Blog · 103 articles

The kitchen notebook

Guides, techniques and stories from the Pakistani kitchen: the why behind the recipes, menus for Ramadan, Eid and dawats, and the food of every region.

Techniques · 3 min read

Air Fryer Guide for Desi Food: What Works, What Doesn't

How to use an air fryer for Pakistani and desi food: samosas, pakoray, tikka, kebabs, nuggets, fries and reheating, with times and temperatures, the tricks that make coatings crisp, and the dishes to keep on the stove.

Techniques · 4 min read

Baking Without an Oven: Cakes, Breads and Pizza in a Pot or on a Tawa

How Pakistani home cooks bake without an oven: the patila or degchi 'oven' with a stand and salt bed, temperatures and times for cakes, muffins and bread, tawa and pan baking, pressure-cooker and steamed cakes, and common mistakes.

Guides · 3 min read

Buying and Handling Chicken: Cuts, Desi vs Broiler, and Kitchen Safety

A practical guide to chicken in a Pakistani kitchen: broiler vs desi chicken, the cuts butchers offer (karahi cut, boti, boneless), how much to buy per person, freshness signs, storing and thawing, whether to wash raw chicken, and cooking it safely.

Guides · 3 min read

Cooking Desi Food for One or Two: A Guide for Students and People Living Abroad

How to cook Pakistani food for one or two without waste or boredom: a minimal spice kit, the five most useful tools, cooking once and eating three times, freezer portions, quick one-pot meals and a cheap weekly plan.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Fast Food at Home vs Takeaway: The Real Cost, Time and Quality

Is homemade fast food really cheaper? A worked cost breakdown for zinger burgers, pizza and loaded fries using example Pakistani prices, plus the time involved, where takeaway still wins, and how to make a home fast-food night easy.

Guides · 3 min read

Halal Cooking Abroad: Ingredients to Check on Labels

A practical guide for Muslims cooking and shopping outside Muslim-majority countries: gelatine, animal rennet, alcohol in vanilla and sauces, E-numbers like E120 and E441, emulsifiers, lard and shortening, and how to find reliable halal certification.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Kids' Birthday Party Menu at Home: What to Make, How Much, and a Prep Plan

Plan a children's birthday party menu at home: crowd-pleasing savoury and sweet food, quantities for 20 children and their parents, allergy and food-safety tips, a make-ahead timeline and ways to keep the budget down.

Techniques · 3 min read

The Egg Guide: Boiling Times, Freshness, Desi vs Farm Eggs and Perfect Omelettes

Everything about eggs in a desi kitchen: farm vs desi eggs, the water freshness test, exact boiling times from runny to hard, easy peeling, the secrets of a fluffy desi omelette and khageena, storage and raw-egg safety.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Weekly Meal Prep for Desi Food: Two Hours on Sunday, Easy Dinners All Week

A realistic Sunday meal-prep plan for Pakistani home cooking: what to prepare ahead (masala base, pastes, boiled chana, marinated chicken, dough), what not to, a step-by-step two-hour timeline, storage times and a sample week.

Guides · 4 min read

Which Cooking Oil? Ghee, Mustard Oil, Canola, Olive Oil and Banaspati Explained

A practical guide to cooking fats in a desi kitchen: which oil suits frying, bhunai, tarka and baking, smoke points, why to avoid banaspati, how many times you can reuse frying oil, and how to store oil.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

A 4-Week School Lunch Box Plan (With Prep Schedule)

Twenty school lunches planned for you: a four-week rotation of sandwiches, wraps, rice, pasta and desi favourites, with what to cook on Sunday, what to do each morning, and how to keep children from getting bored.

Guides · 3 min read

A Beginner's Guide to Indian Sweets (Mithai) You Can Make at Home

Indian mithai explained: milk-based sweets like rasgulla and mishti doi, nut fudges like kaju katli, gram flour sweets like Mysore pak, and yogurt desserts like shrikhand, with the key technique for each.

Food & culture · 3 min read

A Food Map of Pakistan: Region by Region

Pakistani food changes from region to region: Punjab's wheat and ghee, Sindh's rice and fish, KP's meat and salt, Balochistan's sajji and the apricots of Gilgit-Baltistan. A regional guide.

Guides · 3 min read

A Guide to Pakistani Daals: Masoor, Moong, Mash, Chana and More

Every common Pakistani daal explained: masoor, moong, mash, chana daal, arhar, plus whole beans like rajma and lobia. How they differ, soaking times, cooking times and the best way to cook each.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

A Ramadan Iftar Menu Planner, With a Make-Ahead Timeline

Plan a Pakistani iftar without spending the whole fast in the kitchen: a classic iftar menu, what to prepare in the morning, and a timeline for the last hour before sunset.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

A Turkish Breakfast (Kahvaltı) at Home, the Pakistani Way

How to set a Turkish breakfast spread at home: cheese, olives, tomatoes, eggs, honey, simit or bread, menemen and endless tea, with what to buy in Pakistan and a plan to get it all on the table.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

A Turkish Dinner Party Menu for a Pakistani Home

A complete Turkish-style dawat for 8–10 guests: meze, soup, kebab or stew, pilav, dessert, tea and coffee, with a two-day make-ahead plan, shopping tips and swaps for Pakistani kitchens.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

A Vegetarian Indian Dinner Party Menu (With a Cooking Plan)

A complete vegetarian Indian dinner party menu for 8: starters, two paneer curries, dal makhani, rice, breads, raita and dessert, with a make-ahead timeline so you can enjoy your own party.

Guides · 3 min read

Achar: A Beginner's Guide to Pakistani Pickles

Everything you need to know about Pakistani achar: mango, lemon, mixed and carrot pickles, the spices that define them, how traditional oil pickles work, and a simple quick achar to make at home.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Arabic Food for Beginners: Gulf vs Levantine Cooking Explained

A friendly guide to Arabic food: how Gulf cooking (mandi, kabsa, harees, luqaimat) differs from Levantine cooking (hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, shawarma), the key spices and pantry items, and the easiest dishes to start with at home.

Techniques · 4 min read

Bhunai: Why Your Curry Tastes Raw and How to Fix It

If your homemade curry tastes flat or raw, the problem is almost always the bhunai. What it is, how to know when it's done, and how to fix it mid-cook.

Techniques · 3 min read

Biryani vs Pulao: What's the Difference?

Biryani and pulao look similar but are cooked in completely different ways. Here's the real difference in method, flavour and occasion, with tips for getting both right.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Breakfast Ideas for Picky Eaters (and Children Who 'Aren't Hungry')

What to give children who refuse breakfast: small, appealing options, drinkable breakfasts, make-ahead food for slow mornings, and how to build the habit without daily battles. With desi and international ideas.

Drinks · 3 min read

Café-Style Coffee at Home Without a Machine

How to make café-quality coffee at home without an espresso machine: strong coffee from instant, moka pot or French press, frothing milk by hand, and ratios for cappuccino, latte and mocha.

Drinks · 3 min read

Chai in Pakistan: Doodh Patti, Karak, Kashmiri and Qehwa Explained

A guide to Pakistani chai: the difference between regular chai, doodh patti and karak, how pink Kashmiri chai gets its colour, and when qehwa is served.

Guides · 3 min read

Cheap Pakistani Meals That Still Taste Like Home

Budget-friendly Pakistani meals built on daal, chana, eggs, seasonal sabzi and rice: why they're cheap, how to make them satisfying, a sample week of dinners, and tips to stretch meat when you do buy it.

Techniques · 3 min read

Cooking With Yogurt Without It Splitting

Why yogurt curdles in curry and how to stop it: whisking, tempering, heat control and the right yogurt, plus how to rescue a split qorma or korma-style gravy.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Desi Chinese: How Pakistan Made Chinese Food Its Own

Chicken Manchurian, chowmein and chilli chicken aren't quite Chinese. How Pakistani-Chinese food came about, what makes it different, and how to cook it at home.

Techniques · 3 min read

Dhungar: The Coal-Smoke Trick for Smoky Food at Home

How to do dhungar, the Pakistani coal-smoking technique: what you need, step-by-step method, which dishes it suits (daal, keema, kebabs, tikka), and how to do it safely indoors.

Guides · 3 min read

Dosa, Idli and Vada: A Beginner's Guide to South Indian Breakfast

What's the difference between dosa, idli, uttapam and vada? A beginner's guide to South Indian breakfast: how one fermented batter makes three dishes, what to serve with them, and a simple weekend plan.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Eid ul Adha: What to Cook With Qurbani Meat, Cut by Cut

What to cook with qurbani meat on Eid ul Adha: which cuts suit tawa kaleji, karahi, chops, qorma, nihari and kebabs, plus how to store and freeze the rest safely.

Guides · 3 min read

Freezing and Storing Desi Food: What Keeps and for How Long

Which Pakistani dishes freeze well and which don't: salan, daal, biryani, kebabs, samosas, parathas and more, with storage times and how to reheat them properly.

Guides · 3 min read

Halal Food in Turkey: A Practical Guide for Pakistani Travellers

Eating halal in Turkey: how meat is generally handled, where alcohol and pork can turn up, useful Turkish words and phrases, which restaurants to look for, and what to order on your first trip.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Healthy After-School Snacks Children Actually Want

Quick, filling after-school snacks that beat crisps and biscuits: homemade nuggets, kebab bites, chana chaat, fruit chaat, muffins, smoothies and toasties, with ideas you can prepare on the weekend.

Guides · 3 min read

Homemade Garam Masala: A Simple Pakistani Blend

How to make Pakistani garam masala at home: a balanced blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and pepper, with how to roast, grind and store it.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Hosting a Pakistani Evening Tea: Snacks and Sweets

How to host a Pakistani evening tea: the chai, the savoury snacks (samosas, pakoray, sandwiches), the sweets and cakes, and a plan for preparing it all ahead.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Control the Heat in Pakistani Food

How to make Pakistani food milder or hotter without ruining it: understanding red chili, green chili, Kashmiri chili and black pepper, adjusting a recipe, and fixing a curry that's too spicy.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Cook Basmati Rice So Every Grain Stays Separate

How to cook basmati rice that's long, fluffy and separate every time: choosing rice, washing, soaking, the right water ratio, and the boiling method used for biryani.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Ferment Dosa and Idli Batter (Even in Cold Weather)

Why dosa and idli batter won't rise, and how to fix it: the right rice and dal ratio, grinding tips, the ideal temperature, how to ferment in winter or a cold climate, and how to tell when the batter is ready.

Guides · 3 min read

How to Get Children to Eat Vegetables (Hidden and Not Hidden)

Practical ways to get more vegetables into children: grating them into parathas, kebabs and pancakes, blending them into sauces and soups, plus the long-term habits that help children learn to like vegetables they can see.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

How to Host a Dawat on a Budget (Without It Looking Cheap)

Practical ways to cut the cost of a Pakistani dawat: choosing the right meat, one rice dish and one salan, cheap fillers that guests love, homemade desserts and drinks, smart shopping and avoiding waste, with real numbers from our dawat planner.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

How to Make a Halwa Puri Breakfast at Home

Recreate the classic Pakistani Sunday halwa puri breakfast at home: puri, suji halwa, chanay and achar, with a plan for what to make the night before so it all comes together hot.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Make and Store Ginger-Garlic Paste

Homemade ginger-garlic paste for Pakistani cooking: the right ratio, how to blend it smooth, and how to store it for weeks in the fridge or months in the freezer without it turning green.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Make Paneer at Home (and How to Cook It)

Make soft, fresh paneer at home from milk and lemon juice in 30 minutes, plus tips for keeping shop-bought paneer soft and a guide to the best paneer dishes: butter masala, palak, kadai, shahi and malai kofta.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Make Tough Mutton and Beef Tender

Why mutton and beef turn out tough in Pakistani curries, and how to fix it: choosing cuts, marinating, raw papaya, slow cooking, pressure cooking and resting fresh meat.

Guides · 3 min read

How to Price Food for a Home Kitchen Business in Pakistan

A step-by-step way to price homemade food: ingredient cost, the hidden costs most home cooks forget, your time, packaging and delivery, and a sensible profit margin, with a worked example and how to use our recipe cost calculator.

Techniques · 3 min read

How to Reduce Milk for Kheer, Rabri and Kulfi

How to reduce milk for Pakistani desserts without burning it: the right pot, heat and stirring, how long it takes, how thick it should be for kheer, rabri, kulfi and rasmalai, and shortcuts.

Techniques · 4 min read

How to Save Cooking Gas in a Pakistani Kitchen

Practical ways to use less gas (and LPG) when cooking: pressure cookers, lids, soaking, the right pan and flame, batch cooking, retained-heat cooking, keeping burners clean, and staying safe with gas, especially in winter.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Indian and Pakistani Food: What's Shared and What's Different

Indian and Pakistani food share a long history, many dishes and the same Punjabi heart, but they're not identical. A friendly look at what's shared, what's different, and the dishes each side does best.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Indian Food for Beginners: The Regional Cuisines Explained

A friendly guide to Indian food beyond curry houses: how South, North, West and East Indian cooking differ, the key ingredients of each region, and the easiest dishes to start cooking at home.

Guides · 3 min read

Indian Spices Beyond Garam Masala: Curry Leaves, Hing, Mustard Seeds and More

A guide to the Indian spices and flavourings that Pakistani and Western kitchens rarely stock: curry leaves, hing, mustard seeds, kokum, panch phoron, Kashmiri chilli, amchur and more, with what each does and how to substitute.

Drinks · 3 min read

Indian Summer Drinks: Chaas, Aam Panna, Jaljeera and 10 More Coolers

The traditional Indian drinks that beat the heat: spiced buttermilk, raw mango aam panna, jaljeera, kokum sharbat, sattu, bel, nannari, rose milk and more, with which to choose for each kind of day.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Istanbul Street Food: What to Eat and What to Cook at Home

Simit, balık ekmek, midye, lahmacun, dürüm, kumpir, roasted chestnuts, boza and fresh pomegranate juice: a practical guide to Istanbul's street food, with home versions you can make in Pakistan.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Karachi Street Food: Bun Kebab, Gol Gappay and Burns Road

A guide to Karachi's street food: bun kebab, gol gappay, chaat, nihari and BBQ, why the city's food is so varied, and how to recreate the classics at home.

Guides · 4 min read

Karahi, Degchi, Tawa: The Pots and Pans of a Pakistani Kitchen

The essential Pakistani kitchen tools explained: karahi, degchi, tawa, patila, pressure cooker, belan and more. What each is for, what to buy first and how to care for them.

Guides · 3 min read

Karahi, Handi, Qorma, Salan: Pakistani Curry Styles Explained

What's the difference between karahi, handi, qorma, salan, bhuna and achari? A guide to Pakistani curry styles, how each is cooked, and what makes them taste different.

Guides · 4 min read

Keeping Food Safe in Summer Heat and Loadshedding

How long cooked food can safely sit out in a Pakistani summer, cooling rice and salan quickly, what to do with the fridge during loadshedding, which foods spoil fastest, and safe reheating, from widely used food safety guidance.

Techniques · 3 min read

Kitchen Measurements in Pakistan: Pao, Ser, Tola, Cups and Grams

A clear conversion guide for Pakistani kitchens: traditional weights (tola, chatank, pao, ser, maund) in grams, how cups and spoons work, grams per cup for common ingredients like rice, atta, sugar and besan, and handy everyday equivalents.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Lahori Food: Nihari, Paye, Fish and the Walled City

A guide to Lahore's food culture: nihari and paye for breakfast, winter fish, lassi, halwa puri, and the old city's food streets, plus the Lahori dishes you can cook at home.

Drinks · 3 min read

Lassi: Sweet, Salted and Everything in Between

A complete guide to Pakistani lassi: sweet and namkeen lassi, mango lassi, choosing the right yogurt, getting a thick froth, the malai topping, and when lassi is traditionally drunk.

Guides · 3 min read

Learning Pakistani Cooking: Where to Start

A beginner's roadmap to Pakistani cooking: the five techniques to learn first, ten recipes to cook in order, and the common mistakes that make homemade desi food taste flat.

Techniques · 3 min read

Lighter Desi Cooking: Less Oil, Same Flavour

How to cook lighter Pakistani food without losing flavour: using less oil while keeping the bhunai, choosing healthier fats, grilling instead of frying, and smarter portions.

Guides · 3 min read

Mandi vs Kabsa vs Machboos: Gulf Rice Dishes Explained

What's the difference between mandi, kabsa and machboos? A clear comparison of the Gulf's famous rice and meat dishes: where each comes from, how it's cooked, the spices, and how they compare with biryani and pulao.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Meze and Turkish Salads: How to Build a Spread for Guests

What meze is, the Turkish salads and small plates worth making, and how to put together a meze spread for a dawat: kısır, çoban salatası, imam bayıldı, börek, yogurt dips and more, with a make-ahead plan.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Mild Desi Food for Children

How to cook Pakistani food children will eat: mild recipes, how to adjust spice without losing flavour, and family dishes that work for everyone from toddlers to grandparents.

Drinks · 3 min read

Mocktails for Weddings and Parties: Drinks for a Crowd

How to serve alcohol-free mocktails for a crowd at weddings, mehndis, birthdays and iftar: choosing drinks, making bases ahead, quantities per guest, and serving tips.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Mumbai Street Food: Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav, Bhel and More at Home

A guide to Mumbai's most famous street foods, from vada pav and pav bhaji to bhel puri, sev puri and misal pav, with the chutneys, spice mixes and drinks you need to recreate them at home.

Guides · 3 min read

Nut-Free Lunch Box Ideas for School

Many schools now ban nuts because of allergies. Here's how to pack tasty, filling nut-free lunches and snacks, which everyday ingredients to watch out for, and desi and international recipes that are safe to send.

Techniques · 3 min read

Onions in Pakistani Cooking: Soft, Golden, Brown or Birista?

How to cook onions for Pakistani curries: the four stages (soft, golden, brown and birista), which dishes need which, how long each takes, and how to avoid burning them.

Drinks · 3 min read

Ottoman Sherbets: The Cool Drinks of the Turkish Table

What a Turkish şerbet is, how it differs from Pakistani sharbat, and how to make the classics at home: sour cherry, rose, tamarind, mulberry, quince and cornelian cherry, plus hoşaf and lohusa şerbeti.

Drinks · 3 min read

Pakistan's Traditional Summer Drinks

The drinks Pakistan relies on in the heat: lassi, shikanjvi, Rooh Afza, sattu, falooda, sugarcane juice, imli sharbat and mango shakes. What they are and how to make them at home.

Techniques · 4 min read

Pakistani BBQ at Home, With or Without a Grill

How to make Pakistani BBQ at home: marinades, papaya, charcoal tips, and how to get the same smoky tikka and kebabs from a pan or oven using the dhungar coal trick.

Guides · 3 min read

Pakistani Desserts for Beginners

Where to start with Pakistani desserts: the easiest sweets to make first, the techniques behind them, and how to progress from kheer and suji halwa to gulab jamun and rasmalai.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Pakistani Lunchbox Ideas for School and Office

Practical Pakistani lunchbox ideas for school and office: paratha rolls, kebabs, pulao, sandwiches and leftovers that travel well, plus tips to keep food fresh until lunch.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Pakistani Mango Season: Varieties and What to Make

A guide to Pakistani mangoes: Sindhri, Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol, Langra and more, when each is in season, how to choose ripe mangoes, and the best things to make with them.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Pakistani Winter Food: Saag, Gajar Halwa, Fish and Soup

What Pakistan eats when the weather turns cold: sarson ka saag, gajar halwa, Lahori fish, nihari and paye, chicken corn soup, Kashmiri chai and dry fruits. A guide to the winter table.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Planning a Dawat: How to Cook for 15–20 Guests

How to plan and cook a Pakistani dawat for 15–20 people: a balanced menu, how much food to make per person, a cooking schedule over three days, and tips for serving hot.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Quick Pakistani Dinners You Can Make in Under 45 Minutes

Weeknight Pakistani dinners that are on the table in 45 minutes or less: daal, karahi, keema, eggs, sabzi and desi Chinese, with tips to make everyday desi cooking faster.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Rainy Day Food: Why Pakistanis Crave Pakoras and Chai When It Rains

The Pakistani tradition of pakoras, samosas and chai in the rain, plus other monsoon favourites like aloo paratha, khichdi and roasted corn. Tips for crisp frying in humid weather and staying safe with food in the monsoon.

Guides · 3 min read

Ramadan Grocery List for a Pakistani Family (With Quantities)

A practical month-long Ramadan shopping list for a family of 4–5: iftar staples, sehri essentials, drinks, what to buy before Ramadan, what to buy weekly, make-ahead freezer prep, and tips to keep costs down.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Ramadan in Turkey: What's on a Turkish Iftar Table

How Turkish families open the fast, from dates, olives and lentil soup to Ramadan pide, güllaç, sherbets and hoşaf. A Turkish iftar menu you can cook in Pakistan, with a simple plan.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Sehri Ideas That Keep You Full Through the Fast

What to eat at sehri to stay full and energised during a Ramadan fast: Pakistani sehri ideas built on protein, slow-release carbs and enough water, plus what to avoid.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Shab-e-Barat Halwa: The Food Tradition and How to Make It

Why many Pakistani families make halwa on Shab-e-Barat, the halwas most often cooked (suji, chana daal, anday ka, gajar), tips for making large batches to share with neighbours, and how to keep it fresh.

Techniques · 3 min read

Sugar Syrup (Chashni) for Desi Sweets, Explained

How to make chashni, the sugar syrup used in Pakistani sweets: the ratios, how to test thread consistency, which sweets need which syrup, and how to fix syrup that's too thick or crystallised.

Techniques · 3 min read

Tarka: The Last Step That Makes Daal Taste Like Home

How to make the perfect tarka (baghar) for daal: which fat, which spices, how hot the oil should be, and how to avoid burning the garlic. Plus five tarka variations.

Food & culture · 3 min read

The Food of a Pakistani Wedding

What's served at a Pakistani wedding: the mehndi, baraat and walima menus, the dishes that appear at almost every shaadi, and why wedding biryani and qorma taste the way they do.

Guides · 3 min read

The Pakistani Pantry: A Shopping List for Beginners

Everything you need to stock a kitchen for Pakistani cooking: spices, lentils, rice, flour, oils, sauces and fresh staples, with what to buy first and what can wait.

Guides · 5 min read

The Pakistani Spice Box: The Spices You Need and How to Use Them

Which spices do you actually need for Pakistani cooking? A practical guide to the masala dabba: what each spice does, whole vs ground, and how to store them.

Guides · 3 min read

The Turkish Spice Shelf in Pakistan: What to Buy and What to Substitute

Cooking Turkish food in Pakistan? A practical guide to pul biber, sumac, salça, bulgur, yufka, kadayıf, pomegranate molasses and Turkish cheese, with where to find them and the best local substitutes.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Turkish and Pakistani Food: Distant Cousins at the Same Table

Why Turkish food feels so familiar to Pakistanis: shared roots, shared words like pilav, köfte and şerbet, and the real differences in spice, fat and technique, dish by dish.

Food & culture · 3 min read

Turkish Desserts: A Guide for Pakistani Sweet Lovers

Baklava, künefe, sütlaç, revani and more: the main families of Turkish desserts, how they compare with Pakistani mithai, which are easy at home, and how to serve them with tea or coffee.

Guides · 3 min read

Turkish Eggplant Dishes: Karnıyarık, İmam Bayıldı and More

Why Turkey loves eggplant, the five dishes worth knowing (karnıyarık, imam bayıldı, ali nazik, hünkar beğendi and musakka), and practical tips for frying with less oil, smoky flame roasting and choosing baingan in Pakistan.

Drinks · 3 min read

Turkish Fermented Drinks: Ayran, Şalgam, Boza and Kefir

A clear guide to Turkey's traditional fermented and cultured drinks, how they compare with lassi and kanji, how to make them safely at home, and honest notes on which contain traces of alcohol.

Drinks · 3 min read

Turkish Herbal Teas: Ihlamur, Sage, Rosehip and More

A guide to Turkey's herbal teas (bitki çayı): linden, sage, rosehip, chamomile, mint-lemon, fennel and winter tea. What each tastes like, when Turks drink them, what to buy in Pakistan, and honest notes on health claims.

Techniques · 3 min read

Turkish Kebabs Explained: Adana, Şiş, Köfte, İskender and Döner

A Pakistani cook's guide to Turkish kebabs: what makes Adana different from seekh kebab, how şiş, köfte, İskender and döner are made, the role of fat and pepper, and how to cook each one at home.

Guides · 3 min read

Turkish Soups: A Simple Guide to Çorba

Why Turks eat soup at breakfast, lunch and iftar, the main types of Turkish çorba from lentil to yogurt soup, how they differ from Pakistani shorba and yakhni, and tips for getting them right.

Drinks · 3 min read

Turkish Tea and Coffee Culture: Çay, Kahve and Everything in Between

How Turks drink tea and coffee: the double teapot, tulip glasses, light or dark tea, Turkish coffee with its foam and fortune telling, plus salep and apple tea, and how it all compares with Pakistani chai.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

Unexpected Guests? A Pakistani Menu You Can Make in an Hour

What to cook when guests arrive with little warning: a freezer and pantry stash to keep ready, quick snacks for the first 15 minutes, a one-hour dinner plan, fast desserts and drinks, and how to make a simple meal look generous.

Techniques · 3 min read

Using a Pressure Cooker for Pakistani Food

How to use a pressure cooker for Pakistani cooking: timings for mutton, beef, chicken, daal and beans, how many whistles, and how to keep the flavour of slow-cooked dishes.

Guides · 3 min read

Vegetarian Pakistani Food: Much More Than Daal

Pakistani cuisine is famously meaty, but its vegetarian dishes are excellent: sabzis, daals, beans, rice, breads, snacks and sweets. A guide to eating vegetarian the Pakistani way.

Menus & occasions · 3 min read

What to Cook for Eid ul Fitr: A Complete Menu

A complete Pakistani Eid ul Fitr menu: sheer khurma for the morning, a lunch of biryani or qorma, sides, desserts and drinks, plus what to make ahead so you enjoy the day too.

Guides · 3 min read

What to Do With Leftover Salan, Rice and Roti

Turn Pakistani leftovers into new meals: leftover salan into paratha rolls, rice into fried rice or kheer, roti into churi or chips, plus how long leftovers keep safely.

Techniques · 3 min read

Why Your Roti Isn't Soft, and How to Fix It

Hard, chewy or flat roti? The common reasons homemade chapati turns out stiff, and the fixes: dough consistency, resting, rolling, tawa heat and how to keep roti soft for hours.