Welcome to another edition of Food Blogger Interview series. Today we’re chatting with Quraitlain Noor , the sweet lady behind the great blog Ainy’sCook. I love Ainy’s blog because she shares easy to follow recipes. Most of them are quick too and perfect for busy weeknights. Her blog is a great place to find meal ideas you and your family will love!
Interview with Quratulain Noor from Ainy Cooks
Bushrah: Aslam-o-Alakaum, “How are you?.”
Quratulain Noor: Walakum salam, I am well, please, call me Ainy, as all my friends do.:).
Bushrah: Thank you Ainy for joining us today now first we would love to know about you. _ tell us a bit you and Your Blog _A lady behind “AINY’SCOOK”?
Quratulain Noor: I am an enthusiastic home cook.Cooking should be a fear less combat, never disappoint from your failure ,this Ii have learned from my 8 years cooking experiences. Interesting thing is I have started proper cooking after marriage. I was not a kitchen person before marriage. I was doing just SHOQIA cooking and helping my mother in making salads and vegetable cutting ,that’s it. Like all other girls I also grew up watching my mother cooking different dishes. Though I’m Masters in Science but I quit my job for my kids, Ali and Zain. I love to cook different and interesting dishes for my family. I cannot hide myself from me; I can see what others can never see;I know what others can never know, I cannot fool myself, and so Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free.
Bushrah: What is the story behind your blog’s name, Ainycooks?
Quratulain Noor: The title of my blog took a while to come up with. When my husband designed my blog he asked me to select a short and unique name. According to my hubby, blog’s name play an important role ,It is the first thing people see. Think of what you want your readers to think when they see blog’s name. After taking his advice I jotted down few names , finally we selected “Mirch Masala” as my blog’s name. But after few days my husband changed the name to “AINYCOOKS”, because he thought not to limit blog to one topic or cuisine related to spices . 🙂
Bushrah: When and why did you start blogging?
Quratulain Noor: I wanted to share my knowledge , basically I just wanted a place to post recipes, pics and share my experience with friends and family. I started proper blogging 2 years ago.
Bushra: Did you ever think that you would be so successful at blogging when you started?
Quratulain Noor: No, never 🙂 AINYCOOKS has become so much more than I imagined and brings creativity and joy into my life and my kitchen.
Bushra: The photos of your recipes are one of the highlights of your blog. What are the elements that go into each photo?
Quratulain Noor: When I started my website I usually took photos with my I pad or mobile phone. But after few months i realized that besides easy and no fail recipes, food photos are also very important. “A picture is worth a thousand words” is very much true. So I started using Canon D500. I am still in learning process and learning techniques of taking perfect photos.
Bushra: Do you promote your blog? How important is traffic to you?
Quratulain Noor: Yes, because making blog is easy but to build a successful blog with significant traffic is hard job. I am using Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to share my posts and to get more traffic.
Bushra:Are your blog posts impromptu or does a certain amount of planning go into them?
Quratulain Noor: I never plan anything for my posts 🙂
Bushrah: Do you try out interesting dishes that you come across in restaurants when you go for reviews?
Quratulain Noor: I always opt for home cooked foods. The reasons are generally that home cooked foods are much more nutritious and healthier, Hotel food is definitely tasty and a good change of taste for tired tongues , a number of dishes i have tried and posted on my website which i have tasted in different hotels.
Bushrah: Have there been any mistakes along the way that you have learnt from?
Quratulain Noor: Lol, a lot of mistakes .You can make a long list. But don’t let fear of mistakes stop you from cooking . You simply need to be brave.
I did mistakes in Baking but with time and experience Ii have learnt a lot. One thing i always mention:”Never Give up” .
Bushrah: You share a lot of basic cooking tips and recipes on your blog. Are there any special secrets that are still hidden from the public eye?
Quratulain Noor: I am trying to share as many tips as i can, but I never hide any thing from my readers. In future i will follow the same exercise 🙂
Bushrah: Out of all the methods of cooking, which is your personal favorite? Tell us about an instance when you surprised your family with a really well turned out dish.
Quratulain Noor: I love to bake. Baking is my favorite method thou i love Barbeque also but baking is top of all. Baked Mutton leg was a big success for me i made it first time and it came out so well. My family and my brother’s family appreciated a lot.
Bushra: You are living in Attock after Marriage. How much influence did that have on your cooking?
Quratulain Noor: A lot of, you will see a number of recipes which are basically from this region on my website. Attock city is a last city of Punjab , KPK is just adjacent to Attock.I saw a lot of Pashton families also living here (Afghan too) I am considering myself very fortunate that I have got a chance to learn recipes from Punjabi, Pathan and Afghan families. With time i will add more recipes which are authentic and family recipes from this region.
Bushra: What do you do when you are not cooking or blogging?
Quratulain Noor: Thinking about cooking for next day..lolzz. What a busy mother can do , looking after her kids, husband ,home and relatives and much more 🙂
Bushra: Which other blogs do you follow?
Quratulain Noor: A number of blogs are in my favorite list.
Martha stewert
David Lebovitz
Recipe Passion
Haffa kitchen adventure.
All Pakistani Blogs and of course Yours too 🙂
Bushra: What advice would you like to give to people who want to start blogging?
Quratulain Noor: “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy”
Though I am also not an expert blogger but i will advice what i have learnt in these 2 years, Be original… you do not have to be a super writer and photographer you just need to focus on our own interests. Do what you like most. Be patient because audience building is a slow process. Always visit other blogs and communicate with them and ask their advice like my 2 advisers are Monu Teena and Bushra Waheed.
Bushra: hahha __thanks ainy for your compliments 🙂 What are your cooking inspirations? A famous chef, your mom, a cookbook, a blog…?
Quratulain Noor: Defiantly my biggest inspiration is my Mother after her, every single person who is involved in guiding and telling me different recipes is my inspiration.
Bushra: What can we expect from Ainy Cooks in the future?
Quratulain Noor:”Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” –Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
I never planned future but i have one thing in my mind to bring more interesting recipes and Introduce Pakistani culture to my readers.
Bushra: What’s your favorite recipes from your blog. How have you found the public’s reaction to your recipes and writing? blog?
Quratulain Noor: Singaporean rice, Basan ke parathe with green chutney and Chocolate Marquise. These recipes are my favorite and i have got an excellent response when i shared on my website and Facebook page.
Bushra: Your Favorite savory ingredient to cook with.
Quratulain Noor: Black pepper, I love to add this ingredient in every dish. The aroma and taste of freshly crushed pepper we can’t compare with any other ingredient.
Bushra: Favorite sweet ingredient to cook with.
Quratulain Noor: Sugar 😀 in fact i like to add condense milk in my sweet dishes most.
Bushra: When You feel lazy You cook.
Quratulain Noor: You will get a big YES from all house wives, If we will not cook then who will feed our families. In Pakistani Culture only a wife is the one who has to fulfill this responsibility.
Bushra: What’s Your pick me up dish?
Quratulain Noor: Biryani of all kinds and types.
Bushra: Favorite dish That not cooked by you?
Quratulain Noor: I have tried all my favorites at home but one dish which i want to try is Mantu ( a Afghan dish) , Inshallah i will try and post the recipe soon.
Bushra: For a romantic meal what would you want to eat?
Quratulain Noor: Barbeque food is my all time favorite, I would like to order BBq dishes first. Then a rich Chocolate Mousse.
Bushra: Your Favorite time of the day?
Quratulain Noor: Early morning after Fajar. I feel a deep down calmness in my heart after hearing chirping sounds and tranquility.
Bushra: Your Favorite Cooking Magazine
Quratulain Noor: Dalda ka Dastarkwan. But i have a huge collection of cookery books also.
Bushra: Your Favorite Book?
Quratulain Noor: Divine Chocolate Book is my favorite.
Bushra: Your Favorite Tv show
Quratulain Noor: I usually follow Chef Zakir and Shireen Anwer’s cooking shows.
Bushra: Your Favorite Color
Quratulain Noor: Blue , pink and all shades of brown.
Bushra: One recipe you want to pass on ?
Quratulain Noor: My mother’s recipe of Fried Chops.
Bushra: One Cuisine you can live on?
Quratulain Noor: Pakistani Cuisine is the best.
Bushra: One a winter evening what you would like to cook or eat?
Quratulain Noor: As I have mentioned I love BBQ food and in winter i like to cook Chicken tikka and Malai Boti once in a week.
Bushra: One a hot summer day what would you like to cook?
Quratulain Noor: Rice of any type along with Raita’s.
To stay updated with Ainy’s and find more of her delicious recipes make sure to check out her blog and follow her here:
AinyCooks
Thank you Ainy for sharing your views with us 🙂
