Welcome to another edition of Interview with a food blogger!
Meet Fatimah from Muslim Girl Bakes
Today, we’re chatting with Fatimah, the Muslim blogger behind the fabulous food photography and recipes blog ThisMuslimGirlBake. Fatimah loves trying out new recipes. On her blog, she shares her favorites, along with stunning pictures. I absolutely love the way she styles food (even her recipe instructions are gorgeous!).Most of her recipes are quick too and perfect for busy weeknights. ThisMuslimGirlBake is a great place to find meal ideas you and your family will love! Scroll down to read the interview and go give Fatimah some love!
Interview with Fatimah from Muslim Girl Bakes
Bushrah: Aslam-o-Alakaum Wr Wb. Jazakillah khaira for joining us today now first we would love to know about you. _ tell us a bit you and Your Blog _ A girl behind “This Muslim?
Fatimah: Thank you so much for having me! I blog at This Muslim Girl Bakes. I usually post full photo step-by-step sweet and savoury recipes twice a week. My sweet recipes are usually my latest dessert/baked good success and my savoury recipes are from all over the world. I love putting a halal spin on different recipes but am well known for my Pakistani recipes being of Pakistani origin myself.
Bushrah: What is the story behind your blog’s name, This Muslim Girl Bake?
Fatimah: I wish I had some amazing story behind the name but honestly it just came to me one day! And has stuck ever since!
Bushrah: Describe your Blog in Three words??
Fatimah: So many photos!
Bushrah: What are your cooking inspirations? A famous chef, your mom, a Cookbook, a Blog?
Fatimah: As for cooking inspiration, I would have to say my family. I come from a family of very strong, female home cooks. My mother is an amazing cook as was her mother before her. They all cooked and still cook simple recipes to feed busy homes. I’m also inspired by the Internet as a whole. I love how anyone from anywhere can share a recipe online. You can cook a recipe which is from a New York kitchen one day and the next, a traditional dish from Hong Kong. It’s amazing!
Bushrah: Who or what inspired you to take the plunge and start your own food blog?
Fatimah: I had been reading food blogs for a few years before starting my own. Being surrounded by a group of friends from different places and cultures, the food of our homes was always a topic of conversation. How we cooked different curries or what we had eaten on Eid. When describing my own recipes, I would think, wouldn’t it be easier if I could just take pictures and show them? And so that’s what I did. I also wanted a place for all my family recipes. I felt that so many of our traditional Pakistani recipes were falling out of fashion or weren’t even represented on the food blog scene. The blog was and still is my chance to preserve those age-old recipes.
Bushrah: Did you ever think that you would be so successful at blogging when you started?
Fatimah: No way! At the beginning, it was only my mum who was reading the blog. Then, it filtered out to family, friends and the wider world. I remember when I got my first 100 views and then the 1000! I was so excited!
Bushrah: What’s your biggest failure ever in the Kitchen?
Fatimah: I have so many!! Recently, there are two that come to mind. The first, those fiddly French macrons and the second, choux pastry.
Bushrah: What is your favorite dish?
Fatimah: That is such a hard question! It honestly depends on my mood and what I’m craving. But I think one dish I could never say no to is a freshly- made chicken pulao. It will always be one of ultimate comfort foods – a real taste of home.
Bushrah: Any Ingredients you can’t stand? Which one can’t you live without?
Fatimah: I cannot stand desiccated coconut. This is something my mother does not understand as she has always loved it. On the other hand, I couldn’t live without my spice cupboard! Especially things like cumin, cinnamon, coriander and chilli. I not only use them in Pakistani recipes but add them to other things for a little twist! Can I also add butter to that list? I use it for baking and sometimes, cooking. A little butter always makes things better!
Bushrah: What’s the most adventurous dish you’ve ever eaten?
Fatimah: The most adventurous dish I’ve ever eaten would have to be the Pai curry. It’s made with cows trotters and gives off the strongest smell when cooking!
Bushrah: What kind of recipes most of the people want these days?
Fatimah: I’ve found that people want quick recipes with the least number of ingredients. Also, I’ve seen an increased interest in old, traditional dishes. As we get older, we become more nostalgic and want to cook the things our mothers made when we were children.
Bushrah: What ingredients would you like to use to make a scrumptious dessert? You can only pick four!
Fatimah: My current favourite 4-ingredient dessert would have to be the lemon posset. It’s a really old English chilled dessert made with lemons, caster sugar and double cream. That’s three things and so I would serve it with number four – buttery shortbread fingers to dip!
Bushrah: How have you found the public’s reaction to your recipes and writing?
Fatimah: I’ve been really lucky in my 4 years of blogging to have had a really positive reaction. Now and again, you will get one or two people who were not fans of a certain recipe. But that’s to be expected – everyone has different tastes and so it is impossible to please everyone!
Bushrah: What’s your favorite recipe from your blog?
Fatimah: Again, that is such a hard question! Every recipe I post is my current favorite! An all-time favorite that I turn to time and time again would be our house Pakistani chicken curry. It’s a timeless classic and I love it.
Bushrah: What piece of Photography equipment could you not go without?
Fatimah: Sounds obvious but most definitely, my camera. It’s simple to use and small enough to have with me in the kitchen. I post step-by-step photo recipes so having a smaller camera is the best thing for me.
Bushrah: If I’m only going to make one dish from your blog, which one should it be?
Fatimah: Again, such a hard question! And again, it depends on my mood. Right now, I’m obsessed with my sea salt chocolate chunk cookies. I made a batch on snapchat recently just so I could stash the cookie dough into the freezer for emergencies! They are that good!
Bushrah: What’s one secret talent outside of the kitchen nobody knows about you?
Fatimah: Food styling and food photography! I wouldn’t really call it a talent because I’m still such a novice myself. But I’ve been loving putting more thought and care into my food photos to make them look the best.
Bushrah: Have there been any mistakes along the way that you have learnt from ?
Fatimah: So many mistakes! I make mistakes everyday and as long as I learn from them, I don’t mind. For example, a few days ago I made porridge. I added the water to the oats all at once which resulted in lots of lumps in the end result. Next time, I will add the water gradually. So, as long as I learn from my mistakes, I don’t mind.
Bushrah: What are your top tips for newie food bloggers?
Fatimah: Write the food blog that you yourself would want to read. Cook the things on your blog that you cook in real life. Bake the things on your blog that you bake in real life. And most importantly, love the content that you’re posting. The love and passion that you have for your content will filter through to your readers. And, most importantly of all, enjoy it!
Head over to Fatimah’s recipe index or see her Pinterest board dedicated to Muslim Girl Bakes recipes for more recipes!
Follow Fatimah on Social Media: Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
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