Cookbook:Cuisine of Pakistan

Cookbook | Ingredients | Cuisines | South Asian cuisines

Pakistani cuisine is broadly very similar to the cuisine of North India as during Independence in 1947, there was an influx of Indian Muslims who bought many traditional Indian dishes with them, which were adopted by the locals to become national staples too. There are also strong influences from Persia, Afghanistan, the south-west coast of the Indian sub-continent, and, in more recent times, the Middle East, thanks to increasing numbers of Pakistanis travelling to the UAE in particular.

Pakistani Muslims revere meat dishes and don't avoid beef whereas members of the Pakistani Hindu and Sikh communities avoid beef and are mostly strict vegetarians. The geographical and ethnic diversity of Pakistan has resulted in numerous regional specialities emerging, often with people competitively claiming particular dishes were born in their region, as can often be seen between Karachi- ites and Lahoris, such is their passion for food.

Main Dishes

• Sarsoon ka saag
• Aloo ki bhujiya
• Sabzi
• Bhindiyaan
• Daal Chawal
• Aloo gobi
• Alu masala (Potato filling for dosa)
• Dal (Lentils)
• Keralan Vegetable Stew
• Matar Paneer
• Saffron Rice
• Keema Matar Pulao (Pilau rice with mince and peas)
• Tadka Dal (Lentil stew)

Non-Vegetarian Dishes

• Biryani (Rice-based dish with mutton/lamb or beef or chicken or fish)
• Karahi Gosht (Made with mutton/lamb or beef)
• Karahi Chicken (Spicy fried chicken with thick gravy)
• Nihari (Mutton or beef stew cooked overnight)
• Rice Cooker Pulao (Rice-based dish made with chicken or mutton/lamb or beef stock)
• Hyderabadi Haleem (Very famous beef dish cooked overnight)
• Shami Kabab (Minced beef burger)
• Peshawari Kabab (Grilled minced beef burger with spices )
• Payay (Beef or mutton/lamb trotters with tasty soup cooked overnight)
• Barbequed Chicken leg or breast marinated with spices/ Tikka Masala
• Egg Rice (An accompaniment that can also be eaten by itself)
• Butter Chicken
• Chicken Curry
• Chicken Tikka

Accompaniments

• Raita
• Pan masala
• Iml ki chutney
• Mint and coriander chutney

Breads

• Baati
• Chapati or Roti (Thin flat bread)
• Naan (Flat wheat bread)
• Puri or loochi
• Shirmal
• Taftan
• Paratha

Snacks

• Samosa (fried appetizer similar to dumplings, Empanada)

Sweets

• Rosogolla (Steamed cheese based sweet)
• Gulab jamun (Deep-fried milk based sweet)
• Kheer (Rice pudding)
• Sheer Khurma (Sweet noodle soup)
• Jalebi (Syrupy sweets shaped like pretzels)
• Barfi (Condensed milk sweet)
• Falooda
• Kulfi

Beverages

• Lassi (yoghurt based shakes in either sweet or salted flavors, most common flavors include mango, rosewater and plain sugar sweetened lassi.)
• Doodh-Patti (A variant of tea, in which little or no water is used, made with milk)
• Chai Tea
• Khewa
• Shikanjvi