We Pakistanis love eating! Everything we do is associated with eating.

  • When we go out to someone’s place, we eat
  • When we hang out with friends, we eat
  • Weddings are all about “khana kab khulay ga”
  • You stay in and watch a movie, you order food or get a take out
  • You visit family, you eat

And why not?! Our food is AMAZING! I love Pakistani cuisine. It’s the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be!!!

Okay so I’m a bit biased…

Here are 10 things I love about Pakistani food:

  1. We cook everything – Be it an animal or a plant (as long as it’s halal), we’re not going to let it go to waste! My in-laws cook some weird plant leaves that grow in their back yard and call it “bhaaji”. My mother’s begin drooling at the very mention of ‘gurday’ or ‘kapooray’.
  2. Our spices – That’s where the taste is man! What’s food with no spices? People say Pakistani food is too spicy. I say Hell YES! It’s meant to be. That’s our taste people! Pakistanis were born to fry our tongues and later burn our….
  3. The Roti – Chapati, Plain nan, laal Roti, Khameeri rote, til wali roti, sheermal, taaftan, puri, kachori, paratha, paratha in ghee, you name it… we love it!
  4. The Tarka – The final splash of oil and fried spices. It enhances the flavor of ordinary foods and takes them to the next level. Just imagine “kali daal” or “chanay ki daal” without the tarka…boring!
  5. Nihari – Need I say more? I recently had the chance to try Indian Nihari…tasted like soup! We make nihari like it should be made… hot! Want to make nihari better?  Make it hotter!
  6. The BBQ – The rest of the world makes BBQ for the meat. We Pakistanis make BBQ for the masala! Soft, tender pieces of meat in amazing mouthwatering, spicy masala will definitely be on my menu even in heaven!
  7. The Tea – I don’t care where tea comes from, we prepare it better than anyone! No, Mr. Middle-East-Return! Marawari’s do not make good tea! You just don’t have a better standard to compare to over there. There is NO comparison whatsoever to our Pathan Bhais’ doodh patti!

Three more reasons and I’m going to make a run for the nearest dhabba!

  1. Mithai – Just like our use of spices, we are accused of having very sweet sweets. What’s the point of sweets if they aren’t sweet?! Don’t like sweets? Don’t eat them! Leave me to smack on my bowl of cham chams and rabri!
  2. Pakola – The ultimate drink! And the best thing is that it’s Pakistani to the roots! Forget the black and white, just give me the green anytime!
  3.  Halwa puri ka nashta – Since I haven’t mentioned anything healthy and wholesome on this list so far… why start now?! Why is Pakistani cuisine so awesome?  Two words… Halwa Puri!