Kruthghwadhi‬ ((kruth or ghwadhi.)

Kruthghwadhi (Kruth or Ghwadhi)

Kruthghwadhi is very popular in Pashtun cuisine consumed primarily during the 

winter. It is also called kruth or ghwadhi.

It is prepared by Quroot (Dried curd). Butter which is extracted from cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep is used .Butter is melted into oil. Quroot is added in boiling oil until it is melted and become like soupy greasy mixture .Soak hunks of nan or roti in it. Add some onions. Add Salt and some spices.Mix everything well and continue to cook over low heat.

Traditionally it is eaten with hands but some people eat with spoon as well. To enhance flavour it is served with sources chutni or salad. But best way is to eat simple with out any additive things. 

Kruthghwadhi keeps warm and prevents from cold in winters. It is the reason where there is severe cold it is used. 

Quroot (Dried curd)

Quroot (Dried curd)

Local name : (‪Kruth, ‪Kreth,‎Quroth )

Quroot  (Dried curd) is a Cottage Cheese. It is very popular in Pashtun cuisine, consumed primarily during the winter.

Quroot is traditionally a by-product of butter made from sheep or goat milk. The residual buttermilk remaining after churning of the butter is soured further by keeping it at room temperature for a few days, treated with salt, and then boiled. The precipitated casein is filtered through cheese cloth (Malmal cloth), pressed to remove liquid, and shaped into balls. The product is thus a very sour cottage cheese. It is basically made of yogurt and salt. It can be preserved for long time period.

Quroot has round or oval shape. It is usually eaten raw. It is also used in many other dishes and sauces.

Quroot takes its roots in Northern Afghanistan during the 1st Century BC. In Afghanistan

Method

·        Pour the yogurt in muslin or cheese cloth and drain the curd until the excess water is pressed out. It usually takes one or two days to drain out all excess water.

·        After draining all excess water it form a hard curd

·        Add some quantity of flour and salt and knead it well until its texture and appearance become smooth.

·        After the addition of flour and salt it becomes bit hard in shape.

·        Cut it into any shape or roll by hand to make balls shape

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Sheer Yakh or Kulfi (Afghan Ice Cream)

 Sheer Yakh which is an Afghan icecream. It is found in various part of Pakistan specially where paktoons lives,

Ingredients

• ·         1 cup full cream milk
• ·         ½ cup condensed milk
• ·         ¼ cup dry milk
• ·         1 tsp vanilla
• ·         a pinch saffron
• ·         2 cardamom
• ·         1 tbs corn starch
• ·         ground pistachio (as needed)
• ·         ½ tsp rose water

Method

Step 1

In a deep dish mix full cream milk, condensed milk, dry milk, cardamom and brink to boil.

Step 2

Then mix a tablespoon of corn starch into a tablespoon of water and add it to the mixture. While boiling for a minute you will see the mixture looks thick, remove it from heat.

Step 3

Add pinch of saffron, vanilla and mix.

Step 4

Pour the mixture into any mould/glass you desire and freeze it for 8 hours or till frozen completely.

Step 5

Scoop it like ice-cream or insert ice-cream sticks. Pour ½ tsp. of rose water over ice cream. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and enjoy as Kulfi.

Traditional Hat of Northern Area of Pakistan

Pakistan northern area is rich in its diverse culture. There are many hand made things that is is an integral part of its culture. and had gained popularity all over the world.  Pashtun hat.is one of that. The Paktoon people wear this hat along with wasket particularly in winter.

This Typicla hat is called by various names. Some where  it is called  pakol , Dari in Pashto language, peshawari cap, Afghani cap and so on.  

This hat is beautiful soft, round-topped men's hat and  found in any of a variety of earthy colors: brown, black, gray, or ivory, or dyed red using walnut, It is typically made of wool.  

In Gilgit-Baltistan, the white color hat is more popular and is sometimes worn with a peacock plume stuck in the folds, like a badge, on the front or the side of the hat. 

The patti is first sewn into the shape of a cylinder, about a foot or more long. One end of the cylinder is capped with a round piece of the same material, slightly wider than the cylinder itself. The woolen cylinder is then inverted and fitted onto a round wooden block. The rim of the woolen cylinder is then rolled up to the top. The flat top protrudes a little over the rolled-up edge to give the cap a tiny brim. Otherwise, all Afghan headwear, unlike Western hats, is brimless. This is because Muslims pray with their heads covered. A brimmed hat would interfere with the sajdah (act of prostration during prayers). The little brim of the pakol, however, presents no such problem.

Before it is fitted, it resembles a bag with a round, flat bottom. The wearer rolls up the sides nearly to the top, forming a thick band, which then rests on the head like a beret or cap.

Because of the woolen material, it is basically a cold weather Hat. In  chilly weather  the cap can be unrolled and pulled down over the ears, like a ski cap. Worn this way, it may look sloppy but is effective against the cold. 

KHUSSA (Handmade footwear)

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Pakistan has rich diverse culture. Khussa is crafted hand made footwear and part of Pakistani culture.

Khussa trend hardly ever goes out. It’s one of those traditional things which are unaffected by fashion and trends.Pakistan has always been more popular in providing khussa with high quality leather.

Khussa’s are made of leather. They are very comfortable and easy to wear footwear.They are long-lasting foot wear. The key quality of Khussa is that it has multiple varieties. It can be wore in daily life and even in parties and weddings. These footwear are so light weighted and flexible. 

Khussas are made by artisans mostly using vegetable-tanned leather. The uppers are made of one piece of leather or textile embroidered and embellished with brass nails, cowry shells, mirrors, bells and ceramic beads. Even the bonding from the upper to the sole is done by cotton thread that is not only eco-friendly but also enmeshes the leather fibers with great strength. Some product range also uses bright and ornate threads. It vary in designs and colours. It encapsules cultural diversity, local ethos and ethnicity.

khussa is made entirely by hand from the curing of the leather to the cutting and sewing together of the insole, outsole, sole and vamp. The embroidery can be very intricate or the decorative element may be as simple as raised leather lines on the upper sole. Khussas traditionally have no heel. They are completely flat and tend to be very comfortable.

Khussa sewn by artican have been highly valued because of the fine quality of stitching, and so Pakistan has always been ahead in offering better quality for Khussa.Stitching is the main thing to look for when you are trying to know about the workmanship of khussa. Pakistanis are skilled in stitching khussa and this is a skill which has been handed down to generations.

Khussa’s are available in many different designs. Some cutting work inhence its beauty. Different pearls are use in it.Khussa’s are very flexible and smooth. Some khussa’s are open from the top and some khussa’s are open from the back side.

Some khussa’s are embroided very neatly. Applique in form of differently designed figures are cut out of leather and sewn on the vamp manually. The design dictate the nature, colour and shape of the appliqué. It could range from an intricate appliqué which itself could incorporate other design features like embroidery, punches, weaves, etc., to a simple cut out shape from any material like leather, textile, synthetic, etc.

Multan is strongly associated with Khussa trend in Pakistan. It is a city where khussa trend was initiated, which offers an un-matched beauty and elegancy in beautiful colors and designs of Khussa.It is said that the khussas of Multan are the most beautiful and best made. Multani khussas have fine tilla work (gold thread embroidery), sequins (sitara) and beads (moti) work. Multani Phool wala and khussa slippers (which have no backs) are made specifically for women are also very famous. 

khussas are made in different parts of Pakistan as well and they have different varities.. Waziraabadi khussa which has an upper part that is created skillfully out of cut-work. Delicate patterns are made that create a filigree effect. Shurkrpuri khussa which is embroidered with white tilla (metallic thread) on red, black and skin-colored leather. .these slippers were not very efficient in protecting the foot from both dirt and cold weather.

Khussa’s are very famous on wedding occasions. It can be selected according to the dress colours. Especially on mehndi and barat functions the females and males prefer khussa’s to wear.

Mostly groom’s likes to wear sherwani on barat function. And the khussa’s are completely match with sherwani.And it is mostly made of stones and beeds. Mostly for wedding the grooms likes tillaas khussa.

Khussa trend in Pakistan can even offer an aristocratic look for men if you choose for the gold embroidered, curvy khussa which is familiar and dear to every Pakistani. Even now in this century, we see grooms choosing to wear this traditional khussa on their wedding day, with the traditional “Sherwani”.

khussa arrived in the palaces of the Mughal Empire much later and it was then that its history started to be recorded. The rural word khussa was replaced by the more eloquent Saleem Shahi. Saleem was also the nickname of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir (17th century AD).There are some visible differences between these two varieties of shoe. 

The Saleem Shahi has a generally finer shape and is usually decorated with very intricate hand-embroidered patterns in gold (or multi-coloured) thread , fit for the royal court. The most interesting part of the shoe is its curly tip. The left and right are not cut in different shapes as is the case with modern shoes,  they can be interchanged.The Mughal emperors were not the only rulers in the  who adopted the khussa. There were many other rulers too who used Khussa.

The various types of Khusas, Desi Jutta, Saleem Shahi and Nagra khussa all  are very similar in shape, it is the particular patterns and type of leather that give the shoes their identity.The Saleem Shahi tends to be made of goat skin whilst the Nagra is usually made of camel skin. 

The type of leather determines the weight, texture and durability of the shoe. Saleem Shahi is also known as TalaKangi, Chakwali, Multani, Bahawalpuri, Qasoori, Sharakpuri,Waziraabadi, Multani Phool wala, Khussa slipper and so on. These names usually depict the place of manufacture.

Khussa shoes are made of natural material they tend to adopt to the shape of the foot quite easily. Therefore the sizes are not standardised. Most khussas are very popular in rural villages where cobblers make the shoes on order for the peasants and farmers. People use it for comfort and durability 

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