Azaadi Mubarak!
We’re going to divert from our usual content line today to bring an interesting piece for your read. Not only did we enjoy writing this down but also added a number of fancy foodie words to our vocab!
Now if you must, sit back and relax and enjoy this holiday with family and friends. Read along this piece which we’ve dedicated to Pakistani foods from four provinces, that aren’t common yet very popular in their respective localities.
We are going to start from Sindh and take you through Punjab, Baluchistan and finally Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Some of the mentioned dishes aren’t easily available on restaurants but we hope in near future they become available to order online through foodpanda!
SINDH
Sai Bhaaji
A very creative name to a creative dish of lentils, spinach, aubergine and various other vegetables Sai Bhaaji is simply translated as Sai meaning Green and Bhaaji meaning Vegetable. It is popularly eaten with Chawaraan meaning rice.
Mitho Lolo
Mitho Lolo is simply a flatbread that is sweet however it is nothing like the usual flatbread we eat. It is thick and glossy and seems to have been kneaded with lots of grease which seeps inside. Nonetheless, delicious.
Kheer Kharkun
You guessed it right, it’s a Kheer but with a little twist in it. It is not prepared with rice but rather dates and milk.
Thadal
A beverage prepared with almonds and poppy seeds as star ingredients but with a mix of other seeds and spices to make it a complete cooling drink. It is consumed in large quantities during summer season.
PUNJAB
Panjiri
This is a traditional Punjabi sweet and has a very unusual finished form. Prepared with wheat flour, this sweet isn’t solid. It is a brittle powder with large granules and lots of dry fruits such as pistachio, almonds, and coconuts etc.
Punj Ratani Daal
Imagine all your favorite Daal combined and cooked together. That’s what a Punj Ratani Daal is. Often eaten with plain white rice or Roti.
Punjabi Karhi
Not like the usual Karhi you’ve been eating since childhood, this one has chicken/beef in it along with Pakoras. Again, it is eaten with plain white rice.
Sattu
Some of you may have had a chance to drink this cold beverage in their childhood. Because it is known to bring cool and calmness to the body during summers. It is prepared with powdered gram flour and a mix of special spices. It tastes sweet, spicy and sour at the same time.
Balochistan
Ka’ak
Quite similar to looking like donuts, Kaak is a ring of bread that is encrusted with sesame seeds. Sometimes it may or may not look like a ring but a fist-sized lump that goes well with your cup of tea.
Gwadari Halwa
A very famous sweet dish of Balochistan. We are not sure how it is made but the look of it is definitely appetizing.
Porata
Nothing fancy about this one because it is simply a Paratha. A little thinner though and fried in Ghee to make it crispy.
Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa
Kabuli Pulao
An exquisite dish of rice cooked in a special stock sauce and roasted meat which is mostly lamb. Sometimes carries dry fruits and fried vegetables too.
Chopan Kabab
Chopan kababs are literally lamb kebabs. Lamb is very popular in Pashtun cuisine hence it is no surprise. The recipe though is slightly different from the usual kebab on skewers recipe.
Shinwari Tikka
We’re quite not sure ourselves why it is called Shinwari tikka but the BBQ flavors are completely different from what we’re accustomed too and that’s what makes it special. Again, lamb is used as the star ingredient of this meat on skewers dish, cooked on charcoal.
We are bringing something from Lahore in our next piece. Stay tuned!
*Featured image by thepositive
Sara is a part of Marketing team at foodpanda in Pakistan. She possesses a knack for writing and incessant love for Arsenal Football Club.
