Learn About… PAKISTANI Food! :)
Tell us about the food from your culture/homeland/etc! Tell us about the ingredients, show us pictures, describe the taste and texture, tell us fond memories surrounding the food! Share anything about everything you want! <3
Even if you aren’t a part of this culture yourself, but you’ve tried dishes from there, please share with us! Help us learn about wonderful foods from another culture <3
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I’m adding a taglist to start, but this post is open to absolutely everyone! <3
@jesusredeemedme2425
Daal Chawal
It’s just lentils and rice, very simple food. Nothing fancy at all. But it’s so comforting and warm.
Pictures please <3
@jesusredeemedme2425
I've never tried any dishes from Pakistan , so I'm interested in seeing some 💚🥰
@Amanda84 did you hear about pink tea?
@SafeEmbrace
No?
What’s that? <3
@jesusredeemedme2425 Kashmiri chai (Pink Tea) is a traditional winter drink loved in Pakistan for its delicate pink color and comforting warmth.
Made from green tea leaves through a slow, aerated brewing process, it has a uniquely creamy, slightly savory, nutty taste, often finished with milk and garnished with almonds or pistachios.
It's pink but there are no strawberries or food coloring added in it to make it pink. Also, its taste is very different from casual tea (chai)
I'm not a tea lover but I love this one :)
This is how it looks like
@SafeEmbrace I miss Kashmiri Tea, either prepared at home or from Lakshmi Chowk.
For now, as I am in Riyadh, I can't find an authentic Pink/Kashmiri Tea. My only option is:
@LeoInPerpetuity I like chai tea but i have never seen or heard of pink chai tea. Very pretty 😄
If appropriately prepared with all the garnish, it is like heaven.
Oh heyy I'm in Riyadh too 😁
Aand I haven't really tried this instant option, sounds good tho..
But you can easily prepare it at home, with some green tea leaves, baking soda, some ice cubes, and some more ingredients but u can find them all at home..
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zhDBiJOqNNA&t=3s&pp=2AEDkAIB
That's a recipe I followed and it turned out great 🌸
@Fatimaishere, I am really pleased to know that you are in Riyadh. It is really a very lonely place despite having so many places to go.
It looks yummy. 😊
@SafeEmbrace
What makes it pink?
I think it's due to a chemical reaction between the chlorophyll of specific green tea leaves and baking soda. Which is then followed by aeration and addition of milk.
At first its color is burgundy but it changes into light milk soon after milk is added to it :)
How is Pakistani food different from Indian cuisine?
Different countries? Hehe
There are a lot of similarities. I really want to know the differences between different Middle Eastern cuisines. I think a lamb curry I had was specifically Pakistani? I had neighbors from Iran growing up, and the food they made was always so good. I was over at their house a lot, because their son was my age. It's just... The dad never let me try the food. Here's a conversation I had with him when I was maybe 6 years old, and I'm having to censor a word. 😂
Me: What is that?
Him: Dog ****
Me: No it's not, it smells good.
Him: I'm telling you, it's dog ****
Me: Can I try some?
Him: No, you wouldn't like it, it's dog ****.
The food always smelled so good*
@Torean
Whattttt???? dogg???😵
Even tho u asked, can i try some???🤧
@Ailuraphilelove8tear9
lol I don't think Iranian people eat that; it isn't halal 😂
@SafeEmbrace Iran is a Muslim country, and according to Islamic dietary laws, we are not allowed to eat animals like dogs or pork — these are considered haram (forbidden). Most people in Iran eat meats that are halal, such as beef, lamb, goat, and camel, which are allowed and common in our cuisine.
@patientPineapple3075
Oh yeah, that's why I was shocked when somebody mentioned dogs here
@SafeEmbrace
Dogs was just a tongue in cheek joke 🤗💚
@Amanda84 ohh I see :)
@SafeEmbrace
Sometimes when people outside of your country go travelling, it's just a well known joke, our food is not as varied and colourful and you don't know what's in it 🤗
Just so everyone knows, he wasn't saying that it was dog, the **** was a bleeped out word. So, it was another way of saying dog feces. 😅 He just didn't want to share.
@reservedOwl321
Pakistani cuisine is heavily meat-centric, featuring beef, lamb, and goat as centerpieces of most meals, while Indian cuisine is world-renowned for its vast and sophisticated vegetarian repertoire, influenced by Hindu dietary traditions where beef is generally prohibited.
Also, South Indian culinary tradition (featuring dosas, idlis, and coconut-based seafood) is not a part of Pakistani cuisine :)
@SafeEmbrace
Actually it's a huge variety depending on the areas, there are many places like Bengal, South India, North East, where you can easily find and buy beef openly, it's more geographically aligned(and little bit religious influenced, but still a large portion eats beef), like in plains where vegetation is easy to grow, you will find more vegetarians, near sea, you will find more seafoods and fishes.. and at other places, meat heavy foods.
@EkMukhtsarMulaqat
I wasn’t denying regional diversity in India.
I was just explaining the commonly recognized differences between Pakistani and Indian cuisines at a broader cultural level, which is what the question asked.
@SafeEmbrace Thanks. I enjoy learning about similarities and differences in this region. It sounds like there is a great deal of variety.
@CompassionBridge @KindleMissie @LeoInPerpetuity @AlwaysHere010
@SweetSoul771 Thanks so much for tagging me! I'm really excited to share my culinary adventures with you. I'll be back soon with a wonderful collection of foods from Pakistan, Punjab, and Lahore. Stay tuned, and I can't wait to share more!
@LeoInPerpetuity yayy :D
I had paya soup several times. Not sure if it’s originally from Pakistan or not. It’s very delicious and healthy
@plushPalm56
Google says-
Paya soup, meaning originated from the fusion of Central Asian and South Asian cuisines, popularized in the Mughal kitchens and adapted by Muslim cooks in cities like Hyderabad (India), Lucknow (India) and Lahore ( current Pakistan, Lahore was a part of British India before the 1947 partition).
@trueconfidant123 Yes, paya has shared roots across the subcontinent due to Mughal influence, which is completely normal for the region. Today, however, paya is a staple of Pakistani cuisine, especially in Punjab and Karachi, where it’s deeply embedded in local food culture and commonly eaten for breakfast.
Many traditional dishes existed before 1947 and later became part of the cuisines of different countries—this doesn’t erase how strongly they’re associated with Pakistan today.
@jesusredeemedme2425 Hi
@jesusredeemedme2425 Hey there! This is Noor ul Hassnain from Punjab. I’d love to share and talk about Pakistani cuisine and culture. One of the most popular dishes in Pakistan is Nehari. It can be made with various types of meat, but the authentic Nehari is traditionally made with beef. You won’t find this authentic beef version in India, as beef isn’t commonly consumed there.
I loveeeee nehari. It’s sooooo gooood. Yummmm
@patientPineapple3075 Nihari sounds very popular. May I ask is it served alone, or with bread or rice?
@reservedOwl321 it's served with warm flatbreads like naan or roti :)
@SafeEmbrace I love the breads like Naan. What is the difference between Naan and Roti?
@reservedOwl321 Roti and naan are very different form of breads. One is lighter and simpler; other is richer and heavier.
Like roti, is made from whole wheat flour, and it's cooked on a flat pan; no yeast or milk is used to make it. It's thin, soft and slightly chewy while naan is made from refined flour, often uses yeast, and is cooked in a clay oven.
@SafeEmbrace Thank you for explaining that. It sounds like roti might also be healthier than naan do you think? I have heard you need a special oven to cook naan in a traditional way. Is roti easier to prepare?
@reservedOwl321 Yes, roti can be easily made at home (just knead the dough and make one) and it's healthy but naan isn't something categorized as healthy. Also, you're right; it needs a specific oven to make one. But naan is considered celebratory, while roti is a common bread
That's really interesting. I might try to make that. I believe I have tried it at a local restaurant wants . One time a neighbor gave me challa (pronounced hallal) bread. It was so beautiful. It was braided and soft and warm. I have tried to make it, but I couldn't figure out how to braid bread. Is that another bread that is common in your area?
@reservedOwl321
That sounds like challah, which is actually a traditional Jewish bread, not Pakistani. We don't usually have braided breads like that in our cuisine. Pakistani breads are usually flatbreads like roti, naan, paratha and kulcha cooked on a pan or in a specific type of oven. But challah is beautiful and very soft... I can see why it left an impression :)
Yes, it was a first! Are the flatbreads usually any particular shape? Are they similar to tortillas in Spanish/Latin /Mexican foods I wonder. I have tried making tortillas as well, but they tend to fall apart on me. And getting them to be a pretty shape is difficult, but they tasted good!
Challah is AMAZING… Light and buttery and flavorful <3
@reservedOwl321 tortilla, naan and roti are all flat breads but they differ significantly in ingredients and leavening
This is naan
And this is roti
You can see the difference now
@SafeEmbrace Thanks for showing the nice photos. Looks so good!
Wooww
Nihari is a slow-cooked stew traditionally eaten in the morning, rich with marrow and spices. It’s deep, warming, and meant to be eaten with fresh naan. This isn’t fast food; it’s comfort that takes hours.
Paya is made from trotters cooked slowly until the broth turns silky and full-bodied. It's often eaten on winter mornings and believed to restore energy and strength. The flavor is intense but comforting, especially with ginger, lemon and naan.
Chicken Karahi is cooked quickly using tomatoes, green chilies, ginger and garlic. It's spicy, tangy and served hot.
Beef Karahi is heavier, deeper and richer than chicken karahi. Also, it takes longer to cook
Chapli Kabab are flat, spicy and juicy; made with mined beaf and whole spices. They're crispy on the outside but tender inside, often eaten with naan and chutney (sauce)
Seekh Kabab is made from seasoned minced meat shaped around skewers and grilled over open heat. It's smoky, juicy and packed with spices
Haleem is a slow cooked dish, basically it takes hours until grains and meat melt together. It's savory, thick and deeply filling.
Biryani is bold, aromatic and very spicy. Each region makes it different but it's a celebratory food. No event is complete without it.
This is nihari
Paya 
Chicken karahi 
Beef karahi 
You are very cruel to share such pictures. 😢
@LeoInPerpetuity oops, sorry, not sorry 😛
@jesusredeemedme2425
Hello everyone, let me share the culinary adventures of my present and past lives.
Last night, I had Chapli kabab (Peshawari Kebab):
A specialty of Pashtun cuisine, this spicy meat patty is prepared with a combination of minced beef or mutton. The unique taste of chapli kabab comes from spices such as dried coriander and pomegranate seeds, green chillis, and mint. Its name derives from the Pashto word chaprikh, meaning flat, and although chapli kabab is often said to have originated in Peshawar, it is now a favorite throughout Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.
Chapli kababs are traditionally served with yogurt sauce, salads, and naan bread.