Easy Lemon Curd Cupcakes
Alliyah Dawud
March 29, 2019

If there is any flavour of cake that doesn’t last in my household it’s lemon. My youngest is obsessed with lemon cakes of any shape or form. We made two dozen of these to give out for Ramadan at they proved a bit hit. With Spring in the air (British Summer Time has began in England; and you know what that means…one Happy Alliyah!). I thought you would love to bake a batch and enjoy them in the slightly warmer sun reminding us that Summer is on it’s way…

Feel free to half the recipe if you wish to make 12.

Ingredients:
250 grams butter (I use stork or store own brand version) at room tempreture
250 castor sugar
4 medium eggs
220 grams self raising flour
1 level tbsp baking powder
Juice of 4 lemons
Zest three of them
4 tbsp lemon curd (level spoons)

For the icing:
250 grams stork or other similar butter at room tempreture
550 grams icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon curd
1 tbsp boiling water
Optional extras: lemon decorations

1) preheat your oven to 170 (fan assisted) or 180 (non fan assisted). If you are an avid baker I really do recommend buying a stand alone thermometer you can pop in the oven to ensure baking tempratrues are even. Line two 12 hole muffin trays with cases (this recipe makes muffin size cupcakes).
2) Beat together the castor sugar and butter. This is called ‘creaming’ as you are creating a creamy buttery sugar mix. This shouldn’t take too long as long as the butter is at room tempretarure. You can also do this in a food processor. Either way cream away.
3) Now add the eggs-one by one. My tip is to crack each egg one by one into a bowl. That way if you end up with egg shell going into the egg it’s easier to fish out. Beat the egg in. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a bit curdled; this will be fixed when you add the flour.
4) Add the flour and baking powder and fold in.
5) Add the lemon juice and zest. Stir to combine.
6) Now add the lemon curd and gently whisk in. Don’t worry about combining it with the batter. If you can see the curd that’s absolutely fine.
7) Now spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases. Bake the cupcakes in the oven for 10/12 minutes (they’ll be a light golden colour). I usually use a cake testing skewer. Insert in the middle and if it comes out clear it’s all good. Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack.
TIP: don’t attempt to ice warm cupcakes. The mess is epic.

To make the icing:
Place the icing sugar and butter in a bowl and gently beat. Place in an icing bag (with a nozzle attached). Or use as you see fit.

To make the drizzle (optional):

Place the lemon curd in a jug/mug and add the boiling water. Whisk with a folk to create a ‘drizzle’. You may need to add a bit more water to get a drizzling consistency. If you find it’s too runny add a little bit more curd. Balance it out. I like a slightly runnier drizzle. You may prefer a more thicker one; hence why this part of the recipe is about testing until you find what you are happy with.

8) Once the cupcakes have cooled down ice them. Add the drizzle (it using) and decorations (ditto).

9) Enjoy.

These cupcakes keep in an airtight container for up to three days. Hot weather won’t help though. So if you wish to keep them in the summer months don’t ice them until you are ready to ravish them.

Letter to a younger me.
Alliyah Dawud
March 25, 2019

Well younger me. Boy did we sacrifice life for all the wrong reasons. If someone really cared for you they seriously wouldn’t put conditions on their love, care and time. You would be FREE to live life that made you happy. Just because it made you happy didn’t make it anti-Islamic.

Just because you were more ‘coconut’ than standard British Pakistani did not make you a bad person and you certainly did not need to marry someone and become a housewife to prove you were raised right and that you were SUCCESSFUL.

Being married does not equate to SUCCESS. Being married to someone from the same culture, tribe etc as you does not mean a single thing in the larger scheme of things. Becoming a housewife with a degree IS a waste of your education when you are unable to pass on any wisdom to your children because they are restricted by the same cultural garbage that caused you to walk the plank.

You can be a good Muslim and not worship culture and ‘family’ or ‘tribe’. We worship GOD. No ifs or buts baby. But when you are 21 and your family make it clear that if you don’t bow down the ramifications will be too much for you to watch you go ahead and park up your hopes, aspirations and dreams of being the change you know you are fully able to manifest.

Marrying someone based on a family match means nothing. You don’t love them you cannot FORCE yourself to love them. You will die on a daily basis pretending life is all roses when you sleep on a bed of thorns, nettles and lies.

Marrying someone because you LOVE them and you WANT TO BE WITH THEM does not make you a BAD MUSLIM. It makes you human. You honestly think the same God that put those feelings in your heart will judge you for developing them into a relationship that would grow to bigger and better?

What makes you think those family members love you that believed a mismatched spouse was suitable simply due to DNA? Have you noticed how the same people stayed quiet when life became unsavory? Did you notice how when things got hard they then told you to ‘pray to God’ the same God you literally turned you back to so you could walk the path of culture and family?

Don’t turn your back on your religion, your self belief on YOU. Changing to accommodate the thought processes of others will kill you (Heart Attack at 31). You are not a computer; why should you process garbage that needs to be sent to the recycling bin and deleted permantely?

You have every right to be you and be happy. Others happiness does not equate to you being unhappy. Real love from anyone means it’s unconditional. If family was only happy when you were unhappy what lesson is that for your daughters? You are not a lamb that needs to be sacrificed. You have rights to be happy, be loved and love back without conditions.

Your personality does not need ‘adjusting’. Just because you don’t believe in lying to people to make them feel good does not mean you are rude. It means you are real.

OMG you are not ugly. For real. People have stuff injected into their lips to make them fuller. Your eyes are big. But eyes are the doors to the soul. Wearing glasses is fine; it doesn’t represent a disability and even if it did that’s Gods plan not yours.

You don’t need £1000s of cosmetics and creams to make you ‘pretty’. And damn girl you look good for your age. You have good genes. Some people are just jealous and will grind you down with themselves to make you feel bad and themselves feel better. Hold your head up high baby. You pull off red lipstick like no other.

You are NOT fat. Asian clothes some in matchstick sizes. Ain’t it funny the same people that critisised you for purchasing ‘labelled’ clothing now dress like you?

You are not a failure. You are not a ‘unsuitable wife’. It’s the warped way of thinking that is wrong. No one is born with a manual on life. Just because you want to be happy, go on holidays, see the world, have a career does not make you a bad individual.

And the fact you are struggling with PND, looking after your little one and keeping a clean home like those perfect Asian housewives does not make you a bad woman. Please stop torturing yourself. Its not worth the pain. What’s important is your child’s growth and health. A clean home would be a nice thing but it doesn’t equate to success.

And no, wearing jeans and western clothes does not make you a whore. It makes those that spread that propaganda as backwards and illeterate. A whore is someone that has no morals or standards in general and jumps anything that moves. Jeez. Is it really that hard to tell the difference?

And no red lipstick does not make you a SLUT either. That’s what society will have you believe because a confidence woman is a dangerous woman that would take crap from a so-called weak ass man.

Just because you are friendly it does not make you a hoe. Just because people say stuff doesn’t make it true. TALK IS CHEAP. Talk is free. Actions Alliyah! Actions. You need to monitor actions.

You do not need to be RETRAINED to be a member of any society. When the right person comes into your life yes you’ll both adjust to each other but it won’t be painful and you certainly won’t ‘hate’ yourself for the changes you are making.

Go live your life. Leave the UK. Become the woman you wished was in your life when you were a little girl. Be a fierce kick ass hijabi that is Muslim before anything else. Be happy. Love openly. Don’t surpress yourself so much that your health is damaged. Your personality is a blessing. Don’t change for anyone. Family isn’t always it’s cracked up to be. But if you stay true to yourself you will learn you don’t need anyone but you. Because if you trust in God and hold the vision and trust the process things will be so awesome your life will be magical. Just don’t give up baby girl. Get ready because we’ve started again; and this time it’s about YOU.

My Freezer essential…Parathas.
Stylemesisteradmin
March 22, 2019

As a child Parathas (Indian style flatbread containing butter-we’re Punjabi) and a fried egg signaled the beginning of the Weekend. But boy did they take time to make. I mean you kneaded the flour, allowed it to rest, rolled out the perfect Paratha then cooked it (but not be overly oily because no one likes greasy fingers right).

And of course the egg would be simply fried with a bit of salt and pepper.

Oh how times have changed. My Mother was a full time stay at home parent until I was a teenager. However I am not. My children don’t have the access to a parent that spends hours in the kitchen creating food of their childhood.

Frozen food has come a long way. A looooong way.

I have a huge well stocked freezer….and one of my favourites (and essentials) is Frozen parathas.

Yes that’s correct. FROZEN PARATHAS.

For real. Companies have upped their game since I was a kid.

Frozen Parathas can be off putting for a lot of people to use (My Mother dislikes them..) however if you follow the directions they are super easy to use.

Firstly these guys are used FROZEN.

No defrosting.

You heat a flat pan (I do own a tava) on a medium heat and place the Paratha on the pan.

You don’t need to add any extra fat guys!

You then literally leave it on the pan for 2 minutes and turn over (with a tongue-I love my wooden tongues and my trusty all rounder ones) and fry on the other side.

You fry until the bread is lightly browned.

I then place it on a piece of kitchen paper and try and remove as much extra fat as possible.

I then serve them.

My children love Paratha rolls. I almost use the Paratha like a tortilla wrap. Its a happy desi medium.

Parathas are awesome for Bihari Kebab rolls, Bombay Frankies, Pakora Wraps….these babies are awesome.

I pick up a pack of 5 plan Parathas for £1.29. You can also get Alu (Potato) Parathas, Gobi (Cauliflower), and Methi (Fenugreek) and a range of other flavours too. There’s also Lache (multi layered) Punjabi Parathas you can try.

Now these are not the healthiest item in the world. But they are awesome for weekend breakfasts.

Most important question is though: how do you take your eggs and Desi tea with your Paratha?

The Very Useful Friends and Family Railcard
Alliyah Dawud
March 18, 2019


I don’t wish to brag but I can get about the UK on the Train with the girls for a 1/3 off! And if we use the Train there’s no worry about whose driving and the girls can pretty much play, read, colour and do whatever (as long as we access to a table) and I can sit back and listen to an audio book-result!

Anyone that knows me well knows how I used to find it stressful travelling (and preparing to travel) with my children. It was an utter drag and well I disliked it a lot.

Soon after becoming a new me (e.g. not letting the little things in life bring me down) I discovered that some simple ‘systems’ and preparation (including my favourite LISTS) would help me feel calmer; much much much calmer.

Nowadays I don’t think twice about hopping on a Train with the girls to go visit friends, Museums, Parks etc etc. I just get up and go. Of course a bit of forward preparation never hurt anyone in my opinion so I do have a few organisational hacks that help for example:

1) I have a basket with ‘snacks’ in so that if we do go on a trip somewhere on the Train the girls simply get a few snacks out and pack them….

2)…in a designated backpack we use on our day trips. We keep this page for this purpose only. No other toys, snacks etc enter this bag. End of story.

3) I have a selection of colouring books and pencils we take on the train and these are kept separate to the girls other items. We grab them, pack them and we’re done.

4) On longer trips we pack 2 Barbies each to play with on the train.

5) We ALWAYS pre-book our tickets. I’d rather not have to look for seats on a crowded train and I have had to kick people off our seats before but in all honesty I don’t care; I paid for something. It’s mine.

On longer trips we pack a ‘picnic’ for the train and depending on what time the journey is we pack different things. So if we’re travelling early in the morning we’ll pack stuff like Turkey rashers, Breakfast Burritos etc. If it’s a lunch time trek then sandwiches. I generally try to avoid being on the trains at night because trains are usually more full than a cattle barn.

So a third off rail fare? How is it possible? We have what is known as a Friends and Family Rail Card. You need a child to get one of these bad boys (and the child must travel with you to get a third off fares). The card costs £30.00 a year and basically saves you on pretty much every journey you take (some terms and conditions apply but I’ve not had any issues in the 14 months we’ve had one).

We’ve been plenty of places and plan to continue to use the Trains for stress free travel. Our favourite places to visit include Blackpool (one train change and that’s it!), Liverpool (direct Train), Birmingham (home!) and of course my second home Manchester!

But the most important place we visit is….St Neots. With my girl gang member living in Cambridge (St Neots) it’s a fair trek by car….so we love the fact we can travel to see loved ones and the journey isn’t taxing or tiring.

One of the blessings of the card is you can elect two adults to be names on the card. I have my own name and my Mothers name on my card. You could nominate someone that spends time with the children (an uncle, grandparent etc etc). I know there are families where one spouse uses their family car for work so it’s useful to have an additional transportational method especially during summer holidays to keep the children occupied. Trains work well. I know Trains get a bad wrap because of costs, delays and improvements but in all honesty if you can see past that get yourself a Rail Card and go have some fun (and who knows you may get to listen to that audio book you’ve been meaning to listen to for ages!).


Awesome Meatloaf and Pasta
Alliyah Dawud
March 15, 2019

Sometimes you don’t want a mince based pasta sauce and you certainly don’t have the patience to make meatballs. That’s when this winning meal comes in.

Meatloaf are a popular staple of many families Stateside. To explain what a Meatloaf is it’s literally what is says on the tin. It’s that simple.

I love meatloaf; its a simple humble meal you can tweak to your own desires. I serve mine with spaghetti and a simple sauce.

Why not get the children to mix the Meatloaf mixture?

Enjoy.

To serve 4/6) people….

Ingredients:
500 grams mince (I use lamb/mutton etc)
2 onions fried until soft
2 TBSP italian seasoning (herb mix) OR
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt-to your taste
Optional: 1 tsp chili flakes (if you like it hot)
I egg
4 TBSP breadcrumbs
1 ball of mozerella cheese

For the sauce:
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 carton passata
2 TBSP rapeseed oil
1 large onion diced (or two smaller onions; diced)
6 cloves of garlic; crushed
2 TBSP Italian seasoning (herb mix) or
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt-to your taste
Juice of one lemon (I feel it brings out the flavours of all the ingredients so if you don’t fancy it leave it out).

1) To make the Meatloaf:
Mix together all of the Meatloaf ingredients (apart from the cheese). Shape into a loaf and place in an ovenproof dish.

2) To make the sauce:
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions. Fry until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, black pepper and herbs. Try for 2 minutes on a low heat (FYI: burnt garlic tastes horrendous).
3) Turn the heat back up to a medium flame. Add the tomatoes, passata and salt. Stir. Bring up to the boil and simmer on a low heat for 25 minutes. Turn the heat off. Add the lemon juice.
4) To complete the Meatloaf: Cover the Meatloaf with 1/4 of the pasta sauce and add the cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven at 150 for 50 minutes.
5) To serve: Stir the sauce (the 75% you have left) through the pasta and serve with the Meatloaf. Squirt over the lemon. Enjoy!

Notes:

Meatloaf freezes well. Cut into slices, wrap up well and freeze.

To change things up: add chopped up olives, chopped up sun dried tomatoes and zest of a lemon.

You could also add a layer of cheese in the ‘middle’ of the meatloaf. Oh the possibilities!