Pretty average episode with a very typical format. Some instructions, some shopping, some chopping, some plating & some judgments & yeah not to be forgotten some bickering too. I wish to see more on-site challenges where the contestants get to compete against each other because it makes the episode a lot more interesting as compared to the in-kitchen challenges, which are always pretty much the same in the execution.
Today’s challenge was interesting but the dishes that surfaced were quite mediocre, in a sense that they didn’t spell MasterChef quality to me. 2 contestants opted for totally different ideas & turned them into the dishes but others made it a Paaye/Karahi Challenge. This time the contestants had to work with the offal or as they say organ meats. I thought we’ll get to see some exciting dishes but the food that was served was more on the home-cooking side & not unique.
Khurram won the last challenge so he got an advantage of extra 10 minutes but he also had to pick one contestant who’d have 10 minutes deducted from his cooking duration. Khurram picked Saad for it because he wanted to see what Saad will create. Judges also announced that those contestants who’ll make it to the top 3 will not only be safe from the elimination round but will taste & judge the dishes served by their co-contestants.
Maryam came up with ‘Beef Paaye & Naan’. Chef Mehboob liked the fact that the main ingredient was tender which was a plus point but over all her dish didn’t have the typical Paaya flavour which didn’t make it impressive. Chef Khurram liked the texture of the meat & the tenderness but just like Chef Mehboob, he commented on the lack of actual flavour too. Chef Zakir thought she had a lot of options but she didn’t plan well.
Rayyan created ‘Maghaz Karahi’. Chef Khurram like the taste of the gravy but couldn’t find the taste of the main ingredient at all. Chef Zakir spoke about the right ratios that should be used in Pakistani dishes because Rayyan clearly missed the detail.
Khurram came up with something different like ‘Liver Sandwich & Pâté’. Chef Mehboob felt that the sandwich had a very less filling which wasn’t that good either. Chef Khurram felt that the Pâté wasn’t smooth like it should’ve been. Chef Zakir also questioned the filling of the sandwich.
Gulnaz created ‘Oojhri Karahi & Oojhri Salad. Chef Mehboob liked the bread she served with her dish but other than that her dish didn’t have balance too. Chef Khurram liked the taste of the gravy but other than that he felt that the main ingredient had no flavour of its own. Chef Zakir didn’t find Salad impressive either.
Amna presented ‘Mutton Paaye & Garlic Naan’. Chef Mehboob felt that there was a dominant flavour of mixed spices in her dish & it wasn’t spicy at all. Chef Zakir liked the flavour but also commented that the mixed spices weren’t used in the right proportion.
Zain came up with ‘Brain Masala Cheese Balls’. Chef Mehboob liked the filling & the color of the coating. Chef Khurram commented on the presentation but other than that he liked the flavours & the crispness of the cheese balls. Chef Zakir felt that the rice needed a bit more of a seasoning.
Madiha came up with ‘Mutton Paaye’. Chef Mehboob liked the dish a lot of the balanced flavours but he also liked the spice blend that she presented with the dish. Chef Khurram liked the dish a lot as well because of the flavours, the texture & the perfect spice level. Chef Zakir liked the gravy & the tenderness of the dish.
Ammarah presented ‘Muttom Paaye & Naan’. Chef Mehboob felt that the dish had a unique flavour to it which was really good. Chef Khurram appreciated the taste, the level of spices & the texture of the meat. Chef Zakir felt that he could eat this dish as a breakfast because it was that good.
Saad made ‘Kaleji & Gurda Masala’. Chef Mehboob didn’t like the dish as he had to spit it out because of the reek of the meat. He felt that the smell destroyed the dish & the liver was overcooked. Chef Khurram found it salty & overcooked to an extent where it got hard to chew. Chef Zakir felt that it was a pretty easy meat to work with but the main task was to make it reek-free which he failed to do.
It was pretty clear that Madiha, Zain & Ammarah will be in the top 3 because they got some amazing feedback. All of them created perfect dishes & grabbed some great comments from the judges so yes; they made it to the top 3. Madiha in particular got appreciated because of the spice mix that she created because Chef Mehboob was all praises for it to a point where he himself asked for the recipe & was ready to pay for it. After Khurram, Zain created a totally unique dish & luckily it worked for him because he put in a lot of effort into it. Ammarah as usual cooked her dish with a twist but got amazing remarks. I am glad Madiha, Zain & Ammarah got the advantage of being safe from the elimination round & will judge & taste the dishes alongside the judges. I felt bad for Khurram because I think he was planning too much without having a clear direction in his mind, even though he decided to opt for an unusual dish, he couldn’t make it shine. Madiha should now understand that just because she sticked to a simple dish & worked on making it flavoursome, she excelled this time.
The spat of Amna & Gulnaz was obviously bizarre & what’s more bizarre was the coverage that it got. I was excited to see the technique of Khurram’s dish because I have seen it in some other cooking show but sadly they didn’t show how he made it. I think instead of covering other dishes like Karahis & Paayes & those verbal spats, they should’ve covered Khurram & Zain’s dishes properly as they were doing something different. It was good to see the contestants being happy for the top 3 because seems like all of them have a great relation to the rest of them. The remaining contestants might be expecting a bit of favouritism from their friends but I hope none of it happens & those who made it to the top 3 stay true to their seats. It was kind of funny that the judges had to remind the top 3 that they were more experienced than them, which was once again an unnecessary reminder as none of the contestants at first asked to be selected as the judges & now when they were selected, there was no need for the judges to be so insecure.
One thing that I find kind of annoying is the Pakistani version of background music they’ve opted for. Some of the sound clips are obviously the signature tracks of MasterChef franchise which completes the experience of the show but just because they’ve added some other sound effects, it’s making the show seem a bit too dramatic. Anyways, share your thoughts on the episode.
Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.
