Hi! Here's an overdue roundup of easy Pakistani recipes for beginner cooks. I'm into my sixth year of Pakistan Eats (!!!), and I frequently hear friends say they love the look of the recipes on the blog but are too afraid to cook them. Many are intimidated by the number of spices required or the steps involved.
In order to dispel the myth that South Asian cooking is difficult and that Pakistani recipes are inaccessible, I have compiled this roundup of recipes that are simple, don't require a ton of obscure ingredients and spices, and are delicious. Hope it will encourage you to take that first step, and give Pakistani home cooking a try.
Boneless Chicken Karahi
This had to be the first on the list because I find the flavors to be quintessentially Pakistani. This was also one of the first recipes on the blog. When I just started to learn to cook Pakistani food, I would frequently turn to it. It's not difficult to master, and always delivers stellar results.
Beef Keema (Ground Beef)
No roundup of Pakistani dishes can be complete without a keema recipe. Keema is ground meat. In my earlier roundup on healthy recipes, I shared the chicken keema recipe. The one below is a beef version. This recipe is unusual because it omits the use of tomatoes; and it incorporates a generous helping of yogurt towards the end.
Chana Pulao (Chickpea Pilaf)
Another recipe that I think is quintessentially Pakistani. It also dispels the myth that Pakistani is predominantly meat heavy and too rich. Chana pulao is so light and filling. Pair it with a side of cooling raita and these easy broiled kebabs, and you have a complete meal.
Tahri (Rice with Potatoes)
Tahri doesn't come up enough when you talk about South Asian food. It's a beloved summer dish across the sub-continent. Check out this great piece by my friend, Shirin Mehrotra about the origins of this dish. The recipe below is my mother's recipe that uses potatoes but tahri can take many forms.
Aloo Sabzi (Curried Potatoes)
This is a Punjabi household staple. While minor details may vary from home to home, the basics are the same: potatoes simmered in a spicy tomato-onion base. It's a vegan recipe that I personally love to have with roti or naan but many also enjoy with rice.
Bhindi Masala
Another Punjabi household staple, this is a great dish to master if you love ordering bhindi masala at your favorite South Asian restaurant. It's a straightforward recipe that consistently delivers great results.
Masoor Ki Daal (Red Lentils)
No roundup of Pakistani recipes (especially one for beginners) can be complete without a daal recipe. One reader mentioned that she always felt intimidated by the variety of lentils, and she would always return from the store empty handed. For those who can relate to her, I will urge you to start with this recipe for masoor daal or red lentils that are easily available in any major grocery store.
Kaali Daal (Black Lentils)
In my opinion, kaali daal is so under-appreciated. This recipe below was shared by my aunt's cook, Aziz. What I especially love about this particular recipe is the composition of its tadka (tempered spices) that really takes it to the next level.
Roadside Style Fried Fish
I love Hina's contribution to the blog for this recipe of Naran style fried trout that she would frequently have when on road trips with family. You can swap out the trout with any fish fillet.
Seviyan (Vermicelli Pudding)
I wasn't planning on including a sweet but excluding seviyan from an "easy Pakistani recipe" roundup just seemed wrong! An Eid staple in households across Pakistan, this is an incredibly easy dessert to master.
Pakistani Style Kali Dal (Black Lentils)
Equipment
- 1 Medium-sized saucepan or skillet
- 1 Small-sized frying pan
Ingredients
Daal
- 1 cup whole masoor dal (brown lentils) rinsed in several changes of water and soaked for 1 hour or overnight.
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon crushed ginger
- ¼ medium-sized yellow or white onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper halved
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
Tadka
- ¼ medium-sized yellow or white onion halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 dried red chilies
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Instructions
- Add lentils, salt, sliced onion, crushed garlic and ginger, half of the black pepper and all ground spices up until the tadka in a medium-sized lidded saucepan. Pour 5 cups of water and stir until well-mixed. Bring to a boil and lower to a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let the dal cook until the lentils break easily with a fork, about 40 to 50 minutes.
- Once the lentils have soften, remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Mash the lentils against the saucepan with a wooden span until you get a creamy consistency. Top with the remaining black pepper, and let the lentils cook, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes until it thickens some more. Remove from heat and place in serving bowl.
Tadka
- When ready to serve, get the tadka ready. In a small frying pan, heat oil over medium to medium-low heat until it begins to shimmer. Place the onions and let them cook until they begin to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add sliced garlic, and fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute until it begins to brown at the edges. Take care to not let the onions and garlic get too dark. Add cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds before adding the dried red chiles. As soon as they change color, remove from heat and pour over dal.
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