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SPECIAL FEATURE
By Mishaal Manzoor
DELICIOUS
PAKISTAN
THE COUNTRY is rich in values and ethnicity where food plays a significant role in developing its culture. Pakistani food isn’t for faint of palate instead the exotic flavors rich with aroma and savory combinations serve as a festivity for all food aficionados. The country popular for its fabulous and diverse food variety, from snacks and beverages to main courses and desserts, has always something striking and flavoursome to offer the foodies! Pakistanis do not need an occasion to celebrate rather they prefer food for achieving eternal happiness. Food to Pakistanis is what a pen is to writer or a credit card to a shopaholic.
12 sunday plus august 18, 2013
SPECIAL FEATURE
We gathered some famous dishes that are traditionally acknowledged in Pakistan and would definitely serve as a treat for all the bon vivant. So get ready to spruce up your taste with some spectacular cuisines offered by this culturally rich country!
Biryani:
Sajji: Sajji is a native dish of the desert province of Baluchistan. It is a unique and indigenous way of cooking lamb, adopted now in urban areas of Pakistan by replacing lamb with chicken. It consists of whole lamb, in skewers (fat and meat intact), marinated only in salt, sometimes covered with green papaya paste, stuffed with rice, then roasted over coals. Sajji is considered done when it is at the ‘rare’ stage. For making Sajji the meat is roasted to a delightful degree of tenderness and is not very spicy. It is a whole leg of a lamb or chicken that is deliciously marinated in local herbs and salt, barbecued beside an open fire. It is very popular among the locals and is offered with great insistence to the guests. It is served with special bread ‘kaak’, ‘roti’ or ‘naan’, which is baked in oven wrapped around a stone. The urban people prefer to use chat masala (spice), lemon juice, Raita (yogurt) and salad with it, originally it was eaten with bread.
Biryani is a special meat and rice dish originating from the Sindh province of Pakistan. Owing to its popularity, it forms one of the most consumed dishes of Pakistani cuisines. This dish strikes a balance between the tastes and textures of rice, meat or chicken, and curry masala, which is fragrant with herbs, hot chillies, ginger, and other spices. The curried meat or chicken and rice are cooked separately, and then steamed into layers, so that the sauce and juices drip into, but don’t saturate, the fluffy grain. The result is a beautifully striated centre piece that offers rice, spice, and meat in waves of astounding flavour. The dish may be served with yogurt chutney or raita, korma, curry, a sour dish of eggplant (brinjal) and salad.
Sarson ka saag : Sarson ka saag is a popular curry in the Punjab region of Pakistan which is made from mustard leaves (Sarson) and spices like green chillies, ginger, garlic, coriander and garam masala. It is regarded as the traditional way of making mustard leaves and is usually served with ‘makkai (corn) ki roti’, which literally means unraised corn bread. It can be topped with either butter or more traditionally with ghee (clarified butter). Some spinach can be added for color and thickening the dish, even if this could alter the taste.
Siri Paye: Paya is a traditional breakfast dish of Pakistan. It is also served at various festivals and treated to special guests at different occasions. Historically, when people used wood or coal as a cooking fuel, women would start this dish at night and cook it on slow heat using coals. This dish has a soup-like consistency and is usually eaten as a breakfast food in the winter months with ‘naan’. Siri means the head of the animal and Paya means the feet. The main ingredients of the dish are the Trotters or Hoof of a cow, goat or lamb; cooked with various spices. It is slow cooked on low heat for hours (usually overnight).Recipes for this dish varies slightly from region to region. The soup base is created by sautéed onions, tomatoes, and garlic to which a number of curry-based spices are added. The cooked dish is served with a garnish of fresh diced ginger and fresh cilantro leaves along with fresh sliced lemon. august 18 2013 sunday plus 13
SPECIAL FEATURE Pakistani variation of chana masala made with potatoes and chickpeas. In Lahore, a variation of the dish called "murgh cholay" is popular; the dish consists of chickpeas and chicken and is part of the traditional breakfast of Lahore.
Chapli kebab: Chapli Kebab is a rich mouthwatering cuisine of Peshawar also known as the iconic dish for Pashtuns who are famously recognized as meat lovers. Chapli kebab is a traditional dish from the Pakistani cuisine and is a spicy recipe. It is one of the most popular street food snack or appetizer. The word Chapli derives from the Pashto word ‘Chaprikh’ which means flat. The dish originates from Mardan and Mansehra regions of Pakistan. Mardan is famous for chapli kebab not only locally but also internationally. It is a patty made from beef mince and is one of the popular barbecue meals in Pakistan. Chapli kebab is flat round in shape and is prepared with minced beef or lamb meat, green chilies, egg, fresh herbs like mint and coriander leaves and spices. These kebabs are usually served with yoghurt sauce (raita), rice, salad and naan.
Cholay: Chana masala also known as ‘cholay masala’ is a common Punjabi dish of Pakistani. Chickpeas are the main ingredient along with other spices. It is fairly dry and spicy with a sour citrus taste. Along with chickpeas, the ingredients typically include onion, chopped tomatoes, coriander seed, garlic, chillies, ginger, dried mango powder , crushed pomegranate seed and garam masala. Aloo cholay is a
14 sunday plus august 18, 2013
Kabuli Pulao: Kabuli Pulao is a savory Central Asian dish that is extremely relished in Pakistan. It is often prepared with cauliflower, cabbage, carrots and various kinds of nuts. It is traditionally cooked with large pieces of lamb. Kabuli Pulao is equally delicious when made with beef and chicken. This is a healthy and hearty dish that works just as well in the summers as in winters. The combination of textures, colors and nutritional value make this a popular dish that can be served as a complete meal. Kabuli Pulao consists of steamed rice mixed with lentils, raisins, carrots and lamb. It is made by cooking basmati or long grained rice in a brothy sauce which makes the rice brown. Kabuli Palau is baked in the oven and topped with fried sliced carrots, raisins, pistachios or almonds. The meat is covered by the rice or buried in the middle of the dish.
Gajjar ka Halwa: Gajjar Ka Halwa is a popular Pakistani dessert which is also a commonly used worldwide dessert with many variations such as Red Velvet Halwa, Carrot and Beetroot Halwa, and Cheesy Carrot Halwa. Being a combination of milk and carrots it is known as Milk Flavored Gajjar Ka Halwa but in the other case, the combination
of khoya and carrot is described as mava flavored Gajjar ka Halwa. It is made by placing grated carrot in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk and sugar and then cooking while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios. The nuts and other items used are first sautéed in ghee and then sprinkled on the top. Khoya is also added to give it a rich flavor. It is a famous dessert which is savored all over Pakistan. It is traditionally eaten during all the festivals, mainly on the occasions like Eid, dinners and weddings. The Gajar Ka Halwa is served hot during the winter.
Firni: This dish probably would have been an influence of the Mughal invasions to India. Along with them came the rich fragrant food and thereafter mingled & planted their roots into Pakistani cuisine to form a part of it. Similar kind of Rice Pudding desserts, with little variations are also a part of Turkish, Lebanese, Greece, Afghan, African & many other European & Mediterranean cuisines. Firni is a kind of rice pudding, made with powdered rice. It is similar to what we call “Kheer” in Pakistan, but unlike Kheer, it does not use whole rice grains. Firni is flavored with lots of saffron and cardamom, adorned with a lot of nuts & sometimes dry fruits too. The consistency of Firni varies from thickwhere one has to really scoop out with a spoon, to creamy -where it will gently coat a spoon. In Pakistan it is served chilled in earthenware or clay cups .It tastes better when the flavors are allowed to mature for 6-7 hours or even for a day. Some versions of Firni are baked in the cups after they are cooked, chilled & served.
music
Shiraz Uppal and A.R.Rahman at One World Peace Concert
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