Dahi Bhallay Recipe (Soft Lentil Dumplings in Yoghurt)
Make Pakistani dahi bhallay: airy mash and moong lentil dumplings soaked soft, then topped with spiced yoghurt, imli chutney, chickpeas and chaat masala.
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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- Karahi and Curries25 recipes
Biryani and Pulao15 recipes- Gosht and Slow-Cooked16 recipes
- Kebabs and Snacks18 recipes
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- Mithai and Desserts22 recipes
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- Street Food and Chaat12 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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Pakora Recipe (Crispy Pakistani Vegetable Pakoray)
Make crispy vegetable pakoray: onion, potato, spinach and chilli in a thick spiced besan batter with a little rice flour, fried until golden and crunchy.
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Anday ka Halwa Recipe (Egg Halwa)
Make anday ka halwa: eggs, milk, sugar and ghee cooked slowly until grainy, golden and fragrant with cardamom and nuts. A rich Pakistani winter treat.
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Pinni Recipe (Punjabi Winter Atta Pinni)
Make Punjabi pinni: whole wheat flour roasted slowly in desi ghee with khoya, sugar, gond and nuts, shaped into rich winter balls. Never raw or crumbly.
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Chum Chum Recipe (Coconut Chhena Rolls)
Make chum chum: soft chhena rolls cooked in syrup, filled with sweet khoya cream and rolled in coconut. Tips so they stay spongy, never hard or cracked.
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Doodh Barfi Recipe (Milk Barfi with Khoya)
Make doodh barfi: khoya or milk powder cooked with sugar and ghee into a soft fudge, set and cut into squares with pistachios. Never grainy or hard.
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Habshi Halwa Recipe (Dark Wheat and Milk Halwa)
Make habshi halwa: milk, sprouted wheat flour, sugar and ghee cooked for hours into a dark, chewy, nutty halwa. The famous winter sweet, step by step at home.
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Rabri Recipe (Thick Layered Milk Dessert)
Make rabri like a halwai: full fat milk slowly reduced in a wide pan, the cream layers lifted and folded back, flavoured with saffron, cardamom and nuts.
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Lab-e-Shireen Recipe (Pakistani Custard Fruit Trifle)
Make lab-e-shireen: vanilla custard layered with vermicelli, fruit, jelly cubes, cream and nuts. The colourful Pakistani Eid dessert, smooth and never runny.
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Sohan Halwa Recipe (Multani Brittle Halwa)
Make Multan’s sohan halwa: wheat sprouts or flour, milk, sugar and ghee cooked until caramelised and set with nuts into a chewy brittle. Step by step.
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