White Jasmine Brings Pakistani Cuisine to the States

As one of the planet'smost ethnically diverse nations, America is an ideal habitat foradventurous foodies. Immigrants who share their cultures' culinary customs addanother dimension to our country's mosaic and offer the rest of us anopportunity to expand our palates. For Huma Siddiqui, food became an anchor toher native Pakistan when she was uprooted from her home, first to Africa, thenEurope, and finally to Mount Horeb, Wis., where she still lives. As presidentof White Jasmine, a Madison-based business that revolves around Pakistanicuisine, Siddiqui now uses food to bridge cultures. White Jasmine recentlyblended Wisconsin'smost celebrated export, cheese, with flavors and spices rooted in the Pakistanitradition.

When Siddiqui firstarrived in the States, she was struck by the absence of spices in the foods sheate. Longing to recreate the warmth she felt when preparing and serving thedishes of her homeland, Siddiqui began to teach hands-on Pakistani cookingclasses as a hobby.

“I realized a lot ofpeople like spices and flavor,” Siddiqui says. “They just don't know how to usethem.”

Siddiqui began toinstruct eager cooks on how to create her country's specialty dishesthink samosasserved with creamy raita, sajji chicken with fire-roasted tomatoes and garlic,and rasmalai, a traditional dessert made with ricotta cheese, milk and almondsat Madison-area food stores, such as Orange Tree Imports and Whole Foods.

In 2004, the mother oftwo launched a website that introduced her line of wonderfully rich, compellingspice blends, as well as Jasmine in HerHair, a book she wrote about family traditions, culture and food of Pakistan. WhiteJasmine also began appearing at local food events, like the Madison Food &Wine Show. This fall, Siddiqui will be teaching spice seminars and cookingclasses at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in Orlando, Fla.,a six-week international food experience that attracts food and wine lovers worldwide.

Siddiqui's son, SamirKarimi, has joined the family business and serves as vice president of salesand executive producer of “White Jasmine Everyday Cooking,” a weekly cookingshow hosted by Siddiqui. Siddiqui debunks the culinary myth that Pakistanicooking is tricky and time consuming by teaching viewers how to make simpledishes brimming with flavor. The show airs in Madison, but can also be found in DVD formaton White Jasmine's website.

White Jasmine recentlypartnered with Meister Cheese Co. of Muscoda, Wis.,to create three different types of rBGH-free specialty cheese infused withSiddiqui's signature spices: cumin gouda,tandoori gouda and sajji BBQ gouda.

“We tried differentcheeses to taste how the spices held to the different flavors and styles,”Siddiqui explains. “Goudabecame our favorite right away because it is so creamy; it has a subtle taste,and it melts very well, making it great for cooking.”

White Jasmine cheesescan be found at Metcalfe's Market in Wauwatosa,as well as Grasch Foods and Sendik's in Brookfield.They will be available soon at Outpost stores, Whole Foods and other Sendik'sgrocery stores in the area.

Here is a Huma Siddiquioriginal recipe that blends an American classic with a Pakistani twist:

TurkeyBurgers

 2pounds ground turkey

4 teaspoons garlic,chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons WhiteJasmine Tandoori Masala

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cilantro, chopped

8 slices White JasmineTandoori Gouda

8 hamburger buns

8 slices of tomatoes

Lettuce leaves

Red onions, sliced

Mix the first sixingredients together and make eight patties. Heat up a skillet on the stovetop. Place the patties on the hot skillet. Let it cook on medium heat for 3-4minutes and turn it once. Cook the other side for 3-4 minutes. Place the cheeseslices on top of each patty and cover the skillet for 2-3 minutes so the cheesemelts. Serve on a bun with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion slices or any otherfavorite toppings.

For more information on White Jasmine,visit www.whitejasmine.com or call toll-free (866) 421-8117.