Popular Cuisines in Pakistan

Pakistan is unarguably the best place to enjoy rich cuisines. No meal is complete without desserts. Desserts are unrivalled in Pakistan. It is hard to choose and enjoy the vast variety of sweet dishes. After having too much spicy food, desserts have a soothing impact on the stomach. To appeal to a wide range of tastes and textures, the most popular cuisine incorporates a variety of flavours which tantalise the taste buds

In this article, I’m going to write about popular dishes in Pakistan.

Halwa

In Pakistan, halwa is a popular dessert. It is quite easy to make at home, all you need is semolina, sugar, oil and dry fruit.
Suji ka Halwa is commonly served for breakfast with puri and naan in Pakistan, particularly in Lahore.
Gajjar (carrot) ka halwa is made with carrots, milk, sugar and Khoya. Dr fruit is used for garnish. In the winter, this specialty is to serve guests.
No other halwa compares to Multani Sohan halwa. It is available throughout Pakistan. With the addition of almonds, pistachios and cashews, it’s a matchless.

Haleem

Haleem is a delicious Pakistani street food. Haleem (or daleem) is made up of grains, legumes, meat, and spices. For several hours, the dish is slowly cooked until a smooth gravy forms. This is a festive dish for special occasions such as Muharram and Eid. This is typically served with Naan.

Barfi

The moments of joy and happiness are complete when the mouth is sweetened with barfi. There is a wide range of recipes, but one of the most readily available barfi is made from milk powder, almonds and pistachios. Nowadays chocolate, coconut and semolina barfis are getting popular in the market. You can take Barfi from any bakery in Pakistan.

Nihari

Nihari is a tender beef stew. This Pakistani stew is delicious in any form, but with the buttery bone marrow, it becomes even more enticing.
Nihari tastes best with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with ginger and serve with Naan or Kulcha.

Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun is the most popular dessert, typically made from Khoya. Fry gulab jamun balls for a specific time to avoid becoming too hard or soft. Then dip in sugar syrup for a short while. This dessert is totally irresistible when it melts in the mouth with rich sweetness. Sometimes people prefer to eat it hot, however the taste remains the same in either case.

Sajji

There’s no comparison with the most famous Balochi Sajji. Sajji, also known as Balochi Sajji, is cooked over an open fire. It’s traditionally made with goat or lamb, but chicken has gained popularity as well. The meat is uniquely spiced with chaat and garam masala, then cooked over an open fire. It is extra juicy and soft.
Chicken sajji, with its crispy skin and smoky flavour, is a delectable addition to Pakistan’s cuisine.

Ras Malai

Ras Malai is my all time favourite. This dessert can be enjoyed all year. Although the ingredients are simple, the cooking technique is difficult by making cheese balls, then dipping them in milk and sugar mixture. This is a sensitive and delicate dish. The cooking process requires full attention. When prepared, garnish it with pistachios and almonds.

Chicken Karahi

Karahi is a wok, cast-iron pan used to cook chicken. It is one of the most popular foods in Pakistan, having originated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Karahi fragrant gravy is made with fresh ginger, tomatoes and garlic. The traditional chicken karahi recipe does not include onion.
Karahi can also be made with other meats such as lamb, beef or fish. It’s frequently topped with green chilies and coriander to amplify the naturally pungent flavours. It comes with rice or naan.

Falooda

Falooda is the most popular dessert in Pakistan. The recipes vary, but milk, vermicelli, ice cream and chia seeds are the same ingredients.
Boil milk, then chill it. Soak Chia seeds in water to soften. Boil the vermicelli as well. Now put all these ingredients in a glass. Garnish this with nuts, ice cream and jelly.

Seekh Kebab

Seekh kebab always exceeds your expectations. After all, it’s difficult to be dissatisfied with a grilled meat dish with fatty juiciness, a dash of heat and a distinct smoky flavour.
Seekh kebabs are usually made with ground lamb, chicken or beef. The minced meat is seasoned with garlic, onions, ginger, green chilli peppers, spices, and herbs. Then skewered and grilled.
Seekh kebabs can be baked or pan-fried, but they are best grilled or cooked over an open fire.

Cake Rusk

Cake rusk pairs well with tea in Pakistan. It is like a big biscuit or cookie. The batter is a bit different with extra sugar for added sweetness which is baked twice..
In Pakistan, tea is not complete without any snack but nothing beats cake rusk. It gets soft quickly in tea and tastes good.

Chapli Kebab

Chapli kebab is a signature Pashtun cuisine and a popular street food in Pakistan. It originated from Peshawar. Hence the other name is Peshawari Kebab.
Chapli kebabs are made from minced meat (usually beef, mutton or chicken) and seasoned with anardana (dried pomegranate seeds), coriander leaves, chilli powder and cumin. They’re formed into patties before being fried in ghee (clarified butter) or tallow (animal fat).
This Pashtun specialty is served with a variety of chutneys and yoghurt, enjoyed with rice or naan, or eaten on its own.

Vermicelli

Vermicelli or seviyan is simple to make at home. Cook vermicelli in milk with sugar. When it gets a creamy texture, it is ready. Garnish the dessert with chopped almonds and any dry fruit of your choice. Vermicelli is one of the most popular sweet dishes in Pakistan which is usually served on special occasions. Coloured vermicelli is a delightful and unique addition.

Biryani

Biryani is a staple of Pakistani cuisine. It is of various types. It is typically served with kebabs, raita and salad.
Biryani is made up of basmati rice. It should be fluffy and the grains should not clump together.
There are many different types of biryani throughout Pakistan. It is prepared for special occasions and served hot.

Kheer

Kheer is easily available. It’s made from milk, rice and sugar. Boil rice until soft. Simmer milk with cardamom seeds. Mix rice and sugar in it. Keep the flame as low as possible, otherwise, the mixture will begin to stick to the pot. Garnish with pistachios and almonds. It is served in either way, warm or chilled.

Paratha

Paratha is a flatbread that can be eaten for breakfast or with curries and stews for lunch.
It is popular in Pakistan. This tasty Pakistani flatbread is made with finely ground whole wheat flour. It has a crispy and flaky texture when done correctly and fried until toasty. It’s a simple dish that every visitor to Pakistan will enjoy.

Zarda

Zarda is simple to make. The main ingredients are rice, sugar, cardamom and food colours.
Garnished it with slices of coconut, cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins. Different colours and contrasts make it a popular choice for weddings.

Chicken Tikka

This popular Pakistani dish is full of flavours. Traditionally it is cooked over coals or in a tandoor oven, but now it’s cooked on a stove or baked in an oven.
Chicken tikka has a robust piquant flavour because of spices marinated like garam masala, cumin, and turmeric. It’s served with a spritz of lemon juice, mint or tamarind chutney.

Jalebi

Jalebi is of ancient Persian origin and is quite popular in Pakistan. Its main ingredients are white flour, cornflour, baking soda and ghee. The batter is prepared several hours before frying, then heat the oil and squeeze the batter in spirals. The crunch and sweetness of Jalebi makes a wonderful treat.