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105 recipes

Tawa Chicken with green chillies, ginger and coriander served in a cast-iron tawaPakistani

Tawa Chicken

Yogurt-marinated chicken thigh seared on a flat tawa, then cooked down with tomatoes, green chilli and ginger into a thick, spicy masala. Good with hot rotis.

1 h 10 minServes 4
Skewers of creamy grilled chicken malai boti with lemon wedges, onion rings and green chutney on a slate boardPakistani

Chicken Malai Boti

Tender boneless chicken pieces marinated in cream, cheese, cashew and white pepper, then grilled until lightly browned. Mild, rich and juicy, with no red chilli.

45 minServes 4
Golden grilled reshmi chicken kababs on skewers with mint chutney, onion rings, lemon and naanPakistani

Reshmi Kabab

Silky, pale golden chicken kababs made with a cashew and cream paste, so they stay tender and juicy. Easy to grill on a pan, in the oven or over charcoal.

1 h 5 minServes 4
Skewers of charred, red-orange chicken tikka boti served with onions, lemon wedges, chutney and naanPakistani

Chicken Tikka Boti

Juicy cubes of boneless chicken marinated in spiced yogurt, skewered and grilled until charred at the edges. A weekend barbecue favourite you can make in a hot oven.

4 h 45 minServes 4
Golden brown chapli kababs on a slate board with naan, onion rings, lemon wedges and green chutneyPakistani

Chapli Kabab

Wide, flat beef patties packed with crushed coriander seed, pomegranate seed, tomato and green chilli, then cooked on a hot griddle until crisp at the edges and juicy inside.

1 h 10 minServes 6
A pot of mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, green beans, cauliflower and peas in a red-orange masala, served with rotiPakistani

Mix Sabzi

An everyday mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, beans, cauliflower and peas in a soft onion-tomato masala. Simple to make with ordinary vegetables, and it goes well with roti.

1 h 5 minServes 4
Anda shami burger with a golden shami patty, fried egg, fresh salad and chilli mayo in a toasted bun on a wooden boardPakistani

Anda Shami Burger

A street-style burger with a soft chicken and chana daal shami patty, a fried egg on top and a garlicky chilli mayo. Cook the patties ahead and finish in minutes.

1 h 25 minServes 4
Bun kabab with a golden egg-coated beef patty, onion, tomato and green chutney in a toasted bun on a wooden boardPakistani

Bun Kabab

A spiced beef and potato patty, dipped in egg and shallow-fried until golden, then tucked into a toasted bun with mint chutney, onion and tomato. It is the classic Karachi street-side snack, easy to make at home.

1 h 10 minServes 6
Chicken roll parathas with one cut open to show spiced chicken, mint yogurt sauce and onionsPakistani

Chicken Roll Paratha

Tender spiced chicken strips, a cool mint-yogurt sauce and crunchy onions rolled inside a flaky, golden paratha. It's a filling street-style snack you can make at home in under an hour.

1 h 15 minServes 4
Golden fried chicken samosas on a plate with one split open showing spiced chicken mince, served with chutneysPakistani

Chicken Samosa

Golden, flaky samosas filled with dry-cooked spiced chicken mince, fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon. Make them from scratch with a simple ajwain dough, ideal for Ramadan iftar or tea time.

1 h 25 minServes 6
Bowl of lauki chana daal with bottle gourd cubes, cumin and red chilli tarka and fresh coriander, served with rice and rotiPakistani

Lauki Chana Daal

Soft cubes of bottle gourd simmered with split chickpeas in a light ginger-tomato masala, finished with a sizzling cumin and red chilli ghee tarka. A gentle, filling weekday lunch.

1 h 25 minServes 4
A bowl of thick green sarson ka saag topped with white butter and a ghee tarka, served with makki ki rotiPakistani

Sarson ka Saag

A thick, deeply savoury Punjabi winter dish of slow-cooked mustard greens and spinach, thickened with cornmeal and finished with a sizzling garlic-ginger ghee tarka. Best with makki ki roti.

1 h 25 minServes 6
A pan of smoky Baingan Bharta garnished with coriander and ginger, served with roti and yogurtPakistani

Baingan Bharta

Aubergines are charred over an open flame until smoky and silky, then cooked down with onion, tomato and ground spices. It is a simple side for roti or rice that needs very few ingredients.

50 minServes 4
A pan of bhindi masala with okra in a thick onion-tomato masala, garnished with coriander and ginger, served with roti.Pakistani

Bhindi Masala

Tender okra cooked with golden onions, tomatoes and ground spices until the masala clings to each pod. A dry-style vegetable curry that is easy to serve with roti at lunch.

50 minServes 4
A karahi of dry-style aloo gobi with potato and cauliflower in golden masala, topped with ginger and corianderPakistani

Aloo Gobi

A dry, gently spiced curry of potato and cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and fresh ginger. Easy to make in one pan and good with hot roti for a weekday lunch.

45 minServes 4
A bowl of Pakistani aloo palak with potato cubes in a thick green spinach gravy, served with roti and lemon wedgesPakistani

Aloo Palak

Tender potatoes simmered in a smooth spinach and onion-tomato masala, finished with garam masala and lemon. A simple everyday sabzi that is ready in under an hour and suits roti or rice.

55 minServes 4
A brass bowl of creamy mash ki daal topped with garlic ghee tarka, red chillies and fresh coriander, served with roti and lemon wedgesPakistani

Mash ki Daal

A thick, creamy daal of split black gram simmered with ginger and a light onion-tomato masala, then topped with sizzling garlic and cumin ghee. Rich, filling and good with roti or rice.

1 h 15 minServes 4
A bowl of fluffy zeera rice with visible cumin seeds and fresh corianderPakistani

Zeera Rice

Fluffy basmati rice tempered in ghee with toasted cumin, a few whole spices and a slit green chilli. It's a simple side that goes well with any daal, curry or karahi.

1 h 2 minServes 4
A bowl of golden moong daal khichdi topped with melted ghee, fried garlic and corianderPakistani

Khichdi with Ghee

A soft, comforting one-pot of rice and yellow moong daal, cooked with cumin, ginger and onion and finished with a sizzling ghee tarka. It's an easy, budget-friendly dinner for a quiet night.

1 hServes 4
A dish of chana pulao with basmati rice, chickpeas, fried onions and fresh herbs, served with raita and lemon.Pakistani

Chana Pulao

A one-pot rice dish of tender chickpeas and basmati, cooked in the chickpea broth with browned onions, yogurt and whole spices. Filling, meat-free and good for a weekday lunch.

1 h 55 minServes 4
Fluffy basmati rice with green peas and fried onions in a serving potPakistani

Matar Pulao

A fragrant, one-pot basmati pulao with sweet green peas, golden onions, cumin and whole spices. It's simple enough for a weekday lunch and good with raita.

1 h 15 minServes 4
Pot of Pakistani beef biryani with saffron rice, tender beef, potatoes, fried onions and fresh mintPakistani

Beef Biryani

Tender yogurt-marinated beef and soft potatoes in a thick masala, layered with long-grain basmati, mint and fried onions, then steamed on dum. A proper family dinner for a weekend.

2 h 35 minServes 6
A pot of mutton biryani with saffron rice, tender mutton pieces, fried onions and fresh herbsPakistani

Mutton Biryani with Golden Fried Onions and Dum

Tender bone-in mutton cooked in a yogurt and tomato masala, layered with par-cooked basmati, fried onions and mint, then steamed on dum until fragrant. A proper centrepiece for weekend dinners.

3 hServes 6
A pot of Sindhi biryani with saffron rice, potatoes, dried plums, green chillies and fresh herbsPakistani

Sindhi Biryani

A tangy, herb-heavy mutton biryani from Sindh, layered with fried potatoes, dried plums and green chillies. It's spicier and more sour than most biryanis, and it makes a full dinner for a crowd.

2 h 45 minServes 6