Delicious Pakistani Dishes You Can Make At Home

While the holy month of Ramadan comes to a close and Eid festivities just around the corner, let’s explore some of the most delicious and savory dishes you can make yourself to enjoy Eid with your family.

Pakistani cuisine reflects a diverse culture. Dishes and recipes vary depending on the region. The most common denominator among all the regions is the ‘spiciness’ and savory nature of the dishes.

Of course, Pakistani cuisine has a rich array of flavorful foods to tantalize your taste buds. Here are a few delicious recipes of some classic Pakistani dishes you can cook at home.

(Be warned: drooling of the smooth, stomach growls are common symptoms while reading this article!)

Chicken Korma

Despite this dish originated in north India, korma is still a very popular dish in Pakistan. This curry is made using coconut milk, cream and mild spices that give off an enticing aroma. Cashews and almonds are sometimes included for texture. Typically the meat is cooked first before it is stirred into the creamy sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cm ginger, chopped
• 6 tbsp yogurt
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ground coconut
• 3 tbsp ground almonds
• 1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted (optional)
• Rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 4 cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 1 cm cinnamon stick
• ½ tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp garam masala

How To Make It

1. Put ginger, garlic, ground almonds and six tablespoons of water into a blender to make a smooth paste.
2. Add oil in a pan add the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick when it is very hot.
3. Stir in the onions for 10 seconds and cook until browned.
4. Reduce the heat and add the spice paste, along with the cumin, coriander and red chili powder. Stir for three minutes, then add the purée and stir for another minute.
5. Add the chicken, salt, yogurt, garam masala, ground coconut and 150ml of water.
6. Turn the heat to low and gently simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
7. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
8. Garnish it with flaked almonds and serve on a bed of basmati rice or with naan. Enjoy

Bhuna Gosht

Bhuna gosht is a tasty mutton recipe served with roti or naan. It is typically cooked with fried onions, tomatoes as well as a variety of aromatic spices to enhance the flavors. This popular dish is for those who enjoy the taste of savory tender mutton with enticing aromas.

Ingredients

• 1 kg mutton, chopped
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp green chili paste
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Oil

How To Make It

1. Heat the oil and add the sliced onions in a deep pan.
2. Fry until soft and golden.
3. Add the tomatoes and garlic, ginger and green chili pastes.
4. Fry and stir frequently to prevent burning. (Add a little water if you need to)
5. Coat the mutton in the spices then cover with water.
6. Cook on a low heat until the meat is tender and most of the water has evaporated.

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Masala Coated Roast Chicken

Masala roasted chicken is a favorite Pakistani savory dish that consists of chicken marinated in a ginger-garlic paste. This is the perfect dish for any family meal or special occasion. Though, it may look like a lot of work but in the end, this dish is totally worth it.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 20g green chilies
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp grated raw papaya
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt
• 1 cup curd
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil

How To Marinade

1. Wash and pat the chicken dry.
2. Make several slits.
3. Apply salt and lemon juice all over the chicken.
4. Grind green chilies with the ginger-garlic paste.
5. Stir in the curd and add the ground spices.
6. Grind the papaya and add.
7. Add the chili powder, then pour in the olive oil and mix.
8. Generously apply the marinade over the chicken and inside the slits.
9. Place into the fridge for at least 12 hours.
10. When ready to cook, place the chicken onto a tray and slide it into a 200°C oven.
11. Cook for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear.
12. Serve with onion rings and wedges of lime.

Nargis Kebab

Nargis kebabs are essentially Desi scotch eggs. If you’re not familiar with those, a scotch egg is an egg coated in spiced minced meat and cooked. The result is an intensely flavored exterior with a soft egg inside. Although it is an appetizer, the rich filling centerpiece is certainly quite delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 kg minced meat (of your choice)
• 2 onions, cut into large pieces
• ½ cup curd
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Salt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 4 Eggs, boiled
• 1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 or 3 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chaat masala

Method

1. Heat some oil in a pan and add the onions.
2. Fry until they are light brown then add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, soy sauce and vinegar into the mix.
3. Cook for around eight minutes.
4.  Add half a cup of water and cook until the meat is tender and the water has evaporated.
5. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
6. When cooled, place the mince into a food processor and grind until it is a smooth paste.
7. Mix the coriander, mint, green chilies and chaat masala for the filling. Add about two tablespoons of the mince.
8. Coat the boiled eggs in the filling. Meanwhile, wet your palm with a little water and place the mince in the center of your palm to shape into a ball then flatten it.
9. Place the egg in the middle and fold over the sides.
10. Mix the coating ingredients together in a bowl and place the kebabs in them.
11. Gently add the kebabs in a frying pan and shallow fry until they are golden.
12. When finished, drain on kitchen paper and serve.

Chapli Kebab

Chapli kebab is a classic and popular dish in Pakistan. A Pashtun-style kebab which is usually made from ground beef or mutton along with various spices and in the shape of a patty. This  savory dish originates from Peshawar, however, in Punjab, it is known as chitter kebab.

Ingredients

• ½ kg mincemeat (beef or mutton)
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tbsp roasted whole coriander seeds
• ½ tbsp roasted coriander seeds, coarsely ground
• 3 green chilies, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup spring onion, finely chopped
• 1½ cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
• ½ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• Salt
• 1 egg
• oil

Method

1. In a large bowl, add the mince meat in a large bowl to mix in all the ingredients except the oil.
2. Once well combined, set aside for 30 minutes.
3. Divide the mixture into approximately two tablespoon-sized balls and flatten into patties.
4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan.
5. Shallow fry the kebabs for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.

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