Another Reason for Travelling Pakistan; The Cuisine

 

Munaza Kazmi

Joined by China, Afghanistan, Iran and India -- and with a population of more than 200 million people -- it's no surprise that Pakistan is a country of geographical and linguistic diversity. 

However, there's common ground to be found in the cuisine. 

Overall Pakistanis are passionate about their cuisine, which is full of flavor and bursting with color. And they just love eating. Food is among the most significant! Even we have foods for different occasions and from different regions.

Tea

However, a habit of Colonial-Past, Pakistan is a nation of tea lovers, and there are several varieties of tea on offer from Kawa, Karak chai, Masala chai to Gulabi chai. Adding tea leaves into the boiling cup of water.

Tea is a social drink bringing everyone together, often served with savory dishes such as samosa, pakora or paratha.

Pakoras

These easy-to-make crispy, fried fritters are a classic finger food served as a starter or a side dish with the sweet cup of tea. Also, it’s our Pakistan’s sweetheart dish in Ramazan.

Vegetables are thinly sliced before being soaked in a seasoned and spice gram flour batter and then fried for a few minutes. 

Grab them while they are hot. If you prefer a meatier option, chicken pakoras are also on menu. 

 

Paratha

Abroad bread is eaten cold, here it’s always hot and comes with different flavors. Pakistanis make a range of perfect melt-in-your-mouth flatbreads including roti and naans but the paratha, made with clarified butter or ghee is a particularly delicious indulgence. 

Eaten for breakfast, you can go for the plain option but there are also various fillings to choose from including mincemeat, potato, spinach, and cauliflower paratha etc.

Kebabs

There are many types of kebabs in Pakistani cuisine. Such as the popular seekh kebab, which is ground meat grilled on skewers. The highly favorite chapli kebab, name is taken from the Pashto word “chaprikh” which means “flat”. It comes from the flat shape of minced meat slices, dish of the North – You can taste the flavors of coriander and pomegranate seeds in this tasty recipe.

And the shami kebab, small patties made with minced meat mixed with split chickpeas, finely chopped onion, mint, green chilli and egg to hold it all together. 

Gol Gappa

A popular street food having roots with Bangladesh, was once sold by cart-pushing vendors. However, with the growing trend fast food restaurants you can enjoy it along the ambience.

The round shell is made with semolina and fried. Once it cools and becomes brittle, a hole is created and filled with a mixture of tamarind chutney, chilli, chaat masala, potato, onion and chickpeas. It is served with a bowl of spicy tamarind dip. Try, and you will crave it back home.

Biryani

Created in the royal kitchens of the 16th-19th century Mughal Empire by BeghumMumtaz Mahal, aimed to create a delicious, nutritious and wholesome dish for the soldiers in her husband Emperor Shahjahan's army.

Today it is among the most celebrated dishes in Pakistan and often served on special occasions. 

Made with lamb or beef but chicken biryani is a favorite. However, Karachi city is famous for the bone marrow Biriyani version.

The meat and rice are cooked separately before being layered and cooked together with an assortment of spices. 

Kabuli Pulao

Nevertheless, Kabuli Pulao is a specialty of Afghan cuisine, but it is very common in Pakistan. Kabul’s families made it first with tender meat, raisins, nuts, rice, and caramelized carrots.

Silk Road traders brought it from Afghanistan to western Pakistan, and it gradually spread throughout the country.

Nihari

“Narha” an Arabic word that means “Morning”, perhaps that’s the reason it is a must have breakfast dish. It used to be left to simmer and cook overnight to be served at sunrise. Logically it’s so rich that surely it will fill your stomach.

The food was born in Old Delhi, including lamb shanks, mutton, including the bone marrow as the main complements. It is also usually served with rice or naan.

Haleem

Served mostly in Breakfast and Lunch, but popular in the Holy Muharram, originated from Middle East, Indian Sub-continent and Central Asia. Warm and comforting, this dish may look simple enough, but a combination of lentils, wheat, barley and minced beef are slow-cooked for overnight in gentle spices to get sticky consistency. 

Paya

This warming goat curry, with a soup-like consistency, is often eaten on cold winter mornings.  Again, slow-cooking it will ensure that all the spices have infused into the perfectly tender meat. 

Halwa poori and Channa

An essential part of Punjabi breakfast, the combination of a poori which is light and fluffy, is served with the rich tasting halwa and chickpea curry. 

Charga

For the lovers of chicken Chargha is a fantastic suggestion. This recipe combines chicken, spices, and yogurt to make a distinctive and delicate flavor.

Its name “Chargha” means chicken in Pushto, and it is an invention in Lahore city, Pakistan. You can choose from the Tandoori Chargha version with roasted chicken or the traditional deep-fried chicken version.

Khadda Kebab

It is traditional Balochi dish and my favorite, Pakistani’s eat likes their Emperors. The whole mutton is very slowly cooked into the mud furnace by first stuffing with carrots and raisin rice. The aroma and taste are worth of waiting.

Dumpukht

The mild and delicious recipe found its origins in the Royal Mughal Kitchens, lamb shanks steamed for about 6-7 hours in dough-sealed pot along seasonal vegetables and salt. After cooking Served mostly with white rice. You can have them easily in Peshawar or any Desi restaurant across Pakistan.

Kadhi Pakora

If you are vegetarian, Pakistani Cuisine offers a variety of delicious treats.Kadhi Pakora is one of the choices you should consider. This delicious yogurt curry is a combination of gram flour, fritters, and spices that will add flavor to this food.

Smooth and consistent texture will make your taste buds fall in love with this food. The recipe originates from Rajasthan and is popular in Pakistan and India. People often combine it with rice or roti for dinner.

Smoked Eggplant

Another vegan delight, so tasty, simple and quick to make. 

A masala base is created by frying onions, tomatoes, with spices, and mixing with roasted eggplant in the oven, that gives the dish a smoky flavor.

Daal Tarka

A quite simple dish of lentils served with cumin rice, mostly common in Punjab. When the lentils are thoroughly cooked, the tarka is applied; onions, cumin seeds and crushed garlic cloves are fried until brown in a separate pan and added to the lentils without stirring. It makes a sizzling sound as the tarka mixture hits the lentils.

Gajrela

Gajrela is made using a combination of grated carrots, nuts, milk, sugar, boiled eggs, khoya and clarified butter. 

This flavorful dessert often makes an appearance at weddings.

Matanjan

Dating back to Mughal India. This was a sweetheart of Emperors. An eye-catching multicolor dessert, made with sugar, milk, sweet meat, food coloring and flavored with cardamoms, raisins, pistachios and various dry-fruits.

Sheer Khurma

Another dessert eaten at weddings or on Eid al Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. 

Sweet and milky dish is slow-cooked using milk, vermicelli, sugar, infused with cardamom and topped with crushed pistachios.

I am sure you had found another reason to visit Pakistan. Have a nice Holiday.

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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.

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