Cuisine of Pakistan

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Pakistani cuisine is a distinct blend of foods from Afghanistan and Iran with strong culinary influences from the Middle East. It is the same as food eaten by the muslims of northern India with a strong Indian influence with a little variation and some Afghan and Persian influence. Meat (including Beef) plays a more dominant role in Pakistani food, compared to other South Asian cuisines. According to a 2003 report, an average Pakistani consumed three times more meat than an average Indian. [1] Central and West Asian cuisines were brought more than 500 hundred years ago, fused with the already indigenous South Asian cuisine found in the Indus Valley and the Punjab. The food can also varies greatly from region to region within Pakistan, reflecting the country's ethnic, cultural and culinary diversity. Food in the Punjab and Sindh is generally identical to foods consumed in northern India, whereas food in the North-West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and Northern Areas is more similar to dishes found in Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and the Middle East.

The cuisine in Sindh and the Punjab can be very hot and spicy. In the Northern Areas, Baluchistan and NWFP, mild aromatic spices are used. The main course is served with wheat bread (naan) or rice. Salad generally is taken with the main course rather than before. Assorted fresh fruit or desserts are consumed at the end.

International cuisine and fast foods are popular in cities. Blending local and foreign recipes (fusion food) is common in large urban centers. Furthermore, as a result of lifestyle changes, ready made masalas (mixed and ready to use spices) are becoming increasingly popular.

Contents

Curries, with or without meat, combined with vegetables such as bitter gourd, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, potatoes, rutabaga, saag and spinach are some of the most common and often cooked for everyday eating. Various kinds of pulses also make up an important part of the Pakistani dishes. Lentils, called dal, have nevertheless traditionally been considered as an inexpensive food source and hotel/restaurants may only offer a limited variety of these dishes. Lentil dishes are also typically not served when guests are invited at home or during special occasions. The one main exception is haleem which contains a variety of lentils along with meat. A batch of haleem will typically take over five hours to cook. This dish is known to have originated in Agra, where the Taj Mahal stands today.

A favourite Pakistani curry is karahi, either mutton or chicken cooked in a dry sauce. Lahori karahi incorporates garlic, onions, spices and vinegar. Peshawari karahi is a simple dish made with just meat, salt, tomatoes and coriander. Among well known dishes are chicken tikka, kofta, mutton korma, chicken korma, nihari, siri paya, shab degh and chakna. Dishes made with rice include pullao and biryani. Sajji is a Baluchi dish from Western Pakistan, made of lamb stuffed with rice, that has also become popular all over the country.

All of the main dishes (except those made with rice) are eaten alongside bread. To eat, a small fragment of bread is torn off with the right hand and used to scoop and hold small portions of the main dish. Pickles made out of mangoes, carrots, lemon etc. are also commonly used to further spice up the food.

The most common traditional dish of Chitral and the Northern Areas is a thick noodle soup known as kaali or dau-dau. It essentially the same dish as the Central Asian laghman. This dish is also prepared by families of Central Asian descent in other provinces.

Most Pakistanis eat flat round bread (roti) as a staple part of their daily diet. Basmati is the most popular type of rice consumed. Pakistan has a variety of breads, often prepared in a traditional clay oven called a tandoor.

  • Chapatis - Most common bread at home, made of whole wheat flour. They are thin and unleavened.
  • Naan - Unlike chapatis, naans are slightly thicker, typically leavened with yeast and mainly made with white flour. They may also be sprinkled with sesame seeds call Kulcha.mostly serve with Sri Paya and Nihari for breakfast.
  • Roghni naan - Naan sprinkled with sesame seeds and covered with a minute amount of oil.
  • Sheermal - Prepared with milk and butter, and is a vital part of food served in marriages, along with Taftan.
  • Taftan. This is a leavened flour bread with saffron and small cardamom powder baked in a clay oven.
  • Kandahari naan - Long naan originally from Western Pakistan.
  • Paratha - A chapati with added ghee (clarified butter), originating from Punjab. Parathas are commonly eaten for breakfast and can also be served with a variety of stuffings.
  • Puri - Is typically eaten with Halwa or Bhujia (made out of chickpeas and potatoes).

Halwa Purian or Bhujia with Puri (now called commonly as Poorian) has also become a typical breakfast in Pakistan. They are sold sometimes on make shift carts or otherwise in breakfast stores.

A Middle Eastern influence on Pakistani cuisine is the popularity of grilled meats such as kebabs or kebabs. Kababs from Balochistan and the NWFP tend to be identical to the Afghan style of barbecue, with salt and coriander being the only seasonings used. Lahore is famous for its kebabs and they are spicy and are often marinated in a mixture of spices, lemon juice and yoghurt.

Meat including beef, chicken, and lamb are prominent in Pakistani cuisine. Kababs made out of lamb and chicken such as Seekh kebab, Shami kebab and Chapli kebab (a speciality of Peshawar) are especially popular. Pork is virtually never eaten in Pakistan.

Types of kebabs (mainly made of Beef or Lamb) are:

  • Seekh Kebab (سيخ کباب)

A long skewer of Beef mixed with herbs and seasonings.

A Shami Kabab is a small patty of minced beef or chicken and ground chickpeas and spices.

  • Chapli Kabab (چپلي کباب)

A spicy round kabab made of ground beef and cooked in animal fat which is a speciality of the North West Frontier Province.

  • Chicken Kabab (مرغ کباب)

A popular kabab that is found both with bone and without. Not so common as the traditional Kebabs.

  • Lamb Kabab (کبابِ برہ گوشت)

The all lamb meat kabob is usually served as cubes.

  • Bihari Kabab (بﮩاری کباب)

Skewer of Beef mixed with herbs and seasonings. Although they may related to the area of Bihar, many Bihari people have also been surprised at the popularity of their normal cuisine.

  • Shishleek

grilled baby lamb chops (usually from the leg), typically marinated

A unique kabab sandwich.

Alhamra Restaurant and Bundukhan Kebab House are famous through Pakistan for their taste and variety of Kebabs. Kebab House is the most profitable food business in Pakistan.

Popular desserts include Sheer Khurma, Kulfi, Falooda, Kheer , Rasmalai, Zerdah, Firini, Gajer ka Halwah and Rubri. Pakistan has a long list of sweets. Some of the most popular are Gulab jamun, Barfi, Qalaqand and various kinds of Halvah like Multani Sohen Halvah and Hubshee Halwah. Pakistanis, just like their Indian neighbors, love to relish Paan after a hearty meal.

Pakistanis drink a great deal of tea (chai). Both black and green tea (sabz chai/ qehwa) are popular though qehwa is often served after every meal in the NWFP province. Kashmiri chai, a pink milky tea with pistachios and cardamom, is drunk primarily at weddings and during the winter when it is sold in many kiosks. In northern Pakistan (Chitral and the Northern Areas), salty buttered Tibetan style tea is consumed.

Besides tea, there are other drinks that may be included as part of the Pakistani cuisine. All of them are non-alcoholic as the consumption of alcohol is prohibited by Islam.

  • Lassi - Milk with yogurt, with an either sweet or salty taste
  • Rooh Afza - A traditional syrup mixed with water or milk, especially during Ramadhan
  • Gola Ganda - Different types of flavours over crushed ice
  • Sugarcane juice (Ganaay ka ras)
  • Lemonade
  • Sherbet

Murree Brewery make alcoholic beverages in Pakistan, though their products may not be available openly, except in clubs and select restaurants.

  1. ^ [http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/4048S Global Production and Consumption of Animal Source Foods, The American Society for Nutritional Sciences J. Nutr. 133:4048S-4053S, November 2003]. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.

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This article is part of the Cuisine series
Regional Cuisines Asia · Europe · Caribbean · South Asia · Latin America · Middle East · North America · Africa · Other cuisines...
Foods Bread · Pasta · Cheese · Rice · Sauces · Soups · Desserts · Herbs and spices - Other ingredients
Preparation techniques and cooking items Techniques · Utensils · Weights and measures
See also Kitchens · Meals · Wikibooks: Cookbook
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Pakistan"
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