Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Muslims have traditionally been based in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...

, hence the city is known for multi cultural tastes in its cuisine. These Muslims maintained their old established culinary traditions, including variety of dishes and beverages. Karachi cuisine is renowned for its cultural fusion, due to various empires and peoples living in this mega city. As a result many multi ethnic cuisines collaboratively had an influence on the style of Karachi food. The

Pakistani cuisine Pakistani cuisine ( ur, , romanized: ''pākistānī pakwān'') can be characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions from South Asia, Central and Western Asia, as well as elements from its Mughal legacy. The country's va ...

s such as

Sindhi cuisine Sindhi cuisine ( Sindhi: سنڌي کاڌا) refers to the distinct native cuisine of the Sindhi people from Sindh, Pakistan. Sindhi cuisine has been influenced by Central Asian, Iranian, Mughal food traditions. It is mostly a non-vegetarian ...

,

Punjabi cuisine Punjabi cuisine is a culinary style originating in the Punjab, a region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, which is now divided in an Indian part to the east and a Pakistani part to the west. This cuisine has a rich tradition o ...

,

Pashtun cuisine Pashtun cuisine ( ps, پښتنۍ خواړه) refers to the cuisine of the Pashtun people and is covered under both Afghan and Pakistani cuisines. It is largely based on meat dishes including mutton, beef, chicken, and fish as well as rice and so ...

,

Kalash cuisine Kalash cuisine consists of indigenous dishes as well as many local Pakistani cuisine Pakistani cuisine ( ur, , romanized: ''pākistānī pakwān'') can be characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions from South Asia ...

,

Saraiki cuisine Saraiki cuisine ( skr, ) refers to the native cuisine of the Saraiki people in central Pakistan. The style of cooking is present in the Saraiki-speaking region of southern Punjab, as well as parts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northern Sindh a ...

,

Kashmiri cuisine Kashmiri cuisine is the cuisine of the Kashmir Valley in the Indian subcontinent. Kashmiris have developed the art of cooking to a very high degree of sophistication and evolved a cuisine quite distinct from that of any part of the world. Rice ...

,

Balochi cuisine Balochi cuisine is the food and cuisine of the Baloch people from the Balochistan region, comprising the Pakistani Balochistan province, the Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran and Balochistan, Afghanistan. Baloch food has a regional varianc ...

,

Chitrali cuisine Chitrali may refer to: * Chitralis, an ethnic group of Chitral in northern Pakistan * Chitrali language, also known as Khowar, the Dardic language spoken by the Chitralis *something from, or related to, the following: ** Chitral District, a moun ...

and other regional cuisines have also influenced the cuisine of Karachi.

Historical influences

The arrival of Islam within

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

influenced the local cuisine to a great degree. The influence of the

Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...

n,

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

n and

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...

ern cuisine in Pakistani food is ubiquitous. Since Muslims are forbidden to eat pork or consume alcohol and the

Halal ''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with '' haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification k ...

dietary guidelines are strictly observed, Pakistanis focus on other areas of food such as

Beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...

,

Lamb Lamb or The Lamb may refer to: * A young sheep * Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep Arts and media Film, television, and theatre * ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut * ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...

,

Chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...

,

Fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

, and

Vegetables Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems ...

as well as traditional

Fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

and Dairy.

Dishes

* Aloo (potato) cholay (peas) * Aloo (potato) chaat * Aloo (potato) paratha ( ur, آلو پراٹھا) * Anda (egg) paratha *

Bakarkhani Bakarkhani or Baqarkhani, also known as bakar khani roti, is a thick, spiced flat-bread that is part of the Mughlai cuisine. Bakarkhani is prepared on certain Muslim religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread. Bakorkhani is almost ...

or Baqerkhani * Bihari kebab *

Bun kebab Bun Kebab ( ur, ) is a sandwich native to Pakistan, but now available all over the Indian subcontinent. Bun kebabs are a signature in Pakistani metro cities like Karachi and Lahore, but they can be found all over Pakistan. In India, it is eaten ...

*

Chargha Chargha ( ur, ) is a deep fried chicken dish from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The term chargha is a term of the Pashto (of the Pashtun people) language meaning "chicken". The dish is widely popular throughout Pakistan. The whole chicken is mari ...

*

Chicken karahi Chicken karahi (known as gosht karahi when prepared with goat or lamb meat instead of chicken), or kadai chicken, is a chicken dish from South Asia. It is noted for its spicy taste and is notable in Pakistani and North Indian cuisine. The dis ...

* Chicken tikka * Dalcha (also called Dal gosht) *

Double ka meetha Double ka meetha (also known as '' Shahi Tukra'', is an Indian bread pudding sweet made of fried bread slices soaked in hot milk with spices, including saffron and cardamom. Double ka meetha is a dessert of Hyderabad. It is popular in Hyderab ...

(also called Shahi tukra) *

Falooda A ''falooda'' is a Mughlai Indian version of a cold dessert made with noodles. It has origins in the Persian dish '' faloodeh'', variants of which are found across West, Central, and South Asia. Traditionally it is made by mixing rose syrup, ...

( ur, فالودہ) *

Firni Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur w ...

*

Gajar ka halwa Gajar ka halwa, also known as gajorer halua, gajrela, gajar pak, and carrot halwa is a carrot-based sweet dessert pudding made by placing grated carrots in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk and sugar, cardamom and then cooking wh ...

* Gobhi (cauliflower) paratha * Golgappay *

Haleem Haleem is a type of stew that is widely consumed in South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia. Although the dish varies from region to region, it optionally includes wheat or barley, meat and lentils. It is made by blending or mashing the m ...

* Halwa poori *

Hyderabadi biryani Hyderabadi biryani (also known as Hyderabadi dum biryani) is a style of biryani from Hyderabad, India made with basmati rice and meat (mostly mutton). Originating in the kitchens of the Nizam of Hyderabad, it combines elements of Hyderabadi an ...

( ur, حیدرآبادی بریانی) *

Jalebi ''Jalebi'' (, , , Urdu: جلیبی‎, , , si, පැණි වළලු, ), is a popular sweet snack in south and west Asia, Africa, and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including ''jilapi'', ''zelepi'','' jilebi'', '' jilipi'', ''zulbia'', ...

*

Kachori Kachori () is a sweet and spicy deep-fried snack, originating in India subcontinent, and common in places with Indian diaspora and other South Asian diaspora. Alternative names for the snack include kachauri, kachodi and katchuri. History Ea ...

* Karri or karhi ( ur, کڑھی) * Kata-kat *

Kheer Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur w ...

*

Kofta Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in Balkan, Middle Eastern, South Caucasian, South Asian and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meatusually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutto ...

(Urdu:كوفته) *

Kulcha Kulcha is a type of mildly leavened flatbread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Recipe Kulcha is made from maida flour, water, a pinch of salt and a leavening agent (yeast or old kulcha dough), mixed together by hand to make a very ti ...

(Urdu: کلچه) * Lukhmi (Urdu: لقمی) * Namak para * Nargisi kofta *

Nihari Nihari (; bn, নিহারী; ); is a stew originating in Lucknow, the capital of 18th-century Awadh under the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of slow-cooked meat, mainly a shank cut of beef, lamb and mutton, or goa ...

, a popular national dish in Pakistan, was originally brought by Muhajirs (immigrants) from

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

, India. *

Paan Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects. The practice ...

(Urdu: پان), a traditional Muhajir betel leaf stimulant *

Pakora Pakora () is a spiced fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold by street vendors and served in restaurants in South Asia and UK. It consists of items, often vegetables such as potatoes and onions, coated in seasoned gram ...

(Urdu: پکوڑا) * Pasanda(Urdu: پسندے) * Pulao (Urdu: پلاؤ) *

Qorma Korma or qorma (; ; ) is a dish originating in Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt ( dahi), water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or gravy. Etymology The English name is an anglicisation of Hind ...

(Urdu: قورمه) * Rabri *

Raita Raita is a side dish in Indian cuisine made of dahi (yogurt, often referred to as curd) together with raw or cooked vegetables, more seldom fruit, or in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan ( chickpea flour, ...

*

Ras malai Ras malai, rasamalai, or rossomalai is a dessert originating from the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent. The dessert is called ''rossomalai'' in Bengali, ''ras malai'' in Hindi, and ''rasa malei'' in Odia. It is popular in India, Bangla ...

*

Sajji Sajji ( Balochi and Urdu: سجی) is a Balochi dish originating from the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Traditional and authentic sajji consists of lamb, marinated only in salt with a few spices. Sajji is considered done when it is at the ' r ...

*

Samosa A samosa () or singara is a fried Indian pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Sam ...

*

Seekh kebab The seekh kebab (Pashto and Urdu: , Hindi: ) is a type of kebab, originating in the Indian subcontinent. It is made with spiced, minced or ground meat, usually goat, lamb or chicken, and in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, sometimes made wi ...

*

Shami kebab Shami kabab or shaami kabab is a local variety of kebab, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It a popular dish in modern-day Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines. It is composed of a small patty of minced meat, generally beef, but ...

*

Shawarma Shawarma (; ar, شاورما) is a popular Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Ottoman Empire, consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Tradition ...

* Sheer korma or Sheer khurma *

Sheermal Sheermal ( Persian/Urdu: , hi, शीरमल), also spelled shirmal, is a saffron-flavored traditional flatbread eaten in Iran and the Indian subcontinent. The word sheermal is derived from the Persian words شیر ( translit. sheer) meaning mi ...

or Shirmal (Urdu: شیرمال) *

Siri paya Paya is a traditional food from South Asia. It is served at various festivals and gatherings, or made for special guests. ''Paya'' means 'feet' in Urdu. The main ingredients of the dish are the trotters (hooves) of a cow, goat, buffalo or shee ...

*

Taftan Taftan (in Persian: تفتان ''Taftân'') may refer to: * Taftan (volcano), located in Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran * Taftan, Balochistan Taftan ( ur, ) ( bal, ) is a trunk road and railway town in Chagai District, Balochistan, ...

(Urdu: تافتان) * Ajwain Paratha * Anday wala Burger (

Egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...

Burger) * Chana Chaat * Boti Kebab * Channa Dal paratha * Dahi Baray * Dhaniya Paratha * Fry Kebab * Galawati Kebab * Gil e firdaus * Gola Kebab * Habshi Halwa * Kache Qeema Kebab * Kaleji (liver) Kabab * Kebab roll * Lamb karahi * Lamb Tikka * Lauki ka Paratha * Lauki Ka Halwa * Mashed dal Paratha * Mattar (peas) Paratha * Methi (fenugreek leaves) wala Paratha * Mooli (Reddish ) Paratha * Murgh -e- Musallam * Pyaz (onion) ka Paratha * Qeema Naan * Qeema Paratha * Reshmi Kebab * Rizala * Rumali Roti (Urdu: رومالی روٹی) * Shab Daig * Sultani Dal * Tandoori Paratha * Tahihri (rice colored yellow with potato) * Warqui (layered) Paratha * Zamin Doz Macchli (fish stuffed with spices and sealed in earthenware case which is then cooked for 8 hours)

Gallery

File:Bakar Khani.JPG,

Baqerkhani Bakarkhani or Baqarkhani, also known as bakar khani roti, is a thick, spiced flat-bread that is part of the Mughlai cuisine. Bakarkhani is prepared on certain Muslim religious festivals and is now popular as sweet bread. Bakorkhani is almost bi ...

File:Bun Kabab.JPG,

Bun kebab Bun Kebab ( ur, ) is a sandwich native to Pakistan, but now available all over the Indian subcontinent. Bun kebabs are a signature in Pakistani metro cities like Karachi and Lahore, but they can be found all over Pakistan. In India, it is eaten ...

File:Tikka 2.JPG, Chicken tikka File:Dalcha.JPG, Dal Gosht File:Double Ka Meetha.JPG,

Double ka meetha Double ka meetha (also known as '' Shahi Tukra'', is an Indian bread pudding sweet made of fried bread slices soaked in hot milk with spices, including saffron and cardamom. Double ka meetha is a dessert of Hyderabad. It is popular in Hyderab ...

File:Karachi Falooda.jpg,

Falooda A ''falooda'' is a Mughlai Indian version of a cold dessert made with noodles. It has origins in the Persian dish '' faloodeh'', variants of which are found across West, Central, and South Asia. Traditionally it is made by mixing rose syrup, ...

File:Gol Guppas-Noida-UP-SP001.jpg, Golgappa/

Panipuri Panipuri (originally known as ''jalapatra'' from Mahabharata times) (), phuchka (), gupchup, golgappa, or ''pani ke patashe'' is a type of snack originating in the Indian subcontinent, where it is an extremely common street food. Ingredients ...

File:Pakistani Haleem served with garnish.jpg,

Haleem Haleem is a type of stew that is widely consumed in South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia. Although the dish varies from region to region, it optionally includes wheat or barley, meat and lentils. It is made by blending or mashing the m ...

served with garnish File:Chole puri halwa.jpg, Halwa poori File:Hyderabadi Dum Ki Biryani.JPG,

Sindhi biryani Sindhi Biryani is a special meat and rice biryani dish originating from the Sindh province of Pakistan. Owing to its popularity, it forms one of the most consumed dishes of Pakistani cuisine and Sindhi cuisine. Ingredients The following are t ...

File:Amrati or Jalebi.jpg,

Jalebi ''Jalebi'' (, , , Urdu: جلیبی‎, , , si, පැණි වළලු, ), is a popular sweet snack in south and west Asia, Africa, and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including ''jilapi'', ''zelepi'','' jilebi'', '' jilipi'', ''zulbia'', ...

File:Aaloo Ki Kachori.JPG,

Kachori Kachori () is a sweet and spicy deep-fried snack, originating in India subcontinent, and common in places with Indian diaspora and other South Asian diaspora. Alternative names for the snack include kachauri, kachodi and katchuri. History Ea ...

Sindhi Kadhi.JPG, Sindhi Kadhi File:Katakat.JPG, Kata-kat File:Kheer Special.JPG,

Kheer Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur w ...

File:Nargisi Kofta.JPG,

Kofta Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in Balkan, Middle Eastern, South Caucasian, South Asian and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meatusually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutto ...

/ Nargisi kofta File:Kulchachole.jpg,

Kulcha Kulcha is a type of mildly leavened flatbread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Recipe Kulcha is made from maida flour, water, a pinch of salt and a leavening agent (yeast or old kulcha dough), mixed together by hand to make a very ti ...

with Chana masala, Choley File:Lukmi.JPG, Lukhmi File:Namak Paray.JPG, Namak para, Namak Paray File:Beef Nihari.JPG,

Nihari Nihari (; bn, নিহারী; ); is a stew originating in Lucknow, the capital of 18th-century Awadh under the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of slow-cooked meat, mainly a shank cut of beef, lamb and mutton, or goa ...

File:Betel-leaf and Areca-nut.JPG,

Paan Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects. The practice ...

File:Pakora.JPG,

Pakora Pakora () is a spiced fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold by street vendors and served in restaurants in South Asia and UK. It consists of items, often vegetables such as potatoes and onions, coated in seasoned gram ...

File:Punjabi Yakhni Pulao.jpg, Pulao File:Degi Korma.JPG,

Qorma Korma or qorma (; ; ) is a dish originating in Indian subcontinent, consisting of meat or vegetables braised with yogurt ( dahi), water or stock, and spices to produce a thick sauce or gravy. Etymology The English name is an anglicisation of Hind ...

File:Homemade Rabri.jpg, Rabri File:Ras Malai.JPG,

Ras malai Ras malai, rasamalai, or rossomalai is a dessert originating from the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent. The dessert is called ''rossomalai'' in Bengali, ''ras malai'' in Hindi, and ''rasa malei'' in Odia. It is popular in India, Bangla ...

File:Sajji.JPG,

Sajji Sajji ( Balochi and Urdu: سجی) is a Balochi dish originating from the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Traditional and authentic sajji consists of lamb, marinated only in salt with a few spices. Sajji is considered done when it is at the ' r ...

File:Samosa fried.JPG,

Samosa A samosa () or singara is a fried Indian pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Sam ...

File:Shami Kabab.JPG,

Shami kebab Shami kabab or shaami kabab is a local variety of kebab, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It a popular dish in modern-day Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines. It is composed of a small patty of minced meat, generally beef, but ...

File:Shawerma Roll.JPG,

Shawarma Shawarma (; ar, شاورما) is a popular Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Ottoman Empire, consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Tradition ...

File:Sheermal bread made in Iran.jpg,

Sheermal Sheermal ( Persian/Urdu: , hi, शीरमल), also spelled shirmal, is a saffron-flavored traditional flatbread eaten in Iran and the Indian subcontinent. The word sheermal is derived from the Persian words شیر ( translit. sheer) meaning mi ...

File:Siri Paye .JPG,

Siri paya Paya is a traditional food from South Asia. It is served at various festivals and gatherings, or made for special guests. ''Paya'' means 'feet' in Urdu. The main ingredients of the dish are the trotters (hooves) of a cow, goat, buffalo or shee ...

File:Punjabi Chana Chaat.JPG, Chana masala, Chana Chaat / Cholay File:Bihari Boti.JPG, Bihari Kebab File:Lahori Charga.JPG, Chargah File:Chicken Karahi.JPG, Chicken karahi, Chicken Karahi File:Dahi Bara.JPG, Dahi Baray File:Gajar Ka Halwa.JPG, Gajer Ka Halwa File:Picture of tasty Gobi paratha.JPG, Gobhi Paratha with Yoghurt File:Gola Kabab 1.JPG, Gola Kebab File:Mutton Dil Kaleji Phephra.jpg, Kaleji (liver) Kabab Lahore Tikka House (2) - Plain Rice and Lahori Lamb Kabab, Take Two.jpg, Lamb Tikka with Plain Rice File:Loki Ka Halwa.JPG, Lauki Ka Halwa File:Pasanda Curry.JPG, Pasanday File:Reshmi Kabab.JPG, Reshmi Kebab File:Shab Daig.JPG, Shab Daig File:Seekh Kabab.JPG, Seekh Kabab File:Shahi Tukray (Shahi Tukda)..JPG, Shahi Tukray

References

{{Reflist, 30em Cuisine of Karachi, Muhajir cuisine, Muhajir history Pakistani cuisine, Food watchlist articles

Historical influences

Dishes

Gallery

See also

References