Aloo Baingan Recipe (Potato and Eggplant Sabzi)
Make aloo baingan: potatoes and eggplant cooked in a tomato and onion masala with kalonji and fennel until soft and glossy. A favourite Pakistani home sabzi.
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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Biryani and Pulao15 recipes- Gosht and Slow-Cooked16 recipes
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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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Band Gobhi Recipe (Pakistani Cabbage Sabzi)
Make band gobhi: shredded cabbage cooked dry with peas, potato, cumin and green chilli until soft but not mushy. Quick everyday Pakistani sabzi.
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Arvi Masala Recipe (Spiced Taro Root)
Make arvi masala: boiled taro root, peeled and fried with ajwain, onion and spices until crisp at the edges. Pakistani sabzi that is never slimy.
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Karela Pyaz Recipe (Bitter Gourd with Onions)
Make karela pyaz: bitter gourd salted to draw out bitterness, fried crisp and cooked with lots of onion, tomato and spices. Tasty, not too bitter.
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Kadhi Pakora Recipe (Punjabi Yoghurt Curry with Pakoray)
Make Punjabi kadhi pakora: sour yoghurt and besan simmered slowly into a tangy curry with soft onion pakoray and a curry leaf and chilli tarka.
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Daal Chawal Recipe (Pakistani Masoor Daal with Rice)
Make Pakistani daal chawal: silky masoor daal with a garlic and cumin tarka, served over plain boiled rice with achar, kachumber and fried onions.
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Bannu Pulao Recipe (Bannu Beef Pulao with Whole Shanks)
Make Bannu pulao from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: large pieces of beef slow cooked in their own fat and stock, rice steamed in it, served with the meat whole on top.
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Peshawari Pulao Recipe (White Mutton Yakhni Pulao)
Make Peshawari pulao: mutton cooked into a rich, mildly spiced white yakhni, then rice steamed in it with a carrot and raisin garnish. Mild and meaty.
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Egg Biryani Recipe (Anday Wali Biryani)
Make egg biryani: boiled eggs fried golden and cooked in a spicy biryani masala, layered with saffron rice and steamed. A budget biryani ready in an hour.
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Fish Biryani Recipe (Karachi Machli Biryani)
Make Karachi fish biryani: marinated fish fried lightly, layered with a tangy masala and saffron rice, then given a gentle dum. Fish stays whole, rice fluffy.
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