Skip to content

All recipes

Filter by cuisine, meal, ingredient, time and diet. Filters combine, so “Vegetarian + Indian + Dinner + under 30 minutes” works.

Pakistani Budget Meals Clear all

21 recipes

Tall glasses of iced shikanjvi with lemon slices and mint, beside halved lemons and a jug of the drinkPakistani

Shikanjvi

A cooling, tangy-sweet lemonade spiced with roasted cumin, black salt and fresh mint. It takes ten minutes to make and is the drink to reach for on a hot afternoon or at iftar.

15 minServes 4
Bowl of smooth golden lentil soup topped with cumin and garlic tarka, coriander and a lemon wedgePakistani

Daal Shorba

A thin, silky soup of red and yellow lentils blended with ginger, tomato and carrot, then finished with a sizzling cumin and garlic ghee. Good on a cold evening with bread on the side.

55 minServes 4
Stack of freshly cooked soft chapatis with golden spots on a wooden board beside a bowl of gheePakistani

Chapati

Soft, thin whole wheat flatbreads cooked on a tawa until they puff and show light brown spots. Make them fresh to scoop up daal, sabzi and curries at dinner.

50 minServes 4
Bowl of glossy dark brown imli chutney with a spoon, surrounded by tamarind pods, jaggery and spicesPakistani

Imli Chutney

A glossy, sweet-sour tamarind chutney sweetened with jaggery and lifted with roasted cumin, fennel and black salt. Keep a jar ready for samosas, chaat and pakoras.

35 minServes 10
A pot of mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, green beans, cauliflower and peas in a red-orange masala, served with rotiPakistani

Mix Sabzi

An everyday mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, beans, cauliflower and peas in a soft onion-tomato masala. Simple to make with ordinary vegetables, and it goes well with roti.

1 h 5 minServes 4
A pot of golden tahiri rice with potatoes and green peas, garnished with fresh coriander and mintPakistani

Tahiri

A one-pot vegetarian rice dish of golden basmati cooked with potatoes, peas and whole spices. It is simple, filling and ready in under an hour, ideal for an easy weekday lunch.

56 minServes 4
Golden shallow-fried aloo tikki potato patties served with mint and tamarind chutneysPakistani

Aloo Tikki

Golden shallow-fried potato patties with a crisp crust and soft, spiced centre. Serve them hot with tamarind or mint chutney for a filling tea-time snack.

50 minServes 4
Bowl of lauki chana daal with bottle gourd cubes, cumin and red chilli tarka and fresh coriander, served with rice and rotiPakistani

Lauki Chana Daal

Soft cubes of bottle gourd simmered with split chickpeas in a light ginger-tomato masala, finished with a sizzling cumin and red chilli ghee tarka. A gentle, filling weekday lunch.

1 h 25 minServes 4
Pot of tinday masala with apple gourd pieces in a thick red onion-tomato gravy, garnished with coriander and ginger, served with rotiPakistani

Tinday Masala

Tender apple gourds simmered in a thick onion-tomato masala with cumin, coriander and green chilli. A simple everyday sabzi that goes well with hot roti.

55 minServes 4
A pan of smoky Baingan Bharta garnished with coriander and ginger, served with roti and yogurtPakistani

Baingan Bharta

Aubergines are charred over an open flame until smoky and silky, then cooked down with onion, tomato and ground spices. It is a simple side for roti or rice that needs very few ingredients.

50 minServes 4
A karahi of dry-style aloo gobi with potato and cauliflower in golden masala, topped with ginger and corianderPakistani

Aloo Gobi

A dry, gently spiced curry of potato and cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and fresh ginger. Easy to make in one pan and good with hot roti for a weekday lunch.

45 minServes 4
A bowl of Pakistani aloo palak with potato cubes in a thick green spinach gravy, served with roti and lemon wedgesPakistani

Aloo Palak

Tender potatoes simmered in a smooth spinach and onion-tomato masala, finished with garam masala and lemon. A simple everyday sabzi that is ready in under an hour and suits roti or rice.

55 minServes 4
A brass bowl of creamy mash ki daal topped with garlic ghee tarka, red chillies and fresh coriander, served with roti and lemon wedgesPakistani

Mash ki Daal

A thick, creamy daal of split black gram simmered with ginger and a light onion-tomato masala, then topped with sizzling garlic and cumin ghee. Rich, filling and good with roti or rice.

1 h 15 minServes 4
Bowl of golden chana daal topped with garlic tarka, chillies and fresh coriander, served with rice and rotiPakistani

Chana Daal with Onion-Tomato Masala and Garlic Tarka

Split chickpeas simmered until tender but still whole, then folded into a golden onion-tomato masala and finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. A hearty everyday lunch for rice or roti.

1 h 30 minServes 4
Bowl of golden moong daal topped with garlic tarka, red chillies and fresh coriander, served with rice and rotiPakistani

Moong Daal

A soft, gently spiced pot of split yellow moong lentils finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. Light, quick and easy to digest-friendly cooking for everyday lunches with rice or roti.

45 minServes 4
A bowl of golden moong daal khichdi topped with melted ghee, fried garlic and corianderPakistani

Khichdi with Ghee

A soft, comforting one-pot of rice and yellow moong daal, cooked with cumin, ginger and onion and finished with a sizzling ghee tarka. It's an easy, budget-friendly dinner for a quiet night.

1 hServes 4
A dish of chana pulao with basmati rice, chickpeas, fried onions and fresh herbs, served with raita and lemon.Pakistani

Chana Pulao

A one-pot rice dish of tender chickpeas and basmati, cooked in the chickpea broth with browned onions, yogurt and whole spices. Filling, meat-free and good for a weekday lunch.

1 h 55 minServes 4
A pan of aloo anday with potato chunks and golden boiled eggs in red tomato gravy, garnished with green chillies and corianderPakistani

Aloo Anday

Tender potatoes and turmeric-crisped boiled eggs in a light, cumin-scented tomato gravy. It is a budget-friendly lunch that comes together with pantry staples and goes well with roti or rice.

1 hServes 4
Bowl of Pakistani egg curry with halved boiled eggs in thick red-orange masala, garnished with fresh coriander, served with rotiPakistani

Anda Curry

Hard-boiled eggs simmered in a thick, glossy onion-tomato masala with whole spices. It is an easy, budget-friendly dinner that comes together in under 45 minutes and suits roti or rice.

45 minServes 4
Overhead view of masoor daal with tarkaPakistani

Masoor Daal with Tarka

Red lentils simmered until silky, then finished with a sizzling tarka of cumin, garlic and dried chilies. Weeknight comfort for very little money.

35 minServes 4
Overhead view of onion & potato pakorasPakistani

Onion & Potato Pakoras

Crisp gram-flour fritters with onion, potato and spinach. Made for rainy afternoons and a cup of chai.

30 minServes 4