Pakistani Cuisine

Pakistani cuisine is one of the world's richest and most aromatic, a bold, generous tradition of the subcontinent built on layered spices, slow cooking and superb grilling, varying wonderfully by region. Its glories include biryani, the fragrant layered rice and meat dish, nihari, a slow-cooked breakfast stew of meltingly tender beef, sizzling karahi cooked in a wok-like pan, and the spiced, flat chapli kebab of the northwest. Charcoal-grilled seekh kebabs and tikka, creamy daals, fresh naan and roti from the tandoor, and sweet lassi and milky chai complete a magnificent table.

The main sights

• Biryani - the fragrant layered rice and meat.
• Nihari and karahi - the slow-cooked stew and the sizzling pan dish.
• The kebabs - the seekh, chapli and tikka grilled meats.
• The breads and chai - the tandoor naan and milky tea.

When to go

Year-round; the bustling food streets, like Lahore's famous Fort Road and the old city, and humble roadside dhabas serve the best and most authentic food, from breakfast nihari to late-night kebabs. Meals are generous and social, and Pakistani hospitality means guests are fed lavishly.

Things to know

Pakistani food is rich, meaty, oily and genuinely spiced, so it can be heavy and hot for unaccustomed palates, and strict standards of hygiene vary, so the usual care with water and street food applies. Vegetarian options exist but meat is central. Bold, aromatic and deeply satisfying, though, and served with legendary hospitality, Pakistani cuisine is among the finest and most underrated in the world.

Nearby

Lahore, Karachi and every city have their food streets and dhabas.