This delicious Tindora Recipe (Ivy Gourd) is a great gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan meal option. Gram flour (besan) is added for extra protein, and the lightly spiced curry cooks in just 25 minutes. The tindora (ivy gourd) is part of the cucumber family and looks just like a cucumber in miniature form. It's one of the few varieties of edible gourds and has a slightly crunchy texture. I did not grow up eating it in Pakistan, but I've grown to love it over the past 25 years here in the USA. This ivy gourd is specific to Africa and Asia and can usually only be sourced at a South Asian store. Whe ..read more

20 Popular Pakistani Recipes is a roundup of some of the most loved traditional Pakistani dishes the country has to offer. Discover aromatic biryanis, spicy kebabs, creamy curries, simple comfort foods, and rich desserts that everyone should try at least once. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Influences on Pakistani Recipes Traditional Pakistani recipes have a rich and ancient history that dates back to the Mughal period. While similar to and often confused with Indian cuisine, many cultural and regional influences help set it apart. Historically shaped by Persian and Central Asian cuisine, its borde ..read more

Zarda Recipe (Pakistani Sweet Rice) is a classic South Asian dessert that screams winter. Popular at special occasions like weddings and Eid, this warm and cozy sweet treat requires only 20 minutes of active cooking time. In this Zarda recipe, special parboiled basmati rice is first soaked and then boiled with a pinch of food coloring to achieve its famous yellow jeweled tone. A dessert of Persian and Mughal origins, the name Zarda is actually derived from the Persian and Urdu (Pakistan's national language) word 'Zard,' which means yellow. After being boiled, the rice is toasted in oil along ..read more

Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Rice Pilaf) is a delicious rice and meat pairing that competes neck to neck with Biryani in my books. Aged basmati rice is cooked in a bone-in mutton broth, caramelized onions, garlic, ginger, and fragrant spices. The result is a rare dish that uses spices to create a heady aroma without adding any heat to the final dish. Yakhni Pulao is often enjoyed with shami kabab (meat and lentil patties), raita (a yogurt dip), and kachumber (a pico de gallo style salad). Yakhni Pulao is a unique meal. Often served as a luxurious main on a special occasion, it's also comfort food at ..read more

Masala Fry Fish Curry is a delicious and simple weeknight meal that hits just the spot. Prepared using a combination of fresh ingredients and easy-to-source simple spices, this fish curry has a cooking time of only 20-25 minutes. After living in Karachi for 14 years and now on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for 20, I'm a big seafood fan. This recipe is one of my favorite ways to cook white fish, and I usually use Tilapia when making it. Not only is this the fish that converted my husband into a fish lover, but it's also one of the few varieties my pickiest eater loves. Add to this the fact that i ..read more

Falooda (Pakistani Ice Cream Dessert) is an easy and delicious gluten-free summer treat that takes just 10 minutes to assemble. A cross between a sundae and a milkshake, this dessert originated in Persia as Faloodeh. Today, Falooda is a popular street food all over Pakistan and India and the perfect antidote to the excessive summer heat in the region. Red jelly, basil seeds, and vermicelli are layered in a tall serving glass. This is followed by a drizzle of rose syrup and a scoop of Kulfi or plain ice cream. Chilled half and half and some chopped pistachios finish the delicious chilled desse ..read more

This Quick Kulfi Recipe (Pakistani Ice Cream) takes only six ingredients and 10 minutes to assemble. The decadent dessert, traditionally made by cooking and reducing a mixture of milk, milk solids, and sugar, is infused with cardamom. Additions like saffron, rose water, nuts, and seasonal fruit are often added to create a variety of flavors. This Kulfi recipe is an ancient Mughal-era recipe from the 16th Century court of the emperor Akbar. Mughal-era recipes, both savory and sweet, are made with rich ingredients, lots of aromatics, added nuts and dried fruit. Desserts like gulab jamun, milk b ..read more

This Easy Chicken Tikka Boti Recipe is a quick and delicious Pakistani BBQ recipe that takes under 30 minutes to cook. The marinade comes together in 15 minutes and because the chicken pieces are cut so small, 30 minutes of marination is all that's required. Pakistani cuisine has a large number of grill-friendly recipes such as grilled tandoori lamb chops, Bihari kebab, and hariyali (green) chicken tikka to name a few. This chicken tikka boti is perhaps the easiest and most well-known of all these Pakistani recipes. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Why you'll love this recipe Easy-to-source ingredie ..read more

This Pakistani Chicken Steam Roast recipe, also known as Degi Steam Roast, leans into an ancient South Asian cooking method called "dum". This is basically a method where a whole chicken or chicken pieces are cooked in a heavy-bottomed pot on a low flame. The pot is tightly sealed so that steam forms and cooks the meat in the marinade and its own juices. The result is a flavorful, juicy, and healthy steamed chicken roast. This delicious recipe is historically popular at wedding functions and special occasions like Eid in South Asia. Today steamed chicken is gaining popularity and we see it mo ..read more

Mutton or Lamb Karahi Gosht is one of the most popular recipes in Pakistani cuisine. Red meat, preferably bone-in is cooked in a wok-like pan called a "karahi", with lots of fresh tomatoes. A popular street food, the red meat in Karahi Gosht is cooked till it's falling off the bone. Once the meat is completely coated with the spicy tomato gravy it is finished off with lots of fresh ginger and coriander (cilantro) leaves. This recipe was inspired by my beef karahi gosht and my chicken karahi recipes on this site, and pairs well with this dhaba style mash daal . As you can see, Karahi Gosht, wh ..read more