Hi there! My name is Sarah (pronounced Saa-Ra) and I am a Pakistani Food Blogger living in Canada who shares her love for cooking and baking at Flour & Spice. Whether it is traditional Pakistani recipes, the best desserts or that fantastic burger, I believe in simplifying cooking without sacrificing flavor.
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Learning from the Best
Although I studied Economics and Politics and started my career in finance I have been cooking and baking since I was little. I was a foodie before being a foodie was a thing, wandering in and out of the humble kitchens of women who worked like wizards and created the most delicious flavours thereby spoiling me for life. I took that kind of spoiling, and the education I received from them for granted when I was young, but motherhood changed that.
As a Pakistani origin Canadian with two girls, I realized when my girls were young that I wanted them to love their heritage as much as I do, and the fastest way to that my friends is a fantastic pulao, a comforting daal, and that creamy cold kulfi. I could not recreate the kitchens of my youth, but I could give them the love, flavours, and palate I grew up with.
It's when I started seeing cooking Pakistani recipes as creating more than just food that I embraced it's true power and became enamored by the magic of it. Done right, cooking feels a little bit like empowering, healing, and love rolled in to one.
My POV: A Pakistani Palate with a Dose of Practicality
One of the things I am most grateful for is that I come from a family of practical women. Be it my mother or grandmother or my aunts or cousins, when it comes to food they have never levied the compulsion of tradition on us.
Our conditioning has always been to work smarter not harder, while respecting authentic flavours.
Simple things like the Pakora Mix, the Salan Masala, the freezer full of prepped foods, are a way of life. They allow us to eat our favorite Pakistani recipes without devoting ourselves entirely to the kitchen.
I am NOT the person who will tell you that you need to make everything exactly as I do. My favorite line is "adjust to taste", because I respect the palate of your Pakistani family just as much as mine.
One of my favorite emails from a reader said that she loved my blog not just for the recipes, but because it taught her to cook Pakistai ghar ka khana and make it her own. That friends is the dream.
So what will you find here at Flour & Spice?
You will find most of all a Pakistani food blog with a vast collection of Pakistani Recipes that demystify the art of Pakistani Cooking, from comfort favorites like Chicken Pualo and Aloo Gosht to a solid Masoor ki Daal and all the Pakistani Chicken Recipes your heart desires.
As I said earlier baking is my first love and you will also find here the dreamiest Caramel Custard, that Coffee Cake that disappears in second, and the 20-minute Sevaiyan that so many have loved.
I hope you feel at home and stay a while. Oh and if you happen to be on Instagram I am @flourandspiceblog and can’t wait to welcome you into my IG family!
Happy Cooking!
Sarah
Happily Featured In
- CBC Life for Eid Recipes
- CBC Life for Iftar Recipes
- Brown Girl Mag
- Le Creuset
- NPR
- CBC Sports: Opinion
- Panelist at She Ate Toronto
- Featured in Express Tribune
Note: All the pictures shared on this Pakistani food blog and content in it are my own unless clearly stated otherwise. Reproducing in part or whole without my permission is a violation of my intellectual property. If you would like to include my content in something then reach out and I am happy to work with you!
For questions about that and collaborations email me at flourandspiceblog@gmail.com
samina mariani says
Hello Sarah,
My husband and I've lived in Toronto for almost 4 decades, recently moving to the burbs when our sons moved out. I've read many blogs on our food, but no one comes remotely close to yours - not just how well you write, but the few recipes I've tried are amazing, the numerous I mean to try are mouth-watering and I can tell they're delicious just by reading them - maybe bc I love to cook (tho' I don't come close to my family's great cooking when it comes to desi food), .
Sarah, I'd love to have you and your hubby over for a meal one day or treat you to a coffee somewhere if you're ever so inclined to spend time chatting with an older lady like me, as you feel like a kindred spirit. Regardless, I will continue to admire your blog and thank you for such a wonderful effort!
Sarah Mir says
I am so touched that I don't have words. Any one who has met me can attest to how rare an occurrence that is. Bowled over by your kindness of spirit!
barbara R. A berkheiser says
Hello, I truly love your puff pastry recipes. May I ask what brand of puff pastry you use as all the recipes look GREAT. Thank you Barbara
Sarah Mir says
thanks! I use anything that is marked as all butter - I am in Canada and both Selection and PC Brand All Butter Puff pastries are good!
Kebab near me says
Hello Sarah,
I'm truly inspired by your blog, Flour & Spice! Your passion for traditional Pakistani cooking and how you share it so beautifully is incredible. The photo of you pouring chai really captures the essence of warmth and heritage. I'm eager to try your pulao, daal, and kulfi recipes. Could you share more about how these dishes connect you to your roots?
Thank you for such a delightful culinary insight!
playdesi says
nice site
Mahmud Ansari says
Assalam-O-Alaikum.
I was introduced to your blog by my daughter, Nida. I looked at your Masoor Daal recipe. While it is available for the Stove Top, the instant pot version is not available. Could you please add it? Thanks.
Wassalam.
Sarah Mir says
Absolutely! I’ll add that in next week IA but masoor cooks fast so I’d say around 6 minutes and natural release!
Sue salim says
Sarah: I came across your blog it seems to have fantastic recipes. Do you have any sugar free desert recipes? I can only have fruit sugar. Thanks ! Also do you have any videos about recipes?
Sarah Mir says
Hi there and welcome! I am so sorry I don't have sugar free recipes!! I hear that monk fruit sugar works well in the caramel custard and also the kheer, but I have not tried them myself!
Zohair says
Hi Sarah,
On the Hanifia Sauce, by flour - do you mean all-purpose flour ? Maida ?
Please reply ASAP, as I plan to try your recipe tomorrow !
Thanks
Zohair
Cypress TX
Sarah Mir says
Oh gosh! SO SO sorry and yes AP Flour!
Kiran Lakhani says
Hi Sarah!
Happily stumbled across your blog upon searching for a very Pakistani masala fried fish recipe. Since then I've relished 3 of your recipes, all of which have been a treat! So nice to run into you again after so many years this way... over food, which is so fitting 😀
Still remember those amazing brownies we used to make - the recipe of which I've been trying to look up for years but no luck.
Somehow I recall you moved to Toronto. Are you still there? Asking because I'm visiting TO in a couple weeks and would love to meet and catch up if you're down.
Love and hugs,
Kiran
Sarah Mir says
Kiran!!! I can't believe I missed this! I am in Toronto now and am guessing you're not - if you are Id love to meet up. It's been far tooooo long!