Keema is a stew that is usually prepared as a curry with ingredients such as minced lamb or chicken meat, green peas, ginger-garlic paste, chili, onions, ghee, and garam masala spices. The name of the dish means minced meat in Urdu. Although keema is most popular in north India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, some believe that the dish has Persian origins due to the fact that it was first mentioned as a recipe in Ain-I-Akbari (a document about emperor Akbar's empire).
Keema is commonly served as a main dish, accompanied by pav buns or naan and other flatbreads. It can also be used as a filling for samosas and parathas.
Korma is a creamy meat stew (although it could also be made in a vegetarian version) with a mild flavor, made with saffron, yogurt, and various spices such as coriander, ginger, cumin seeds, chiles, and turmeric. It is believed that it originated in the royal kitchen of Akbar during the mid-1500s as a fusion of Persian and Indian cuisine.
The dish got its name after one of the tribes of the Rajputs, a warrior clan of western India. It is recommended to serve kormas with flatbreads such as chapati, paratha, or naan. There are three main bases of korma: North Indian korma with almonds, cashews and yogurt (there are two subgroups of this korma: Mughalai (with reduced milk) and Shahi (with cream)), korma Kashmir with almonds, cashews, yogurt, milk, and dried fruits, and South Indian korma with coconut, coconut milk, almonds, cayenne peppers, and fennel seeds.
Chicken karahi is a poultry dish that is popular in Pakistan and North India. The word karahi in its name refers to a thick and deep cooking-pot similar to a wok in which the dish is prepared. Apart from chicken, the dish is made with red chili powder, cumin, garam masala, ginger, allspice, cardamom, tomatoes, and garlic.
When prepared with mutton, the dish is known as gosht karahi. It is traditionally served with rice, roti, or naan.
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A specialty of Pashtun cuisine, this spicy meat patty is prepared with a combination of minced beef or mutton. The unique taste of chapli kabab comes from spices such as dried coriander and pomegranate seeds, green chillis, and mint. Its name is derived from a Pashto word chaprikh, meaning flat, and even though chapli kabab is often said to have originated in Peshawar, today it stands as a favorite throughout Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India.
Chapli kababs are traditionally served with yogurt sauce, salads, and naan bread.
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Seekh kabab is a delicious, juicy Pakistani kebab variety made with a combination of minced meat (typically lamb), onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, lemon juice, yogurt, and garam masala. The spices used in the dish can be modified according to personal preferences.
The meat mixture is placed on skewers, and the kebabs are then grilled over hot coals, giving them a nice smokey flavor in the process, although they can also be prepared in a tandoor oven. Seekh kabab is traditionally served piping hot with salads, onions, fries, mint chutney, or flatbreads on the side.
Nihari is a popular meat-based dish originating from Old Delhi. When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, numerous immigrants from Delhi settled in Karachi, where they established their own restaurants, so nihar is also associated with Pakistani cuisine.
The dish consists of slowly cooked meat such as beef shanks, mutton, or chicken. The meat is cooked together with stock and numerous spices such as cumin, cloves, garam masala, and cardamom in big vessels which are sealed with dough. It takes anywhere from six to eight hours for nihari to be cooked properly, and it is traditionally consumed for breakfast, since the name of the dish is derived from the Arabic word nahar, meaning morning.
MOST ICONIC Nihari
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Aloo gosht, from the words aloo and gosht meaning potatoes and meat respectively, is a traditional stew based on meat and potatoes. Lamb, mutton, or beef are the usual types of meat used in the preparation of this rich curry, but chicken can also be used.
The dish is made with chunks of meat and potatoes that are cooked long and slow with a mixture of garlic, ginger, tomatoes, onions, and various spices such as coriander, cinnamon, red chili powder, turmeric, and black pepper. The method of preparation results in tender meat and potatoes contained in a flavor-packed broth, which is typically finished off with a handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Murgh tikka is a popular Indian dish made from marinated chicken pieces that are grilled or roasted to perfection. The word "murgh" means chicken in Hindi and Urdu, and "tikka" refers to small, boneless pieces of meat that are marinated and cooked on skewers.
The chicken is typically marinated in a mixture of yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and sometimes mustard oil, which tenderizes the meat and infuses it with a rich, tangy flavor. Common spices in the marinade include turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, and paprika, which also give the dish its signature bright orange or red hue.
Sajji is a popular Pakistani dish originating from the province of Balochistan. It consists of marinated, skewered, and roasted lamb or chicken. The meat is typically marinated in salt, although it can also be combined with green papaya paste or stuffed with potatoes and rice.
Traditionally, whole chickens are roasted over an open fire so that the burning wood imparts a smoky flavor to the meat. When properly prepared, the meat should be crisp on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside, and consumers often squeeze lemon juice over the meat before eating.
Bihari kebab is a traditional Indian-Pakistani dish that's unique for its marinade, infused with mustard oil, dahi, poppy seeds, nutmeg, garam masala, and papaya paste. The dish is prepared with thinly sliced fillets, usually beef. It's marinated for a long time, then placed on wooden skewers and cooked on a grill.
Once done, the chunks of meat are usually served on paratha or naan with chutneys, onions, and chili.
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