Pakistani Cuisine is, to some extent, identical to North Indian
cuisine, especially in the regions of Punjab and Sindhh. However,
due to its location in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent,
there is significant regional variation; for example, the western
portions of Pakistan have cuisine that is more similar with that of
Afghanistan and Iran. Much of the food is referred to as Mughlai
cuisine, especially in the east, and varies from its neighbors in
that it is spicier than the cuisine in other parts of the Middle
East and less spicy than that of India. One could term it a unique
blend of Indo-Iranian, but, more realistically, it is perhaps best
described as a nation with many different types of foods, the east
and, to some extent, the North West Frontier Province being almost
identical to North Indian (Punjabi) cuisine and the west being more
similar to the cuisine of Iran. Often, both interlap, especially in
Mughlai cuisine. The most prominent Pakistani cuisine, though, is
the Mughalai cuisine which is also prominent throughout northern
India.
Varieties of Bread
Most Pakistanis eat bread (roti) as a staple part of their daily
diet. Basmati rice is eaten on special occasion. Pakistan has a
variety of breads often prepared in a traditional clay oven called
tandoor.
Naan
Roghni naan - sprinkled with sesame seeds Sheermal - prepared
with milk and butter Taftan
Kandahari naan - long naan originally from Afghanistan now
popular in Pakistan as well Paratha- fried in oil originated from Punjab
Puri
Main dishes
Among the best known dishes are Biryani, Pullao and Nihari. Sajji is
a Baluchi dish made of lamb stuffed with rice that has become
popular all over the country. Vegetarian dishes are also common
although not as extensive as in Indian cuisine. Pakistanis eat
various kinds of lentils called Dal as part of their daily diet as
well as different kinds of Sabzi.
Kebabs
Meat including beef, chicken, and lamb are prominent in Pakistani
cuisine.kebabs made out of lamb and chicken such as Seekh kebab,
shami kebab and Chapli kebab (a speciality of Peshawar)are
especially popular.
Seekh Kebab
A long skewer of Beef mixed with herbs and seasonings.
Shami Kebab A short skewer of Beef, softer than seekh kabobs.
Chapli Kebab
A spicy round kebab which is a speciality of Peshawar.
Chicken Kebab
A popular kebab that is found both with bone and without.
Lamb Kebab
The all lamb meat kebab is usually served as cubes.
Shishleek grilled baby lamb chops (usually from the leg), typically
marinated
Desserts
Popular desserts include Kulfi, Faloodah, Kheer and Ras Malai.
Pakistan has a long list of sweets. Some of the most popular are
Gulab jamun, Barfi and various kinds of Halva.
Pakistanis drink a great deal of Tea (chai). Both black and green
tea (Sabz chai) are popular. Kashmiri chai a pink milky tea with
pistachios and cardamom is drunk primarily at weddings.
Food Street
Food Street in Gawalmandi, Lahore is a centre of traditional
Pakistani food. The site is surrounded by centuries old buildings
and places like Landa Bazaar, Mayo Hospital and Baansan-wala Bazaar.
The food street is open to traffic in the morning but as the sun
sets, the street is blocked off. Hungry visitors arrive and stay
till very late at night, enjoying some of the best local food
available in Lahore.
The traditional Kashmiri-Persian architecture can still be seen,
used extensively in buildings surrounding that place, as seen in the
pictures below. The pictures were taken without a flash, in order to
capture the ambiance of food street.
One simply cannot miss going here once in Lahore. It is the ultimate
place to check out if you want to know the true Lahori culture.
Apart from the food, it is the people, the shops, the live 'chefs',
the well-preserved almost historic buildings that are the real crowd
pullers!
