Meet the Chaza Queen of Karachi and proud owner of Juniper Kitchens, Shama! I had the absolute pleasure of being invited to her home for a lunch that left me in awe of the versatility found in Burmese cuisine. While Shama herself isn't Burmese, her ancestors have had a long-standing history with visiting Burma and adapting their local cuisine into their home. For those of you who don't know, Shama offers catering services and has a devoted clientele for her home-based catering services named Juniper Kitchens. I visited Shama's beautiful home with my friend Lailumah Shah , where we were welcomed with a refreshing hibiscus drink and an assortment of snacks including roasted and salted nuts, dried mango, and spicy tamarind. After a while, the table was laid with an assortment of salads, appetizers and entrees that was too much food for just 2 people. We started with the green tea leaf salad, a spicy mix of crunchy, nutty notes and the subtle fragrance of top tier green tea. I
Food is in my genes.