Kitchen guides
Straight answers to the questions we get asked across the counter.
- Cooking for a crowd Work out how much meat and basmati to buy for a wedding, Eid, an aqiqah dinner or a family party.
- Roasting times How long to roast a leg or shoulder of lamb and a whole chicken, with a calculator that tells you when to put it in.
- The halal BBQ guide Which cuts to buy for a BBQ, how long to marinate, how to set up the coals, and cooking times that keep everyone safe.
- Curry basics The method behind almost every meat curry: onions, ginger and garlic, tomatoes, spices, and the moment the oil separates.
- Perfect basmati rice Which basmati to buy, how long to soak it, the right amount of water, and the two ways to cook it.
- The spice cupboard The spices that cover most South Asian and Afghan cooking, plus a garam masala you can grind yourself.
- The Ramadan kitchen Batch-cook before Ramadan starts: what freezes well, easy suhoor ideas, iftar menus and a shopping plan.
- Planning an Eid feast A menu that works, how much to order, and a countdown from a week before to the moment you serve.
- What halal means What makes meat halal, what zabiha and tasmiyah mean, and why certifiers disagree about stunning.
- Storing meat safely Fridge and freezer temperatures, defrosting, leftovers and rice, based on Food Standards Scotland advice.
- The butcher's guide Which cut of lamb, mutton, chicken and beef to buy for which dish.
- The butcher's dictionary Boti, dasti, nalli, sella: the words you'll hear at the counter.