Pakistani Cuisine: Yummy Rice Delight

Pakistani cuisine is renowned for its exuberant taste, richness, lush and flavor. It is a delicate blend of regional and traditional cooking varieties of south Asian subcontinent. Inside Pakistan food style varies vastly from one region to another, reverberating the diversity in Pakistan’s ethnic and cultural ambo.

There are number of dishes prepared with rice in Pakistan, rice is the most popular food item next to potatoes in whole world. One of the prime dish in Pakistani cuisine with its yellowish colored rice and breath taking aroma, is one and only the majestic ‘BIRYANI’. Regionally it varies in taste and flavor but the two main ingredients require preparing biryani remains same, rice (particularly basmati rice) and source of meat, chicken, lamb, goat or beef. Vegetarians could add vegetables instead of meat. The word biryani derived from Persian ‘berya’ (n) means ‘roasted’ or ‘fried’. This rice-based food originated in Iran. The local varieties are now popular not only in south Asia but also in Arab and western countries among Asian rich communities.

Another famous dish of rice in Pakistan is ‘Palao’ cooked with chicken, beef, mutton or peas (Mattar palao). In tribal areas of northern Pakistan beef and mutton palao most popular and the way they cook it is an artistic way which is called ‘Dum-pukht’. This delight is cooked by filling the body of whole goat, sheep or lamb, with rice and comparatively less spices and cooked in slow oven, means cooking on very low flame in sealed containers, which allows the meal to cook in its own juices and bone marrow. This luscious and opulent dish is famous not only in tribal areas but also in big cities.

‘Sajji’ is another lush rice dish favorite of all Baluchistan natives, specifically lamb stuffed with rice and marinated only in salt, then roasted on coal. The spicier version of sajji where chicken is used instead of lamb in mega cities like Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.

‘Zarda’ (Sweet rice) is a popular Pakistani sweet dish, easy to cook and consists of simple ingredients rice (with yellowish food color), sugar and oil, decorated with dry fruits and nuts.

Pakistani food is thrilling, exciting and rich experience. Great restaurants with variety of Pakistani style food in major cities. A taste to experience which is not only confined to traditional Pakistani delights but internationally fame cuisine can also be found in Pakistan.