Pakistan is called “The land of villages”. So, most of the Pakistani foods are Desi. Pakistani foods are rich with spices, generous with flavors and ghee and are unbelievably tasty and also healthy.
As a Pakistani, I am going to share with you the most popular and tasty dishes based on my experience. I have a list of the Top 10 Pakistani dishes. So, let’s get to the dishes.
(Prices are set for about 1-2 persons).
1- Biryani
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| Biryani |
I think that biryani is the most popular dish in Pakistan. You can find biryani in almost all the provinces and cities of Pakistan. It often looks like Pulao. Actually, Biryani and Pulao are two different dishes. In biryani, meat and rice are cooked separately with a unique taste while Pulao is cooked with all its ingredients, and they are fried together.
Biryani is a dish which usually contain layers of boiled rice and the meat spiced with combinations of cumin, Turmeric, Tomatoes, nutmeg and cardamom. It is then topped with vegetables like carrots and with dry fruits like peanuts.
Before serving the plate, the layers of biryani are mixed by a spoon, but you can enjoy the flavor of every section of the dish.
People of Pakistan usually use light yogurt(Raita) with biryani. Raita less the spicy taste of biryani. People usually take it in Lunch and Dinner.
There are many types of biryani. Mumbai biryani, Afhan biryani, Bone-marrow biryani and Sindhi biryani are few popular types.
Price: $1-3
2- Karahi
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| Karahi |
Karahi is another spicy dish. It is called karahi because it is cooked in a pot called karahi. You can find karahi in almost all the restaurants of Pakistan. People cook it also in their kitchens themselves. Karahi can be made by several types of meat including Chicken, lamb and beef.
People serve itin the same metal dish “karahi” or in a separate bowl. The ingredients of karahi include Tomatoes, Onions, chilies, turmeric, Ginger and many other spices.
For cooking, people use pliers to grip the pan and a metal spatula to move the meat around in the pan. Oil is used in a little large quantity in this dish.
Karahi is an iconic and can be found all across the country. People of Pakistan love it.
Butt karahi in Lahore is the most famous karahi of Pakistan.
Price: $3-6
3- Korma
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| Korma |
Korma which is a dish of Punjab is also famous throughout the country. Korma curry which is available in mutton, chicken and beef a tasty dish.
Korma is rich with a dark-red blend of spices and masalas. There are many mutton curries being cooked in Pakistani restaurants. People take korma with Roti(bread) and Raita(lighter yogurt).
Price: $3-6
4- Nihari
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| Nihari |
It is a special dish in Pakistani cuisine. I will say this is the best thing you would have in breakfast in Pakistan. Nihari is most-commonly made with beef. The meat portion and a healthy Desi ghee give it a wonderful and healthy touch. It is cooked slowly.
After the slow-cooking, the ultra-tender meat literally seems like floating in the flood of ghee. Nihari has a deep red color. It is little thick because of use of little flour in it. It is usually garnished with sliced ginger. I would not say that this is available in all the restaurants but in big restaurants, it is easily available.
Price: $3-5.
5- Tikka kebab
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| Tikka Kebab |
Pakistani tikkas are so famous in South Asia. Tikka is in fact pieces of marinated meat. Meat foods are loved by many people and Pakistan is ranked well in the list of such countries which have varieties of meat dishes.
Pakistani people first marinate the meat chunks with spices and then roast the meat on high flame to give it a smoky touch.
These kebabs are placed on a bar and often called BarBQ.
Price:$1-2.
Must read: Top 10 best Turkish foods
6- Haleem
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| Haleem |
After 5 consecutive meat dishes, we finally have a dish which is made up of beans. Haleem. Haleem is a combination of barley, chickpeas and local wheat varieties. Haleem originated from the Middle East and has a strong impact on Pakistani people, people have been enjoying this for centuries.
Haleem is cooked technically on a low flame for 5-6 hours to give it a thick and warm flavor. Onions, ginger, some spicy masalas, red and green chilies are the common ingredients of Haleem.
You can eat haleem in the morning or at lunch with bread.
Price:$1-2
7- Halwa puri:
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| Halwa Puri |
Halwa puri would be one of the best breakfast you could have in Pakistan. Halwa puri is one of the most common breakfast foods in Pakistan.
There is a thin dough of puris, forming some crispy layers. When the dough is poured in a pan of hot oil, the layers of the dough causes puffing up.
Halwa is a pudding-like dish which is made up of semolina. Both Puris and halwa are served together.
Grab a crunchy hot puri and add a little halwa in it. It would be very delicious to taste. Tea is preferred after this perfect breakfast.
Price: $1-2.
8- Lassi:
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| Lassi |
Lassi is a drink which can be taken at any time of the day but most commonly, it is taken at breakfast. Lassi is a rich and creamy drink made from milk and its derivatives. It is very common in village areas. People add the ingredients in a jug and then mix them with hands or a blender.
Lassi would be the best Pakistani drink. The thick and cream taste of this beverage can be so satisfying for you. There is “salty lassi” and “sweet lassi”.
Price: $0.5-1
9- Paya
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| Paaya |
Paya or Paaya means “legs” in Urdu language, which is the heaviest dish of them all. The recipe is simple but a little complex. The softness of the meat and the incredible taste and texture is the result of slow cooking for hours. Some people add the ingredients and leave it on flame for the whole night.
Long cooking causes the cartilage around the tendons to become soft. The ingredients include onions, red oil with curry spices and a big bowl which is filled with goat or cow’s legs and feet.
This meal is often eaten with roti(bread). It is an oily, meaty and a thick dish. This is something you should not miss while in Pakistan.
Price: $1-3.
10- Sajji
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| Sajji |
Sajji is a dish of Balochistan-a province of Pakistan, which is mostly made of chicken. It is presented on some long pipes or can be served on a plate. In sajji, the whole mass of chicken is cooked and roasted on heat and makes the meat soft.
Sajji can be found throughout the big restaurants of Pakistan. It is so delicious and highly recommended. You can eat i t with bread or without anything.
Price: $4-6.
11- Saag
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| Saag |
Saag is a dish of the province of Punjab and mostly available in villages of Punjab. “Saag” means “Mustard greens”. It mainly contains mustard greens, but there can be many other ingredients. Like many other Pakistani foods, it’s also cooked on a low-flame for a long time.
The slow-cooking makes it soft, and the leaves break apart, and then it’s like a green mixture of spices and leaves. The seasoning is carried out with mint, coriander and chili flakes and sometimes butter and an amount of Desi ghee.
People love to eat it with cornbread.
Price:$0.5-1.
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