Chicken Pakora Recipe (Crispy Besan Fritters)
Make crispy chicken pakora with spiced boneless chicken in a light besan batter. Oil temperature, batter thickness and fixes for soggy or oily pakoras.
Pakistani home cooking, written so it works the first time: karahi that is thick not watery, biryani with separate grains, nihari that turns silky, and kebabs that hold together. Every recipe shows heat levels, timings, a doneness check and a fix for the usual mistakes.
Recipes developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan
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The recipes to cook first
Pakistani Chicken KarahiThe fastest way into Pakistani cooking- Pakistani Chicken BiryaniOur most-cooked biryani
- Beef NihariWeekend slow-cook project
- Chicken SalanEveryday ghar ka salan
- Chapli KababPeshawar's famous kabab
- Gulab JamunEid's favourite mithai
Learn the technique
Guides behind these recipes
10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use ThemHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic PasteHow to Fry OnionsHow to Tenderise Meat5 Traditional Desi Cooking Techniques Every Cook Should Know
Quick answers
Pakistani Recipes FAQ
What are the most popular Pakistani dishes?
Chicken karahi, biryani, nihari, haleem, chapli kabab, korma and aloo gosht are among the most cooked dishes in Pakistani homes and restaurants.
Is Pakistani food the same as Indian food?
They share many techniques and spices, but Pakistani home cooking leans more on meat, wheat breads and dishes like karahi, nihari and chapli kabab.
What spices do I need for Pakistani cooking?
Start with red chilli, turmeric, coriander, cumin, garam masala and ginger garlic paste. Our Pakistani spices guide explains each one.
Which Pakistani recipe should a beginner start with?
Chicken karahi or chicken salan. Both cook in under an hour and teach the bhuna technique used across Pakistani cooking.
Every recipe
All Pakistani recipes
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Lahori Chargha Recipe (Steamed and Fried Whole Chicken)
Make Lahori chargha at home: a whole chicken marinated in tangy red masala, steamed until juicy, then fried crisp. Marinade, steaming times and fixes.
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Dal Chicken Recipe (Chicken with Chana Dal)
Cook dal chicken with creamy chana dal and tender chicken in one pot, finished with a garlic and cumin tarka. Soak times, stages and easy fixes for hard dal.
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Chicken Bhuna Masala Recipe (Dry Restaurant Style)
Make chicken bhuna masala with a thick, dark masala that clings to every piece. Learn real bhunai: fry, splash, scrape and repeat for deep restaurant flavour.
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Chicken Kali Mirch Recipe (Black Pepper Chicken)
Make creamy chicken kali mirch with freshly crushed black pepper, yogurt and cream. A white, mild-but-peppery curry with exact timings and simple fixes.
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Methi Chicken Recipe (Fenugreek Chicken Curry)
Make methi chicken with fresh or dried fenugreek leaves in a rich tomato and onion masala. Learn how to keep methi aromatic, not bitter, with exact timings.
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Achari Chicken Recipe (Pickle-Spiced Chicken)
Make achari chicken with the five pickling seeds, mustard oil and yogurt for a tangy, spicy curry. Temper the seeds without burning and balance the tang.
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Dal Gosht Recipe (Pakistani Meat and Lentil Curry)
Cook dal gosht with tender mutton and creamy chana dal in a spiced gravy finished with a sizzling tarka. Exact soak times, stages and easy fixes.
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Karela Gosht Recipe (Bitter Gourd and Meat Curry)
Make karela gosht with tender meat and bitter gourd that is pleasantly mild. Salt-and-squeeze method, timings and fixes for a curry that is too bitter.
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Bhindi Gosht Recipe (Okra and Meat Curry)
Cook bhindi gosht with tender meat and okra that stays whole and never slimy. Learn the dry-and-fry okra method, timings and fixes for a perfect curry.
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