Going organic: Khalis Market offers a range of food items
‘We are providing preservative-free and pesticide-free food to people in one place’.
A stall at Khalis Food Market. PHOTO: MAHRUKH BEG
LAHORE:
The sixth Khalis Food Market, featuring organic food and home-grown items, was organised on Sunday at the Green Lawn in Gulberg. More than 55 stalls of organic coffee, fresh vegetables, unprocessed buffalo milk, traditional crafts, truck art products, organic beauty products, organic fertiliser, organic chicken, organic cottage cheese, natural hair fall oil, organic bakery items, home-made pickle, jams, juices, honey, ketchup, and home made meals were been set up.
Beg said seating had been arranged for more than 160 people, considering that people needed to sit when they eat and that elderly people found it difficult to keep standing for long.
Speaking about the importance of organic food and the significance of the Khalis Market, Beg said, “We are providing preservative-free and pesticide-free food to people in one place. They can buy fresh home grown vegetables, meat, beauty products, coffee, chai, and other eatables, which are all natural”. She said the organisers liked to support worthy causes. “We have given space to Rehel, an NGO working for disadvantaged children”, she said. Zain Ali Paul, Rehel’s director, said, “The fridge magnet, hair bands, earrings, dolls and bangles at our stall are all made by children. The revenue generated here will be put towards their welfare.”
Mustafa Shah, a brand image consultant, said, “ Khalis has the potential to send a strong message across the world, that we are a peace-loving nation.”
Kashif Anwar, CEO of Coffee Planet, said that the organic coffee at the market was free of preservatives and made from 100 per cent pure Arabica beans. Shahnaz Aijazuddin, one of the visitors, said, “I enjoyed the organic coffee, cupcakes, brownies which are made using Muscovado sugar, which has no side effects”
Nebu, a stall of hand made herbal products had soaps, shampoos, ‘slimming phakki’, firming masks and ubtan, among other products. Uzma of Nebu told The Express Tribune that the products were made entirely from natural ingredients, pure oils, fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, depending on the season.
Naimat Natural Manager Muhammad Khalid said all their milk came from traditionally operated farms, where buffaloes were raised on natural feed to ensure the milk’s rich taste. He said they did not use any milk enhancing chemicals.
Opium Thai Restaurant’s stall was popular amongst the visitors. They were serving traditional Thai and Chinese cuisine, including Thai chicken, Thai hot and sour soup, saddle prawns, basil and coriander chicken, and ginger rice. The owner of Opium Thai, Sana Kamran, said “The response here has been very positie and we are looking forward to work at the Khalis Food Market in the future.”
Ghar ki Murghi, a stall of home-made food was very popular. It attracted visitors through both its food and innovative names for the dishes, such as ‘maskhari mirchen salan’, ‘kewl boyz kinno juice’, ‘Hyderabadi pehelwan pasanday’, ‘aashiqana achari murghi’, ‘bery smart badam’, among others.
Forgotten Crafts, a stall of carpets, decoration pieces and other traditional crafts, also attracted heavy traffic. Shahpara Salim, a visitor, said, “We need to promote our crafts and local artists, as they are doing a wonderful job.” Mohiyuddin Khan of Forgotten Crafts said they trained their craftsmen in aesthetics and colour choices.
Rangdey, a stall of the products with truck art also attracted many visitors. A large number of visitors purchased Waste Busters’ organic fertiliser made from recycled waste. At the closing of the market, Quadrum- the Percussionist and other folk artists performed at the venue.
Shireen Masoud, a visitor, said, the Khalis Food Market should not be held on Sundays alone.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2014.
The sixth Khalis Food Market, featuring organic food and home-grown items, was organised on Sunday at the Green Lawn in Gulberg. More than 55 stalls of organic coffee, fresh vegetables, unprocessed buffalo milk, traditional crafts, truck art products, organic beauty products, organic fertiliser, organic chicken, organic cottage cheese, natural hair fall oil, organic bakery items, home-made pickle, jams, juices, honey, ketchup, and home made meals were been set up.
Beg said seating had been arranged for more than 160 people, considering that people needed to sit when they eat and that elderly people found it difficult to keep standing for long.
Speaking about the importance of organic food and the significance of the Khalis Market, Beg said, “We are providing preservative-free and pesticide-free food to people in one place. They can buy fresh home grown vegetables, meat, beauty products, coffee, chai, and other eatables, which are all natural”. She said the organisers liked to support worthy causes. “We have given space to Rehel, an NGO working for disadvantaged children”, she said. Zain Ali Paul, Rehel’s director, said, “The fridge magnet, hair bands, earrings, dolls and bangles at our stall are all made by children. The revenue generated here will be put towards their welfare.”
Mustafa Shah, a brand image consultant, said, “ Khalis has the potential to send a strong message across the world, that we are a peace-loving nation.”
Kashif Anwar, CEO of Coffee Planet, said that the organic coffee at the market was free of preservatives and made from 100 per cent pure Arabica beans. Shahnaz Aijazuddin, one of the visitors, said, “I enjoyed the organic coffee, cupcakes, brownies which are made using Muscovado sugar, which has no side effects”
Nebu, a stall of hand made herbal products had soaps, shampoos, ‘slimming phakki’, firming masks and ubtan, among other products. Uzma of Nebu told The Express Tribune that the products were made entirely from natural ingredients, pure oils, fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, depending on the season.
Naimat Natural Manager Muhammad Khalid said all their milk came from traditionally operated farms, where buffaloes were raised on natural feed to ensure the milk’s rich taste. He said they did not use any milk enhancing chemicals.
Opium Thai Restaurant’s stall was popular amongst the visitors. They were serving traditional Thai and Chinese cuisine, including Thai chicken, Thai hot and sour soup, saddle prawns, basil and coriander chicken, and ginger rice. The owner of Opium Thai, Sana Kamran, said “The response here has been very positie and we are looking forward to work at the Khalis Food Market in the future.”
Ghar ki Murghi, a stall of home-made food was very popular. It attracted visitors through both its food and innovative names for the dishes, such as ‘maskhari mirchen salan’, ‘kewl boyz kinno juice’, ‘Hyderabadi pehelwan pasanday’, ‘aashiqana achari murghi’, ‘bery smart badam’, among others.
Forgotten Crafts, a stall of carpets, decoration pieces and other traditional crafts, also attracted heavy traffic. Shahpara Salim, a visitor, said, “We need to promote our crafts and local artists, as they are doing a wonderful job.” Mohiyuddin Khan of Forgotten Crafts said they trained their craftsmen in aesthetics and colour choices.
Rangdey, a stall of the products with truck art also attracted many visitors. A large number of visitors purchased Waste Busters’ organic fertiliser made from recycled waste. At the closing of the market, Quadrum- the Percussionist and other folk artists performed at the venue.
Shireen Masoud, a visitor, said, the Khalis Food Market should not be held on Sundays alone.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 3rd, 2014.