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86 recipes

Pakistani

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
Platter of charred Bihari Boti beef strips with lemon wedges, sliced onions and parathaPakistani

Bihari Boti

Thin beef strips tenderised with raw papaya, marinated in roasted spices, poppy seeds and mustard oil, slow-cooked until soft, then grilled for charred edges. Lovely with paratha or naan.

6 h 50 minServes 4
Stack of golden garlic naan brushed with garlic butter and coriander on a wooden boardPakistani

Garlic Naan

Soft, blistered oven-baked naan brushed with garlic and coriander butter. It needs no tandoor, just a very hot tray, and it's ideal for scooping up karahi or daal.

1 h 50 minServes 6
Freshly baked roghni naan topped with sesame and nigella seeds on a wooden boardPakistani

Roghni Naan

Soft, slightly rich oven-baked naan brushed with ghee and topped with sesame and nigella seeds. It's made with milk and egg, so it stays tender and needs no tandoor.

1 h 50 minServes 6
Bowl of diced cucumber, tomato and red onion salad with coriander, mint and pomegranate seeds beside lemon halvesPakistani

Kachumber Salad

A cool, crunchy salad of cucumber, tomato and red onion with green chilli, coriander and lemon. It comes together in 15 minutes and sits well beside rice, daal or grilled meat.

17 minServes 4
Bowl of creamy pale green mint raita topped with roasted cumin, chilli powder and fresh mint leavesPakistani

Mint Raita (Pudina Raita with Roasted Cumin)

A cooling, pale green yogurt side with fresh mint, roasted cumin and a little green chilli. Serve it beside biryani, pulao or grilled meat to calm the heat.

12 minServes 4
Golden crispy Chicken Broast pieces served with fries, garlic mayo, ketchup and lemon wedgesPakistani

Chicken Broast

Brined, yogurt-marinated chicken in a double-dredged, peppery flour crust, fried until deep gold and crisp. It's the Pakistani takeaway favourite, made in an ordinary deep pot at home.

2 h 35 minServes 4
Charred red tandoori chicken legs served with onion rings, lemon wedges and green chutneyPakistani

Tandoori Chicken

Bone-in chicken legs marinated overnight in spiced yogurt, then roasted in a hot home oven until charred at the edges and juicy inside. No tandoor needed.

1 h 15 minServes 4
Tawa Chicken with green chillies, ginger and coriander served in a cast-iron tawaPakistani

Tawa Chicken

Yogurt-marinated chicken thigh seared on a flat tawa, then cooked down with tomatoes, green chilli and ginger into a thick, spicy masala. Good with hot rotis.

1 h 10 minServes 4
Skewers of creamy grilled chicken malai boti with lemon wedges, onion rings and green chutney on a slate boardPakistani

Chicken Malai Boti

Tender boneless chicken pieces marinated in cream, cheese, cashew and white pepper, then grilled until lightly browned. Mild, rich and juicy, with no red chilli.

45 minServes 4
Golden grilled reshmi chicken kababs on skewers with mint chutney, onion rings, lemon and naanPakistani

Reshmi Kabab

Silky, pale golden chicken kababs made with a cashew and cream paste, so they stay tender and juicy. Easy to grill on a pan, in the oven or over charcoal.

1 h 5 minServes 4
Skewers of charred, red-orange chicken tikka boti served with onions, lemon wedges, chutney and naanPakistani

Chicken Tikka Boti

Juicy cubes of boneless chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, skewered and grilled until charred at the edges. A weekend barbecue favourite you can make in a hot oven.

4 h 45 minServes 4
A bowl of fluffy zeera rice with visible cumin seeds and fresh corianderPakistani

Zeera Rice (Pakistani Cumin Rice)

Fluffy basmati rice tempered in ghee with toasted cumin, a few whole spices and a slit green chilli. It's a simple side that goes well with any daal, curry or karahi.

1 h 2 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
Pot of Pakistani beef biryani with saffron rice, tender beef, potatoes, fried onions and fresh mintPakistani

Beef Biryani

Tender yogurt-marinated beef and soft potatoes in a thick masala, layered with long-grain basmati, mint and fried onions, then steamed on dum. A proper family dinner for a weekend.

2 h 35 minServes 6
A pot of mutton biryani with saffron rice, tender mutton pieces, fried onions and fresh herbsPakistani

Mutton Biryani with Golden Fried Onions and Dum

Tender bone-in mutton cooked in a yogurt and tomato masala, layered with par-cooked basmati, fried onions and mint, then steamed on dum until fragrant. A proper centrepiece for weekend dinners.

3 hServes 6
A pot of Sindhi biryani with saffron rice, potatoes, dried plums, green chillies and fresh herbsPakistani

Sindhi Biryani

A tangy, herb-heavy mutton biryani from Sindh, layered with fried potatoes, dried plums and green chillies. It's spicier and more sour than most biryanis, and it makes a full dinner for a crowd.

2 h 45 minServes 6
Pot of Pakistani beef pulao with golden basmati rice, beef pieces, browned onions and fresh herbsPakistani

Beef Pulao with Browned Onions and Whole Spices

A everyday-style Pakistani pulao where beef is browned with onions and yogurt, then cooked with basmati in its own rich stock. Fragrant, full of flavour and made in one pot.

2 h 15 minServes 4
A pot of mutton yakhni pulao with golden basmati rice, mutton pieces, fried onions and mintPakistani

Mutton Yakhni Pulao

Fragrant basmati rice cooked in a whole-spice mutton stock, with browned onions and tender bone-in meat. A gentle, aromatic pulao for Sunday dinners and guests.

2 h 20 minServes 6
Golden chicken yakhni pulao topped with fried onions and mint, served in a wide dish with raita and saladPakistani

Chicken Yakhni Pulao

A fragrant one-pot pulao where basmati cooks in a homemade chicken and whole-spice stock. It is milder and more aromatic than biryani, and needs no tomato or heavy masala.

1 h 55 minServes 5