Pakistani cuisine is not the most popular in Asia. It’s highly overlooked and underrated for many reasons. The food in Pakistan is rich in spices and known for having diverse flavours because of its versatile geography and influences from various countries. If you have yet to taste their food, here are some Pakistani dishes that you shouldn’t miss out on.
Biryani
Biryani is a savoury rice dish made with Basmati rice seasoned with different herbs and spices and topped with a protein like marinated chicken or beef. However, the highlight in Biryani is really in the aromatics. Its rich and complex flavour comes from turmeric, nutmeg, cumin, poppy seeds, and garam masala.
Halwa Puri
Halwa Puri is one of the most popular comfort foods in Pakistan. It’s made with a sweet semolina pudding called Halwa and a fried dough called Puri and is often eaten as a breakfast dish. However, you’ll also see it served during occasions like weddings and religious festivities.
Most of the time, it’s also paired with other dishes like chickpea and potato curry or even some chilled yoghurt on the side. The combination of sweet and almost spicy flavours, along with the varying textures, ultimately make for an enjoyable experience.
Paratha
Where Halwa Puri is a common breakfast in Pakistan, paratha is the breakfast you’ll find on people’s tables every day. It’s essentially a cooked dough or flaky layered flatbread that you can pair with many different sides or drinks. Some common complementary additions to paratha would be a cup of chai, lassi (a yoghurt drink), or dud path (milk tea).
Sajji
In the mood for something more savoury? Try sajji for your next meal. It’s made with meat, usually, a whole chicken or lamb that’s marinated with simple spices then skewered and roasted over an open fire to get that smoky taste.
Compared to other Pakistani dishes, sajji uses little seasoning and spice. Most of the time, it’s only marinated with salt since most of the flavour comes from the quality of the meat and the charcoal heat. The resulting dish leaves you with meat that’s crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside.
Nihari
If you’re out looking for Pakistani dishes, you can’t skip out on Nihari, which contains slow-cooked meat like beef shank, chicken, and mutton. These are all cooked into a stock seasoned with many spices like cloves, cardamom, and cumin and mixed with a bit of desi ghee, a type of local butter.
It can take about six to eight hours to cook Nihari, but the time is surely worth it. In the end, you get a rich and thick stew filled with tender meat. You can easily eat it for any meal, but many people enjoy it for their breakfast. No doubt, it’ll be one of the best breakfasts you’ve had.
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