PAKISTANI FOOD GOL GAPPAY

Gol Gappay is a popular Pakistani appetizer. It is great in taste and eaten with relish. This mouth watering appetizer is a street food. It is the perfect appetizer and enjoyed by all age group. It is made of flour, semolina and fried in hot oil and filled with potato or chick peas and served with tamarind spicy water and various chutneys.

Gol gapay contains the flavor of sour, sweet, spicy, salty.  It is crispy, quick to cook and can be serve in a variety of ways .Golgapay can be stored but fresh is more delicious to eat. It is Store carefully in a large airtight container. It is very economical and easy to cook.

The Gol gapa is a 1 1/2 inch puffed Poori which is fried in hot oil. The most important part is to take care not to break during frying as it has to hold the water and other ingredients. It is filled with potato or chick peas or green lentils, chutney and the tamarind water. The Gol Gapays are always made bite-sized.

It is surely a skill eating Gol Gapay. One has to put the whole Golgapa into mouth expertly. This popular snack is usually enjoyed at many of the street hawkers in Pakistan. Now a day, it is becoming increasingly popular in many restaurants.

The ingredients added into the Gol Gapay are according to one‘s taste. Many people like to have only the sweet tamarind chutney, some like it hot and spice, some only add the chick peas while others flavor with the potatoes. Golgapay’s recipe is very simple.

Gol Gappay Recipe:

1. Sooji (Semolina) 1/2 cup

2. Maida (Plain Refined Flour) 1/2 tbsp.

4. Salt to taste

5. Oil for Frying

6. Oil – 2 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Mix semolina, plain flour, Cooking Soda salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and knead well to make dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal.

2. Cover it with a wet towel and let it stand for 20 minutes.

3. Now make very small balls and roll them into small circles.

6. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and then fry them.

7. The idea is to puff them like a sphere and fry them till golden brown.

8. Take them out and put them on kitchen paper towel, to get rid of the extra oil.

9. Let them completely cool down (otherwise they will become soggy) before you put them into an airtight container.

Ingredients for Spicy water:

1. Chopped Mint Leaves 1 1/2 cups

2. Chopped Coriander Leaves 1 tbsp.

3. Tamarind – 1/3 cup

4. Ginger 1″

5. Green chilies – 4 to 5

6. Ground Cumin Seed (roasted) 1 tsp.

7. Kala Namak (Black Salt) 1 1/2 tsp.

8. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind pulp in one cup of warm water for one hour.

2. Strain the tamarind residue out to get thick tamarind water. While straining in the strainer mash the tamarind with the help of a spoon.

3. Put mint leaves, chopped coriander, ginger, chilies and dry roasted cumin seed.

4. Add a little water and mix to a smooth consistency using a blender.

5. Put this thick paste into a jug and add fills the jug with water. (Add the water slowly and taste the mixture and if you want to dilute more then add water.)

6. Add salt and black rock salt to taste.

Ingredients for Red Tamarind Chutney:

1. Tamarind 1 cup

2. Jaggery – ½ cup

3. Sugar 2 tbsp.

4. Red chili powder – ½ tsp

5. Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp

6. Dry Roasted cumin powder 1 tsp

7. Cloves – 2

8. Warm water – 2 cups

9. Vegetable oil 1 tsp

10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Remove the seeds from tamarind and soak it in warm water for one hour.

2. Dry roasts the cumin seeds and the cloves.

3. Pound them into coarse powder.

4. Now take the Tamarind pulp mixture, strain it and add jaggery, sugar, red chili powder, black pepper powder, roasted cumin powder, cloves and salt.

4. Put the mixture in a pan and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat.

5. Remove from heat and let it cool down.

6. On cooling, blend the contents in a blender.

SERVING THE GOL GAPAY:

Tap the Poori at the center lightly to make a half inch hole in it.  Stuff boiled potatoes and chick peas into the gol gappay. Boiled Potato should be diced in little square and mixed with salt and red chili. Add a little Red Tamarind Chutney. Dip the filled Gol gapay into the chilled Spicy water and serve

.

There are several other variations as well. Yogurt can also be added. Ketchup or pickles can be served too. Make your favorite combination which give taste of your choice. One thing is definite this yummy spicy food is fun to eat.

 

Rickshaw

Rickshaw is an amazing transportation. It is quite popular and traditional transport of Pakistan. It is the most important modes of transportation in Pakistan. It is three wheel vehicles but has better road grip. It performs multiple tasks. It is not only economical, but carry passenger in style and comfort.

Rickshaws are more common use in cities and blend with our daily routine life. Its popularity is through out Pakistan. Rickshaw is not only extremely easy to travel but also quickly accessible.  It is found waiting for passengers at railway stations, bus stops, hospitals, parks and other public places. Rickshaws are found in abundance. These are easily available and can reach to any place where other transport can not get there. It can take flexible u turns within small area, which is one of its additive qualities that make it significance from other vehicles. They are best suited to narrow, crowded streets, and are thus the principal means of covering longer distances within city. Rickshaw offers an economical and convenient mode of transportation. It is most popular transport mainly due to its size and speed.

A rickshaw is generally designed a frame resting on three wheels, a canvas roof with drop-down sides, a small cabin in the front of the vehicle for the and seating space for up to three passengers in the rear. Rickshaw is designed as compact automobile. Instead of steering wheel it is control with handlebar. It is light weighted vehicle.  The important part of these rickshaws are privacy from driver as he can not easily heard chit chat of passenger and women feels satisfied with this situation especially returning from shopping as they discuss things.  

Rickshaw is designed to can carry up to three people at ease, with their luggage in the leg space. But it is often seen these vehicles are overloaded, especially in school, college, university timings and around markets. The driver seat is like a bench so it can fit two more persons with him. Women always sit at the back cabin. Some times their men or children sit with driver on his bench. Rickshaws are also best for transport all kinds of goods.

In Pakistan rickshaw is always ride by men. But it is also true that it is extensively used by women and is most suitable for them. If it is called women transport it won’t be wrong. Through out streets majority of passenger in rickshaw are women. Every rickshaw has fare meters, but mostly the trip costs are negotiated in advance.

Rickshaws are used all over the Pakistan except they are forbidden in the capital, Islamabad. In some posh areas and around hotels it is ban. There is also motorcycle rickshaws used in rural area of Pakistan. As the cost of fuel is constantly increasing and transportation has become expensive and also in cities due to population transport is not sufficient for every passenger. Therefore some Rickshaws are modified to have a large body with which it can carry more than six or seven passengers.

Some rickshaws are adorned with beautiful designs and human eyes etc. The Rickshaws back are displayed with messages like poetry, praise, criticism, puzzling questions, requests, challenges etc.  There are also written funny comments. It is really a fun to observe the back of rickshaw.

Rickshaws are relatively low top-speed than taxis. The irritating thing about rickshaw is its loud noise.  Now a day CNG rickshaws are on roads. The newly manufactured CNG rickshaws are more fuel-efficient and have a lower center of gravity, making them safer than older models All CNG rickshaws are painted green to signify that the vehicles are eco-friendly.

Rickshaw is so important in culture and society of Pakistan that with out it passengers will face trouble. It suits to all type and age of people. It is merged in our daily lives and has silently played key role. Where ever we move out in the world, definitely miss this tiny superb transportation which serves us so frequently. If you have not yet travel in rickshaw than do it today, otherwise you will surely miss a major part of the culture of Pakistani society.