Are you craving some spices and meaty food?

If that is the case, you must give Pakistani food a try. It is full of taste, texture, and spices, quickly making anyone’s mouth watery.

This article has covered all the traditional Pakistani dishes that every Pakistani living there or in any country of the world loves to eat on various occasions. Some of the dishes are associated with major Pakistani cultural events.

Let’s start our delicious ride!

8 Most Delicious Pakistani Traditional Dishes and Popular Food

Though every Pakistani dish is equally delicious and full of taste, some most popular food items that are related to a particular city or district are briefly discussed as follows:

  • Haleem- A Blend of Meat and Lentils

Haleem is one of the most famous and delicious Pakistani dishes in almost all parts of the country. It contains meat, barley, wheat, rice, and some lentils. All the ingredients are cooked together for hours to make them tender and blend their tastes entirely with each other.

Moreover, the recipe is also popular in some parts of India, central Asia, and middle-east. Even though there is no specific time to cook Haleem, generally people of Pakistan prefer it in the Islamic months of Ramadan and Muharram.

  • Nihari- A Meat with Flour

Another specialty of Pakistani people is called Nihari. It can quickly fill your stomach with its delicious taste and texture. It is usually served with bread (naan) to acquire taste folds. Its meat is filled with the combined essence and flavors of cardamom, cumin, and cloves.

Initially, the dish was invented in Old Delhi, where beef shanks were first tendered and mixed with the flour to bring a dense texture. However, it is the prime choice for the people of Karachi city to have for dinner daily. The word ‘Nihari’ means ‘morning’ as it was first introduced to be eaten for breakfast, but now people can have it at any time of the day.

  • Kabuli Pulao- Meat and Veggies Mixed Served with Steamed Rice

The migrants of Afghanistan have introduced Kabuli Pulao in Pakistan, and now the people have wholeheartedly accepted this dish as traditional cuisine. The rice grains are fried with dry spices and made to absorb the flavors of spices. Moreover, the dish can be made with mutton or beef according to the preference of the eaters.

Furthermore, the food is cooked in a large stainless steel pot at an angle of 45 degrees to make it stay in contact with the fire. Many places in the northern areas of Pakistan sell the most delicious and rich flavored Kabuli Pulao.

  • Chapshoro- Fried Dough with Meat

Moving towards the Northern areas of the country, in the areas of Gilgit Baltistan, there is food known as Chapshoro. The word ‘Chap’ refers to meat, and it is preferred to be cooked densely with Yak meat.

Mainly, the food is cooked on a convex stainless steel plate, and it is the most popular choice of all the tourists visiting the surrounding areas of Gilgit Baltistan. Wheat is the main ingredient of the food, which is combined with carrots, onions, and freshly ground pepper to bring unique flavors to the table.

  • Biryani- Layered Rice and Meat

One of the most popular dishes in Pakistan is Biryani. It is sold on the streets of Karachi city, and everyone there can have it daily. It can be prepared with beef, mutton, or chicken with or without potatoes.

Firstly, the gravy of meat is prepared with spices and some veggies. Once all the ingredients are properly cooked and tender, they are layered with half-cooked rice and left for further cooking on a very low flame. It takes almost 30-45 minutes on low flame to thoroughly cook the rice and let the taste of gravy and rice mix together.

Initially, the food was prepared in the era of Mughals in North India. The most common and famous biryani is the one that is cooked with bone marrow meat which is delicious and mouth-watering. Any person who ate the biryani once always craves more.

  • Aloo Matar – Curry with Veggies

Pakistan is a country full of people who like to experiment with all kinds of food, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Aloo Matar is one of its kind where potatoes and peas are cooked in the curry to provide a healthy and prosperous taste of filling your stomach.

However, other veggies can also be added to the gravy, but the dish’s main ingredient comprises potatoes and peas. The restaurants and hotels have started selling this food in tin packs where you only have to open the tin, heat it, and be ready to eat. It tastes incredible with the naan or homemade traditional homemade chapatis.

  • Cheese Paratha- Dough Filled with Cheese

Pakistanis are a famous nation for eating parathas for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Generally, ‘parat’ means layers, and ‘atta’ means flour. It is a dough fried in oil to have layers in it. Wheat is the critical ingredient of the dish, which is used to make the dough and filled with cheese to give it a fantastic taste. They are made in circles, squares, or even triangle shapes.

Apart from filling it with cheese, people also fill it with mashed potatoes, radish, carrots, or different lentils. They are served with pickles and salad, which complements the taste of the parathas.

  • Chapli Kabab- Fried Mince Beef

Another famous food from the streets of northern areas of Pakistan is called Chapli Kabab. Usually, it is served as a main dish or an appetizer. Firstly, the beef meat is finely minced, mixed with various spices, and shaped into round patties.

After shaping it, a tomato slice is placed on each side of the patty, followed by shallow frying of every patty unless evenly cooked from each side. It is served with spices, yogurt, and sliced onions, which add to its taste.

Would You Like to Try These Pakistani Dishes?

Pakistani traditional dishes and popular food items are famous around the globe for their creativity and tastes. Every year many tourists specifically visit different cities of Pakistan to taste their signature and authentic cuisines. If you ever plan to visit Pakistan, try any of these famous dishes.