Curiosities about Pakistan
Despite the founding of present-day Pakistan dating back to the middle of the last century, the history of these places and these peoples has a very ancient origin. The oldest traces of Indo-European civilization can be found here in the Indus Valley.
Hindu, Greek-Macedonian, Bactrian, Muslim, Turkish-Mongolian civilizations ... the whole story that counts has passed this way, leaving indelible traces .
Nowadays Pakistan is portrayed as a difficult country to travel and dangerous due to terrorist attacks always around the corner. In reality , Pakistan receives a lot of tourism from all over the world every year, its mountain territories are magnificent and the high-risk areas are very few and limited to the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan, in addition to its own culture, also has an original cuisine, which differs from the Indian, Persian and Central Asian ones .
If possible, it is even more spicy and aromatic than the Indian one, it uses ingredients and meat typical of the place, inspired by the kitchens of the Middle East, and has a culture of bread close to that of Central Asia. It is not for nothing that Pakistani cuisine is increasingly taken into consideration when listing the best cuisines in the world.
Also read Indian cuisine, characteristics and main foods >>
Typical dishes of Pakistani cuisine
Pakistan is a vast and densely populated territory (the fifth in the world), divided into numerous regions with a very varied geography : from the Himalayan chains to the deserts, passing through the coasts and foothill forests. These conditions also make Pakistani cuisine fragmented and composed of numerous regional cuisines, each of which has several typical dishes.
One of the universal dishes typical of Pakistani everyday life is the biryani, of Indian origin . It is a specific rice cooked with numerous spices and chicken or lamb meat.
Each region has its variants. Also from India comes the moong daal, creamy velvety yellow lentils, which in Pakistan we will see served more often with local breads than with rice, and prepared with sweet potatoes and fresh spices.
Keema and nihari are the most typical meat dishes : the first is minced meat rich in spices and easily spread on bread, while the second is a meat soup (chicken or lamb) with all the bones and some vegetables and accompanied with rice .
Alo gohst instead is well cooked lamb served with potatoes, a fast and very common dish; the Sikh kebaab is the traditional Pakistani kebaab, shaped like a sausage and fried; while the haleem is a soup of legumes and meat with ginger, onions and other vegetables . Good for all occasions.
As for bread, there are hundreds of variations, from naan to parotta, from chapati to kulcha, from roti to taftan, all unleavened or lightly leavened, cooked in traditional ovens and easy to transport and store.
Where to eat in Pakistan (on the street or in restaurants)
Literally everywhere : kiosks, cafes, taverns, restaurants, large hotel lobbies, caravanserais, markets, bus stations, private houses, mountain tents, street vendors with bags of food on their heads. Each of these options has its specialties.
The restaurants can have high prices, and in any case they all offer take-away because the Pakistanis really like to sit on a carpet with friends and guests and eat together, maybe in the lobby of the hall.
Not to be missed in Pakistan
Locals love sweets a lot, they will often redefine your idea of dessert by offering you a new unknown level of extreme sweetness.
Many kulfi, local ice cream, deserve our attention but the best specialty is undoubtedly the mango lassi . Pakistani mango, amber, is considered one of the best in the world . To try.
Alternate rice dishes, legume soups, barbecued bread dishes . It's the best way to appreciate everything. No meal ends without a Pakistani chai, with various grains, often almond or pistachio.
What to avoid eating in Pakistan
If you travel by bus, avoid greasy meat before long journeys . If you are not used to it, be careful with spicy and try small doses before buying an entire portion.
In the mountains, in the beautiful tribal areas, the guest is often honored by offering parts such as eyes or brain, be diplomatic and try not to offend the locals.
Tips and trivia for a trip to Pakistan
Whatever they say, the Pakistanis are wonderful hosts . Do not be scared by the news and look on the internet, you will see that even women alone can travel and be respected .
For the dishes, trust the locals : a good dish in one region will be very bad in another, force yourself to learn something about regional cuisines.
