From the tandoori murghi and haleem to dum biryani and bunda
pala, Pakistani cuisine is as diverse as the countries that have influenced it.
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Chappli Kebab |
Pakistani cuisine is
rich in tradition, full of marvellous and diverse dishes. It incorporates
elements from its neighbours - India, Afghanistan and Iran. The richness means
there are a whole range of different foods - from the fertile valleys and the
sea of Sindh province; to pastoral Baluchistan, from neighbouring Iran; to the
Punjab and the rough Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, home of the chappli kebab.
Food
from the eastern provinces of Punjab and Sindh are to some extent similar to
the cuisines of Northern India and can be highly seasoned and spicy, which is
characteristic of the flavours of the South Asian region. Food in other parts
of Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, involves the use of
mild aromatic spices and less oil, characterizing affinities to the cuisines of
neighbouring Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia.
Meat
is a major part of Pakistani diet; lamb, beef, chicken and seafood are the
basics. However, Pakistani cuisine also has plenty of delicious vegetarian
recipes because of the abundance of spices and herbs. Wheat is a staple and is
used to make bread (roti or chappati), which is an integral part of all meals.
Rice is also very popular.
Fried red pepper, cumin and mustard seeds, crushed garlic
gloves with freshly cut mint, onion and coriander leaves – these are the aromas
of most Pakistani kitchens.
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Pakistani
cuisine is based on curry or masala (hot and spicy) sauces accompanying
chicken, lamb, prawns and a wide choice of vegetables. The famous haleem, a mix of
pulses, lamb and spices is cooked for up to seven hours. It's a thick slightly
mucilaginous mix served with the fresh tastes of lemon, coriander and ginger. Sagi
and Nihari are also very popular. One of the most popular dishes of Punjab
(Lahore) is Tandoori
Murghi. It is a widely known survivor
of Mughal cookery. The dish takes its name from a special unglazed clay oven or
tandoor that is heated with charcoal. It is the aroma of the clay and charcoal
that make this chicken dish so unique and tasty. Lahori Chargha is also very
popular. Pakistanis are big meat eaters, etheir chicken, beef, lamb or fish. Barbeque
is a must part of very function and ceremony in the country. Spicy chicken and
beef Kababs, Tika boti, malai boti, stuffed chicken, steaks and chops are
enjoyed all over the country.
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Biryani is a Persian
dish. Biryani has now become a loosely held term of any rice dish across the
country. The speciality of biryani is that it is cooked by layering rice and
chicken. Biryani is one of the most eaten dish all over the country. Biryani has become the most popular dish in pakistan. There is a huge variety of biryani ranging from Sindhi Biryani, Bombay Biryani to Shahi Biryani.
Bunda pala (fish) is a well-known delicacy of Sindh where fish
is cleaned and stuffed with a paste of speices and herbs. It is then wrapped in
a cloth and buried three feet deep in hot sand under the sun where it bakes for
four to five hours.
Cooking
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is great deal plainer and involves heavy use of lamb as
the climate is extreme harsh in winters. The famous Chapli Kabab from this region
are spiced with anardana and roasted dhaniya. The menu in KPK features kebabs
from the Khyber Pass and other dishes that emphasise the essential technique of
karahai, more popularly known as ‘balti’
cooking.
Pakistan
is dry, hot and dusty - the perfect climate in which to enjoy a cool and
refreshing lassi yogurt drink. This popular drink can be sweet or savoury but
is most often fruit-flavoured. As well as a good antidote to the heat it is
also ideal for cooling the effects of chillies. Thandal
made from milk and paste of fresh almonds is a popular Sindhi drink.
There
are plenty of snacks to pick up on your travels throughout Pakistan, pakora,
deep fried balls of spices and vegetables are a good choice as are kachori
which are lentil-filled pastries. Roasted peanuts, available everywhere, are
also a good source of nutrients and fibre.
Pakistanis
have a sweet tooth. Jalebis, those crispy, orange swirls that are cooked on the
side of the street throughout the subcontinent, are ever present, as are all
kinds of variations on halwa. Sohan halwa is the speciality of Multan. There is
a variety of popular Pakistani traditional sweets without them a celebration is
just incomplete; gulab jaman, burfi, jalebi, laddu, balushahi and rasgullah are
some of the most eaten and special sweets. Kheer is also a speciality of
Pakistan. Sheer Khorma, Shahi tukray and Mehti sawaiyan are enjoyed in every
household on occasions like Eid and wedding ceremonies. Khulfi, rabari, and
faluda are the traditional sweets of Punjab. People not only from within the
country but from all over the world come to Lahore to enjoy these mouth-watering
sweets.
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There
is a variety of breakfast option in Pakistan ranging from a fried paratha
(unleavened bread) with egg, or for a more spicy breakfast option try a khagina
which is scrambled eggs with oil, onion, tomatoes, chillies and garlic – guaranteed
to wake anyone up, to the traditional dishes Halwa puri, Naan Cholay and Paay.
International
cuisine and fast food are popular in the cities. Blending local and foreign
recipes (fusion food) such as Pakistani Chinese cuisine is common in large
urban centres. Furthermore, as a result of lifestyle changes, ready-made masala
(mixed and ready to use spices) are becoming increasingly popular. However,
given the diversity of the people of Pakistan, cuisines generally differ from
home to home and may be totally different from the mainstream Pakistani
cuisine.
Pakistan is famous all
over the world for its rich flavours and spices. People from all over the world
come to Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Murree to enjoy the traditional food. It is
said that once a tourist taste the Pakistani dishes he falls in love with it.
Former ambassador of UK once said that two things that he misses most about
Pakistan is the “Spicy Biryani” and “Lahori Chargha”.