Have you ever eaten any Pakistani foods?
Personally, I was sold on this regional cuisine while sampling some truly tasty foods at an Indian-Pakistani-Nepali restaurant while on a Twin Cities food tour in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Do you love Indian and Pakistani food? Well, if you enjoy the flavors of Indian cuisine, I’m sure you will likely notice similarities between the two South Asian countries’ most well-known dishes.
And, if you have never tasted Pakistani food or a similar cuisine from Southern Asia, you’re about to get a crash course in what to expect!
Guest blogger Noor Najam, a Pakistani university student who loves to explore different flavors and cuisines, shares four Pakistani dishes you absolutely have to try. So, let’s dive right in (and try not to drool on our keyboards) with …
Four Pakistani Foods You Must Taste
The culture of Pakistan is a blend of many cultures, and so is its food. Pakistani food has its own distinct taste and unique recipes. The dishes are rich in spices and herbs, and a bite of them can cause fireworks in your mouth.
If you are dining at a Pakistani restaurant or visiting Pakistan, you must keep this list of must-have Pakistani dishes with you and try them out.
1. Super Spicy Biryani
Photo Credit: Flickr user Shehal Joseph | License
Whether you are a rice lover or not, I can guarantee that you can get addicted to the taste of Biryani. It is a famous dish in South Asia — and a permanent part of Pakistani culture. A Pakistani wedding feast with Biryani is inevitable. Consisting of spicy rice with meat and slices of potatoes, Biryani is usually served with flavored yogurt and salad.
2. Falooda: The Wholesome Dessert
Now, this one is a sweet dish and a very wholesome dessert. It has all the yummiest ingredients layered in one glass. The bottom of the glass contains boiled spaghetti. A scoop of ice cream is placed on top of it. Then, a layer of fruit and nuts is added with some jelly. The dessert is no less than a complete meal, and it is eaten as a snack rather than an after-meal dessert. It is heavenly, delicious, and a must-try for all those with a sweet tooth out there!
3. Healthy Haleem
Photo Credit: Flickr user Krista | License
Haleem is a healthy dish with shredded chicken and herbs. It is full of protein. The consistency is similar to that of porridge and can be eaten with a spoon. Yet the taste is so savory and addictive that you cannot say “no” to it. However, it is only cooked for special events as it requires a lengthy process. The dish is served with fried onions, sliced lemon, ginger, and coriander leaves.
Hot Bowl of Nihari
Nihari is another traditional dish of Pakistan that is extremely satiating and leaves you full for hours. People in Pakistan prefer eating this dish for breakfast so that they stay up and running all day. The dish has a thick gravy with pieces of meat in it. The gravy is made of flour, milk, and different herbs and spices, which make it very filling and savory. The dish is served with sliced ginger and lemon and coriander leaves. It is eaten with hot naan and served when it is sizzling hot.
ABOUT THE GUEST BLOGGER
Noor Najam is a 22-year-old student who loves to explore culinary delights and tastes of different regions. She likes to stay fit and make healthy food choices. Noor thinks she should have studied for a culinary-related bachelor’s degree instead of her current bachelor’s in social sciences. She regularly posts on https://pateeri.com/.
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Conclusion
Whether or not you’ve eaten South Asian cuisine, guest blogger Noor Najam has you covered! She recommended four flavorful and authentic Pakistani dishes. I’d love to try falooda for dessert! How about you?
While you could travel to Pakistan to eat spicy Biryani, you may even find it closer to home. I’ve certainly seen the dish listed on the menu of Indian restaurants in the US. If you like to cook, you could even try making Pakistani food at home using one of the cookbooks I’ve linked below.
If you liked this post about Pakistani cuisine, you might also like:
- Five foods you must eat in Japan
- Five foods you need to taste while traveling in China
- Seven traditional Irish foods to taste in Ireland
Which Pakistani food would you like to try?
Disclosure:Â The lead photo (license) is by Flickr user Wasif Malik. This post also contains some affiliate links. When you click on one of these links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this blog.Â
As a semi-vegetarian I’m not as keen on Pakistani foods as I am Indian, because India undoubtedly has the best vegetarian food in the world, but there is one dish in Pakistan that I love – and that’s masala vangi. .It’s made of eggplant and cooked in a very spicy ginger and tamarind sauce. I also enjoy trying the different regional daal dishes as I travel around Pakistan – they can be very different to those in India.
Hi Erin,
Thank you so much for visiting my country. I wish I could meet you.
I became addicted to Biryani in Thailand Erin! Loving this post buddy 🙂
We stayed in Chiang Mai – among other spots – which has a small but growing Muslim population. Little food stall beside the apartment. When wifey was still staying in the US I went there nightly for spicy chicken biryana. So filling, tasty and nutritious. A little dish with salad did the job. If I was really hungry, roti for dessert but the dinner savory did the trick.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ryan