran, kadayıf etc. I also want to share what one of my friend had to say about the restaurant: “The place feels like any other restaurant in Turkey. When I enter the place, I felt little emotional, actually. I couldn’t understand the reason behind it all but I guess it is because I miss Turkey so much and this place reminds me of my country and those kind and sincere people remind me of my family’s warmth. Trying out foods from different cultures will allow you travel different cities while sitting down for your meal.”

I sincerely recommend you visit Lale-i Rumi, taste the delicious food and enjoy the amazing ambiance.

Written by: Hacer Çapraz

The Most Precious Blessing In The World

Since this is the last blog I’m writing for this session, I’m dedicating this blog post to the most beautiful person in this world. I believe she is one of the greatest blessings that comes from ALLAH and that blessing is none other than my “MOTHER” .

Your mother is the most precious gift from ALLAH. We are lucky to have been bestowed such a blessing from Allah. But unfortunately, there are many who do not realize and consider their mother as a blessing and instead always have negative things to say about their parents.

As we know, our religion always emphasizes on the respect of mother and ALLAH has given a high status to mothers as He has narrated: “Paradise lies under the feet of Mother” This shows that even our religion teaches us the importance of caring and loving our parents. But here’s where many of us need to ask ourselves, do we really follow these teachings?

Unfortunately, the answer is “No”. It is so easy for us to pass rude remarks and show irritation when our mothers scold us and monitor our social networking websites. Quite often, we neglect our parents and spend time on trivial tasks. We argue, fight and sometimes adopt a very hard tone when speaking to our elders. We become so impatient if they are unable to comprehend with the latest technologies and ask us for some help.

Here are a few more questions we should ponder upon; Have you ever wondered why your mother is so concerned about your wellbeing?  Why is she so possessive about you? What has she scarified for the family? Unfortunately, many of us do not bother thinking about such issues and simply go on with our daily lives.  Even if we were to try, we would not be able to capture or sense what our mothers feel inside.

A mother is a  strong woman who promises to stand by her daughter in every challenge of life. She holds her hand and promises to never leave her alone. She acts as her best friend and share her secrets, cooks for her and sometimes might even scold her or express anger. However, all this is only a reflection of how much she loves her daughter. She promises to protect her daughter and thus patiently waits for her at her university. Every day she waits for her daughter’s class to end, picking and dropping her daughter to and from university. That beautiful and strong lady is my Mother I’m so lucky to have her in my life.

Towards the end of my post, I’m hoping that you have realized what mothers actually are and how much they sacrifice for us. This is my plea to all of you, please respect your mother and not take this blessing for granted. Express your love for your mother,  not just on mother’s day.

All pictures are by the author 

Written by: Rimsha Iftikhar 

10th Muharram: The Day of Ashurah

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Recently, we witnessed the day of Ashurah  which is known as 10th Muharram. Muharram is considered as one of the most significant months in the Muslim world. As you probably already know, Muḥarram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year. The day of Ashurah always reminds me of Hazrat Nuh (A.S) and my childhood as well. In Turkey, I remember I would impatiently wait for the day of Ashurah as we would prepare a special dish. Ashure is a popular Turkish dessert, also known as Noah’s pudding that is traditionally made on the 10^th of Muharram. Truthfully, I still await the day because ashure is my favorite sweet. I remember how my grandmother would make ashure in a huge pot for our family.

On the day of Ashurah , I would sit with my grandparents and listen to their stories about Prophet Nuh (A.S). My grandfather would recall how Allah had saved him and his companions in the ark. I would also spend my day tasting the ashure, to ensure it was cooked properly as my elders would be fasting. I would then distribute the delicacy with my mom to all of our neighbors. In return, we would also receive sweets from them. We made sure to leave the ashure at everybody’s doorstep even if they were not at home. I clearly remember how I used to leap with joy when I would set my eyes on all the different plates of ashure. I would taste every single dish. As I grew up, I learned more about the importance of the day.

Let us summarize the timeline of events that took place on the 10th of Muharram; –

• Allah  saved  Nuh (A.S) and his companions in the ark.
• Allah delivered victory to Hazrat Musa(A.S) and his people and drowned Pharoah and his people. Sayyidina Musa observed fast out of gratitude.
• Allah  accepted the repentance of Adam (A.S) after his exile from Paradise.
• Allah extinguished the fire in which  Ibrahim (A.S) was thrown by Nimrood.
• Allah spoke directly to Sayyidina Musa and gave him the Commandments.
• Ayyub (A.S)was restored to health (from leprosy)
• Yusuf (A.S) was reunited with his father Ya’qub (A.S)
• Yunus (A.S) was taken out from the belly of the fish.
• The sea was divided as the nation of Israel was delivered from captivity and Pharoah’s army was destroyed.
• Dawud (A.S) was forgiven; the kingdom of Sulaiman (A.S) was restored.
• Isa (A.S) was raised to Jannah.

Until till then, all the events that took place on the 10th of Muharram were joyous. Sadly, Muharram is the same month when Hazrat Hussain (R.A), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), was brutally massacred in Karbala alongside his family and friends in the year 680 CE/61 AH. It is considered as the Day of Remembrance for all Muslims. We should offer special prayers in the month of Muharram as it holds great significance. May Allah bless us all.

Written by: Hacer Çapraz

Aging With Grace

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Human beings are an odd creature. We worry about the future rather than focusing on the present, the most precious of all. The concept of physical beauty has existed since the beginning of human race. Every culture has its own idea of beauty and no matter how much we try to distance our mind from the idea, sometime in life, we end up face to face with it.

Youth is often associated with beauty. The charms of ageless skin, physical strength and confidence, along with purity and freshness of mind and spirit bring the perfect imagery of youth in our mind. But what if I say it’s not what we think? And that, youth is almost the opposite of this description.

A video landed on the suggestion page of YouTube where three wonderful middle aged women spoke about aging, comparing their youth to their present. There is an element of empowerment and maturity in watching three accomplished women talk confidently about one of the biggest fear in a woman’s life. I grasped one very important advice from this video and it has opened my eyes and mind to a reality I never previously thought or heard about.

Norma Kamali says:

“… maybe five to six year period of time in a woman’s life where her skin has no age on it, where she’s really the most insecure and she’s really the most vulnerable that they portray as the ideal woman.”

She adds later,

“When I turned 21, I really freaked out… I had flawless skin and I was pretty good looking when I look back at the pictures, I felt I was not pretty!”

But what she says next is even more eye opening,

“… but the irony is, I feel more beautiful today than I did then when I was in my twenties.”

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Is it not ironic how woman destroy her youthful skin and alter her natural looks, in fear of getting old. Instead of embracing the present and enjoying herself, she worries endlessly.  Unfortunately, then nature takes a toll and goes against these alterations and ages her physically and mentally. It is perhaps the most astonishing video I have ever watched and I think every woman, of any age, should watch it. Because we only realize the treasure lost; once it is out of hands and gone forever.

Written by: Huda Ibtisama

Exploring Your Creative Side: What You Create Is Your Art

 

Image Credits: Hacer Çapraz

Are you bored of your monotonous life? Whether you are tired of running after naughty children, are dealing with a stressful job or handling a tough university schedule, it is time you look for ways to add some color in your life. There are several activities you can take up to feel rejuvenated and feel fresh. In fact, I believe it is important everyone changes their routine from time to time because living in the same stressful conditions can make a person sick and tired. It may cause different diseases such as depression, chronic stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation etc.   Now the question is, how can we settle this issue? Well, I recommend you practice art. Art not only benefits people psychologically but physically as well. Art can help ward off some health problems too. You can discover your abilities and put forward your creative ideas as well. The best thing about art is that you are not restricted to a certain medium. Painting, drawing, decorating, building, cooking, and designing are all different forms of art. When it comes to art, you have several options to choose from hence you can opt for any medium that suits your personality. For example, coloring your nails or applying mehndi is an art, making it suitable for girls who enjoy dressing up.

If you want to get a little bit more creative in the kitchen, you can practice latte art or bake cookies in different shapes and sizes.  In my opinion, ceramic making is the best form of art but of course, your choice can differ. When I initially started making art, I believed I had no skills and abilities. However, I was keen to keep practicing because I enjoyed it.  Even, if nobody appreciates my art, I keep on going because it is something that makes me feel better. Soon enough, making art became one of my favorite hobbies. I make art not only when I have free time on my hands but when I feel angry, sad, and stressful or when I miss someone as it helps relieve tension.  Sometimes, I make oil paintings and gift them to people to hang in their new homes or to welcome a new baby.

Image Credits: Hacer Çapraz

Making such handmade presents is very inexpensive and above all, is a wonderful way to show people you love them. Recently, my roommate and I painted our hostel room together. My roommate likes purple and I like blue color so we painted our room two different colors but unfortunately, we didn’t have enough paint so some parts of the wall still remain white. However, we are pretty happy about how it looks and decorated the rest of the room according to our wishes. The results were quite stunning and the room has now been completely transformed.  Quite honestly, many people were shocked and were not quite impressed by our painting skills.  However, we could not care less and replied ” Come on dude, this is our art!”  So, don’t worry about not having enough skills and just put in your efforts. What you create is your art.

Written by: Hacer Çapraz

How To Make KFC Style Broast At Home

Image Credits: Zona Yaseen

My mother used to make broast using Shan Broast Masala until one day, I heard about Memon Foundation’s One Day KFC Special broast class.  That was when I realized that if I took this class, my family and I could make delicious fried chicken at home. I attended that class and learnt a different style of making broast, nuggets and zingers. Now, my father wants me to try different recipes every once in a while.

I tried out the recipe I learnt from the class at home. All of my family members enjoyed the crispy broast and appreciated me a lot. Today, I am going to share the recipe with you:

Ingredients:

For Chicken Marination 

• 1 chicken with skin,  8 pieces
• 2 – 3 table spoon vinegar
• Salt to taste.
• 4 tablespoon red chili powder

For Broast Masala

• 1 cup plain flour
• 4 table spoon rice flour
• 1/3 cup or 5-6 tea spoons corn flour
• 1/2 table spoon garlic powder (optional)
• 1/2 table spoon red chili powder
• 1 and ½ table spoon white pepper
• Salt to taste

For Egg Mixture

• 1 cup milk
• 2 – 3 egg
• Oil for frying

Method:

Simply combine the plain flour, rice flour , corn flour , salt , red chili powder , white pepper and garlic powder in a bowl . Then sift this mixture once and you are done.  Add the mixture onto the chicken, then add the vinegar, red chili powder and salt. Mix everything well and set it aside for 5 – 6 hours. In a separate bowl, add the milk, followed by the eggs.  Beat the mixture and set it aside.

Now it is time to coat the chicken with the broast masala. Coat all the chicken pieces well and put the frying pan on the stove. Add the oil and wait for it to heat. Once the oil has warmed up, place the chicken pieces onto the pan. This is a very crucial step hence do not overcrowd the pan. Cook the chicken pieces for 20 minutes,10 minutes on each side. Keep checking the chicken in between.

Now, the chicken is ready. Place the pieces on to  a paper towel to soak the excess oil. Serve the fried chicken with french fries, garlic sauce, dinner rolls and of course, ketchup.

Tip: The cooking time duration may vary according to the size of the chicken. If the size of the chicken is large, fry it for 20 minutes, 10 minutes each side. If the size of the chicken is medium fry it for 15 minutes , 7-8 minutes each side.

Written By: Zona Yaseen 

Being Brave: The Story Of How I Fought Back

If a person were to disturb you with his words and behavior, would you simply ignore him? You could perhaps let the matter slide once or twice but what would you do if he remained persistent? I will tell you what I would do in this case. When I moved to Karachi during my first year of university, I was living with some of my Turkish friends. The house we lived in was quite secure and we had a guard on the street. However, despite these security measures, a strange man started to disturb us. He would visit us on Fridays, during the Jumma prayers at noon when the guard and other men from the neighborhood would have gone for prayers. He would constantly ring the doorbell and try to get us to open the door. He would to capture our attention by doing absurd things. We first tried to solve this issue by complaining to our homeowner and our neighbors. However, no body was willing to help us. That was when we decided to take matters in to our own hands.

As usual, he came by next Friday during the same time and began ringing the doorbell however this time, we were prepared and I was waiting with a large wooden stick. At once, I opened the door and rushed out with the wooden stick. He was very startled as he was not expecting to see, I tried to chase after him but he immediately rode off on his motorcycle. I yelled at him and threw the wooden stick on the ground. As planned, he got really scared and never tried to disturb us again. Our neighbors had witnessed the entire situation but chose to remain silent. This experience taught me a number of lessons which I am sure you can benefit from as well. First off, never put your trust on somebody and learn how to defend yourself in a crisis.

If somebody bothers you, don’t let them win and take control of the situation however you deem best. Not body has the right to harass you or make you feel uncomfortable. The women in our country need to learn more about their rights. Perhaps, you are living with your family and have the protection of your brother but do you know what the future awaits? God forbid, what if you were to end up in a situation where your family wasn’t there to help you? It is thus important you learn to take matters into your own hands and learn to handle the situation at hand. There is violence all around us which is why we need to learn how to survive. People may tell you that this is very common and that such things are prevalent in a city such as Karachi but I truly believe that everybody should learn how to defend themselves.

Written by: Hacer Çapraz

Passion: The Word You’ve Been Avoiding

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Passion. It’s a scary word because you either have it or you don’t. Passion is a strong emotion that compels you to become fierce and overcome all those obstacles that are in the way of achieving your dreams. But why do we need it in our lives? Surely, it is much easier to stay by the norms and ‘settle down.’ Giving in to your boss’s unimaginative ideas can possibly get you a pay raise and quietly listening to people talking about their dental appointment can help you become more likable even though it is painstaking to do so. Being passionate is necessary because it ignites a flame that makes your possibly crappy life much more enjoyable. It adds an extra beat to your step.

I recently watched a fantastic movie, Julie and Julia. It is a biopic film about two wonderful women Julia Child and Julie Powell. Apart from the incredibly similar names, both the characters have one thing in common: their love and passion for cooking. Their restless and chaotic mind is what pushes them forward. Cooking is what saves these characters from their utter misery and ordinary lives. Now, here’s another question one may be forced to ask themselves, it is a sin to live an ordinary life?

Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.  That depends on you, really. Most realists would say that passion is just unnecessary, that it is an utter buzzkill that prevents you from appreciating the things you already have for emotions and dreams that you do not need. But to me, passion is a necessity. It adds character to your life and feeds your soul. Lack of passion causes one to lose their ingenuity. You nod your head to everything you are told and do not dare question what is around you and force yourself to settle down for a life that is possibly less than what you are capable of living.

But what do you do when you have tests to pass and bills to pay? In a world filled with poverty, inflation and bad economy, it makes sense to swallow your pride and swim with the rest of the fish in the sea. However, it is important you stay true to who you are. Or simply stay as true to yourself as you can be. Or as Julia Child once said:

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

Written By: Marvi Masud 

 

The Need for Quality Dramas

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Recently, I started watching an American TV series with my friends called “The Last Ship”. We were really fascinated by the plot as it was quite different from what we are accustomed to seeing on TV. After watching a couple of episodes, I realized that everybody should watch this TV series which is why I am writing about it right now.

If you are a fan of action and adventure, The Last Ship is the best choice for you.  The series revolves around a crew of a naval destroyer that is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic kills off most of the earth’s population.

The TV series is quite good and has received 7.5 ratings from IMDB. The top cast includes Eric Dane, Adam Baldwin, Charles Parnell and a long list of other good actors. What I liked best about the story is that they didn’t exaggerate the plot by using mainstream creatures such as zombies. But that is not the only reason why I admired the series. After watching an episode, I was astonished to see how the characters and dialogues were capable of making you an American sympathizer even if you did not like the country or its culture at all. Some of the scenes of the TV serials give very direct messages, dialogues such as “America provides justice to the world and protects to the people. Even though the end of the world comes America’s scientists can treat the disease and save the world” are enough to startle the viewer. The TV series successfully portrays a very strong image of America, especially when they show all the characters praying together. I believe Americans are very good in manipulating their audience with qualified scenes.

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Unfortunately, our Turkish dramas do not have very patriotic themes like American’s. Most Turkish dramas revolve around meaningless characters that fail to inspire the audience.  Above all, most of the storylines are only about love and romance. For instance, Fareeha, a well-known Turkish drama that was also quite a hit in Pakistan revolved around a young, beautiful girl who goes to university where she meets a charming young man and falls in love. Most of the dramas promote stereotyping as educated and wealthy characters follow European lifestyles whereas religious people are depicted as uneducated and poor.  For all these reasons, I have quit watching Turkish dramas and am not recommending them to you either. I sincerely congratulate the producer and the cast of The Last Ship for representing such patriotism. As a Turkish patriotic, I wish to see such dramas being made by my own country rather than the same old silly love stories that people have become fond of.

Written by: Hacer Çapraz

A Tragic Loss

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Rain poured harder and the thunder grew louder as she lay down on the bed of her childhood room. She continued reading the newspaper on her phone to stay updated with all the news she had missed. Taking some time out of her busy schedule, she was visiting her parents for the weekend.

“Breakfast’s ready!” her mother called from the kitchen downstairs.

The warm scent of fresh bread and omelets filled the chilly morning air, reminding her of the good old times. She smiled. Got off the bed and hurried for breakfast.

Time went slow, the storm grew heavy, leaving nothing much to do than being cozy in the living room with tea and the presence of her old parents. Catching up on lost times.

“I cleaned the attic yesterday and found some sweet things from when you were little…” said her mother, “…maybe you should take a look in case you need any of them to take back with you.”

She needed to pass her time, besides; the weather was perfect to take a trip down old memory lane.

The attic was cold and echoed with the sound of the growing storm outside. Switching on the lights, she looked for the box her mother told her about. Unfortunately, she had forgotten it after all these years. There was hardly any time for her to think of such things. Finally finding it, she blew off the thick dust covering its lid once bright pink, and sat down with her legs crossed. The box remained untouched in front of her. Taking a deep breath she prepared herself to face the forgotten treasures and slowly removed the lid to unravel some lost gems.

She was instantly overwhelmed by memories of when she was a child, a little girl without a care. Who chased butterflies and jumped around in leaf piles. Who drew pretty pictures and colored them in rainbows. A little girl full of curiosity about the big world surrounding her.

Times had changed.

“I was a foolish little girl.” She whispered to herself.

Under the stack of sweet old memories she found a diary she remembered keeping. Putting the box aside, she picked it up and opened the now faded cover, one that was adorned with colorful butterfly stickers.  Inside were pages and pages filled with her childish hand-writing and random doodlings. She was an imaginative child. Flipping through; she stopped at some words written in red ink.

“Grownups are no fun!” a quote said, “I will never be like them. Never ever!”

An unconscious smile left her lips as she continued reading, “they never play with dolls or color in coloring books… or lay down on the roof top to look up at the twinkling stars… all they do is work. All the time. I wonder what their life is like.”

Smiles faded.

The last thirty years had passed in a rush. Completing high school, graduating college, and moving away from family to the city; with high hopes of a bright future. Finding an impressive job, affording a luxurious house, working hard every day to keep up the high social status. Achieving so much so young. She had everything describing the perfect life. But something was missing…

As a little girl she had read in story books that lost treasures, once found, brought happiness and fulfillment. The treasure she found tonight was different. Rather odd. It brought a certain emptiness never felt before.

The realization hit her.

She had changed.

Somewhere along the way, she changed. Throughout the struggle of building a life; she stopped living. Just like all the others; she lost herself. And somehow along the run, she became a part of the system and all those colors were trapped deep down inside her; never to be found. The little girl was lost forever.

Written by: Huda Ibtisama