If you’re on the hunt for a Pakistani restaurant in the U.S., you’ll find them in many cities. Even so, the food from Pakistan remains relatively unknown. Spicy, aromatic, diverse and flavorful, it bears a close resemblance to that of India, Persia, China, and Central Asia. It can also stand on its own.
Now a cookbook by journalist Maryam Jillani aims to demonstrate the variety and complexity of Pakistani cuisine, while keeping in mind the regional diversity as well as the impact from other cultures. A Pakistani meal is generally centered around a meat-based dish (lamb, beef or chicken). Featured with it is a rice dish, which can be either plain boiled rice, or a specialty such as biriyani. Often called the national dish of Pakistan, biriyani is a fragrant concoction in which rice is layered with meat, fish or vegetables, and enriched with spices. In a typical meal, bread, vegetable side dishes and chutney are also offered. Sliced fruit and hot tea complete the repast. “Tea reigns supreme in Pakistan,” Jillani says. “It’s over tea that secrets are spilled and deals are made.”
To write this book, Jillani, who was born in Pakistan but who now lives in Manila, takes time to journey across different territories of Pakistan. In each place, she samples provincial specialties, collecting recipes and stories and acknowledging the influences they showcase.
One notable area is the Hunza Valley, located in Northern Pakistan. The Hunza, a mountain people who inhabit this area, are known for their vigor and longevity. This is believed to be the result of their plant-based and nature-focused lifestyle and consumption of unprocessed food. Example of a recipe is Hoi Lo Garma (Hunza-style Spinach with Handmade Whole Wheat Noodles.) This vegetarian entrée emphasizes spinach, abundant in the valley. Another recipe is Hunza-Style Cheese Raita, an easy-to-prepare yogurt-and-cottage cheese condiment that can be made ahead.
Jillani divides her book into eight chapters, all highlighted by personal stories and stunning photography. (The book cover, it should be mentioned, is enchanting.) Chapter titles are Raitas, Relishes and Chutneys; Street Food and Snacks; Vegetables and Legumes; Fish and Seafood; Meat and Poultry; Bread and Rice; Sweets; and Drinks. In an earlier chapter titled The Pakistani Pantry, she explains the usage of fresh spices and herbs.
The recipes, often home-style and shared by Jillani’s friends and acquaintances, are generally accessible. Lobia Karahi (Red Kidney Beans with Tomatoes) is a simple concoction from the city of Peshawar and is described as “affordable, filling and delicious.” Dum Keema (Smoked Ground Beef) employs a cooking method in which you “infuse your dish with coal smoke through a quick light coat.” Nihari (Beef Shank Stew), which may have been born in New Delhi, is so appetizing that it can be equally enjoyed at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Nankhatai (Semolina Shortbread), which originated in a Dutch-owned bakery, is a “delicious, crumbly shortbread that is best served with tea.”
A question might be asked: Does this represent traditional Pakistani cuisine? Jillani answers by saying, “By underscoring the lived experience of Pakistanis, it (the book) aims to show how Pakistani cuisine is colorful, global, and breaks the rules.”
Bharti Kirchner is the author of nine novels and four cookbooks, her latest being Murder at Jaipur: A Maya Mallick Mystery.
