Indus Valley Cuisine

[Neo]

Indus Valley Cuisine​

Although Pakistan is a relatively new 'country', the Indus River region where it's situate, is referred to as a cradle of civilization with archaeologists having found fossils of Homo sapiens in the area which date back 50,000 years. Located in South West Asia and having borders with Afghanistan and Iran to the west, India to the East and China to the north, Pakistan straddles the natural trade route between central Asia and the Indian subcontinent which is perfectly positioned for numerous invasions.

​

Ancient times and influences​

The region now known as Pakistan was invaded and re-invaded over the years, starting with the Aryans from Central Asia around 1,700 BC, who displaced the Indus Civilization and brought Hinduism to the region, to the Persians in the 6th Century BC, Alexander the Great and the Sassanians.

It became part of the Mogul Empire in 1526, bringing Muslim rule and influences, and. During this period various styles of cooking evolved and remain to this day including Moghlai', tandoori, and murgh musallum'. It fell to British rule in the 1800's and 1947 saw the realisation of independent states (east and west Pakistan) with present day Pakistan emerging in 1956.

Much of its cuisine has been 'Indianised' throughout the 5,000-year history of the India-Pakistan subcontinent. The cuisine in the regions of Punjab, Sindh and Muhaj are clear examples of this, however Pakistani Pashtuns and Baluchese have retained their roots in Afghan-Iranian cooking.

Current day Cuisine​

Largely due to religious prohibitions - no pork for Muslims and no beef for Hindus - lamb and mutton were and are the most common meats used. Wheat and rice are the main staple of the Pakistani diet as is Roti, naan and Paratha which are all kinds of flat-breads. Most kitchens will have a rimless iron pan that is used to cook Roti and paratha.

Seasonal vegetables and lentils are also commonly used. Families with larger incomes eat more meat eggs, and fruits. And the more affluent cook with ghee, which is clarified butter, instead of with vegetable oil. The imaginative, and sometimes extreme use of spices, herbs and seasonings has transformed the otherwise plain staple foods into exotic concoctions. Chili powder, turmeric, garlic, paprika, cumin seed, bay leaf, coriander, cardamom, cloves, ginger and saffron are amongst the many herbs and spices widely used.

 

[Neo]

Punjab –the land of five rivers​

Punjab ,the land of the five rivers-Beas,Satluj,Chenab,Ravi and Jhelum,is also called the land of milk and honey.Perhaps it would be appropriate to call it the land of plenty!! Punjabi cooking and eating is just like the Punjabis themselves. It is simple and forthright.Punjabis are a hard working and fun loving community by nature with food and merriment,very much of part of their lives.

Punjabi cuisine is never complicated. Bhunao is one of the main techniques of Punjabi cuisine specially for non-vegetarian cooking.It brings to mind images of appetizing food.Being an agricultural state the staple food of Punjab is wheat and to accompany hot rotis and parathas are a variety of the most exotic vegetarian and non-vegetarian delights.

The earliest references to region’s food are found in the Vedas,which document the lives of the Aryans in the Punjab.Amazingly the elements mentioned over 6,000 years ago are still extant in this cuisine.This includes dairy-dughd(milk),ghrit(ghee) and dadhi(curd),shak(leafy green vegetables) and a variety of grain.Even today,the staple in the Punjab is grains and vegetablesin their basic form.

Ayurvedic texts refer to Vatika-a dumpling of sundried,spice specked delicacy made with lentil paste called vadi .The art of making vadi reached its acme in Amritsar with the arrival of the merchants of Marwar,who were invited by Ram Das,the fourth Guru if the Sikhs,to stream line the trade in the sacred city.There is also reference to vataka or vadha made of soaked coarsely ground and fermented mash(husked urad)daal.

The unhusked mash is the mother of all lentils.Rajmah derives from the word raj mash or the regal mash.Other pulses mentioned are chanak(channa dal) and alisandaga(identified as kabuli ar large channa)that is stated to have reached India with Alexender the Great’s troops who came to India via Afghanistan.

Punjab-this side of the border or that-is situated at the crossroads of the Silk Route. This allowed the Punjabis-Sikh, Hindu and Muslim-to imbibe diverse culinary influences. The proximity with Persia, Afghanistan and Central Asia gave them a taste for fresh and dried fruits and exotic nuts.

Punjabi cuisine has always been strongly influenced by Mughal invaders who brought with them the tradition of the great Tandoor and now Punjabi tandoori cooking is celebrated as one of the most popular cuisine through out the world.

Let’s take a look at some of the sub-regions that have contributed to enriching the cuisine of Punjab.

Peshawar-The most NorthWestern of districts in British India is a Pathan country and the fare is akin to the food eaten in Afganistan.The market in Peshawar handled,besides large volumes of cambric,silks and indigo,spices that came from Hyderabad(Deccan),saffron from Kashmir,sugar,salt,tea and asafetida from Delhi.The exports were raisins and dry fruits.

Rawalpindi-South of Hazara and east of Jhelum,separated from Kashmir with Attock to its west,the district of Rawalpindi is covered with groves of oak,olive and chestnut.The flora and fauna is the same as in the other parts of the lower Himalayas.This area has imbibed culinary influences from Kashmir,NorthWest frontier and the plains and the plains irrigated by the Indus.

Baluchistan-Bounded on South by Arabian sea and extending in the North to Afghanistan and NWFP,Baluchistan touches Persia in the west, and Sindh and Punjab in the East.

Food in the region has been basic and robust.Breads are made with wheat and jowar(barley).cheeses of different kinds are an integral part of the diet and among the vegetables onion,garlic and fresh asafoetida stalks are used. Rice and fish are the staple diet aloing the coast. Among the birds chakor and grouse relished.

Amritsar-Shaped like an oblong between the Ravi and Beas rivers,the districtlis northeast of Gurdaspur and south-west of Lahore.The forests of dhaak,baer,mango and jamun abounded in the district until recent timesurbanization decimated most of them.The chief crops are wheat,gram,barley,maize,rice,cotton,pulses and sugarcane.The region is famous for its buffaloes and its milk products

 

[Neo]

Sindh ​

Food is very important in Sindhi culture. A lot of attention is given to how the food is prepared and what combination of dishes are best. Over the years these combinations have become established and today when one mentions the combination, for example: Sai bhaji Pulao, all the side dishes that go with it automatically come to mind. In this instance, fried potatoes or fried okers, dahi. Some of the more common Sindhi foods are:

Dodo chutney Millet-flour kneaded with spices cooked unleavened on a skillet and eaten with a garlic-based mint chutney.

Seyal Pallo Sea-bass cooked in a base of onions and tomatoes, eaten with chapati. Very few people know how to cook it to perfection. As this fish is rich in oil the secret of how much oil to put in the cooking of the gravy becomes important. Also, there is no gravy as such, but a well cooked and blended base.

Seyal Dabroti Bread or chapati cooked in a base of coriander, garlic and tomatoes. This is a breakfast food. The same can be cooked in onions and tomato as well.

Seero Puri Another breakfast food. Seero is semolina cooked in butter or oil, fried on a slow fire till it turns light, golden brown, the aroma filling the house. Then, proportions of water and sugar are added, just enough to cook and sweeten the seero. Eaten with fried puri, it is as close to heaven as one can get. That is why perhaps seero is also served as an offering in temples.

Loli and yoghurt or Loli and Indian milk tea made with cardamom, This is a thick unleavened bread cooked on the skillet. The wheat dough is kneaded with onions, hot green pepper, garlic and coriander/cilantro leaves, all finely chopped. Along with salt and oil the flour is kneaded slowly into a fairly stiff dough. Then rolled out to one eighth inch thickness and cooked on the skillet on a low flame. When the loli is half done, a little oil is added to make it crisp.

Lolo is the sweet version of loli. In this wheat dough only a little salt is added, but a proportion of sugar syrup is added and the flour is kneaded with ghee or butter. Then cooked on the skillet slowly. Lolos are almost a quarter or more inches thick.

Malpura 'Churhi' dal. Malpuras are a kind of deep fried pancakes. Milk or yoghurt , black pepper corns and sugar are added to white flour and a thick batter is made. A circular pancake is then dropped into a flat frying pan which should contain about half an inch of oil to fry in. This sweet bread is eaten with boiled yellow mung dal in which only salt, a drop or so of oil and turmeric is added.

Meethi Aloo. Garlic, hot chili peppers and fresh or dry fennel leaves combine to transform the simple potato into a curry which can be eaten with chapati, puri, rice or regular bread.

Muttur Paneer can be made in different gravies, the chief ingredients are the peas and home made cottage cheese.

Thaynri is sweet rice, usually made on special occasions.

Kheerni Thickened (by boiling) milk with Cardamoms, Saffron and a number of rich mild spices.

 

[Neo]

Kashmir - The land of Saffron​

Kashmiri cuisine, comprising mostly of non-vegetarian dishes, is characterised by three different styles of cooking - the Kashmiri Pandit, the Muslims and the Rajput styles.

Traditional Kashmiri cooking is called 'Wazhawan' and is rich and aromatic with a wonderful flavour. Rice is the staple food and lamb, goat's meat and chicken form the basis of many famous dishes. Spices and condiments play a very important role in the Kashmiri delights.

Asafoetida, aniseed, dry garlic, cloves and cinnamon are added for extra flavoring. Kashmiri Hindus use fenugreek, ginger and aniseed in their food, while Muslims use garlic, Kashmiri chillies, cloves and cinnamon. One of the distinct features of Kashmiri cuisine is the generous use of curds in the gravies, giving the dishes a creamy consistency. Some known dishes of Kashmir are yakhni, tabaq naat, dum aloo, rogan josh and gaustaba. The dishes are cooked in mustard oil and water, with the addition of red and green chilies.

 

[Neo]

Balochistan & Sarhad ​

The two most western provinces have a very rich and diverse cuisine influenced by Turkish, Persian, Afghani and even Arab herbs and cooking style. Blaoch and Sahadi people love meat, unlike estern provinces food is mostly non vegeterian and less spicy.
Most popular dishes throughout the region are Sajjhi and variety of kabas and bread.

 

[Neo]

In this thread we will be taking a culinairy journey through Pakistan and South Asia in order to discuss popular regional dishes and to exchange recipes.

Your contribution is highly appreciated!

 

[MastanKhan]

Neo,

Talking about pakistani cuisine--made me hungry---so I told my wife to make some Biryani for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for all these posts.

 

[MIG_ACE]

A great idea Neo. A thread about food.

All of our bickerings and differences notwithstanding, it seems Indians and Pakistanis share similar tastes in food.
We just can't have enough of Biryanis,kababs and the various chicken and lamb gravies!
Now I'm getting really hungry.

 

[Neo]

I'll be posting some family recipes, hope to share and learn from you guys too

Today I'm cooking Jhinga Biryani.

 

[Neo]

Jhinga Massala (Masala Prawns)​

Ingredients:

1 Onion, finely chopped
90ml Oil
1 teasp Finely grated Ginger
1 tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 teasp Salt
1 teasp Chilli Powder

½ teasp Ground Turmeric
1 teasp Ground Coriander
1 teasp Garam Masala
450g/1lb King Prawns or shrimps, shelled and deveined
2 tbsp freshly chopped Coriander
2 green Chilies, chopped

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan, add the onions, ginger and garlic and fry over a medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and golden.

2. Add the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander (or contents of Spice Pack if using), salt, plus 3-4 tablespoons of water and continue to cook gently for a further minute.

3. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for a further 10 minutes until the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp adding a little water, if necessary to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan.

4. Add the prawns and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until the prawns are tender.

5. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and the chopped green chili.

 

[Blossom]

this thread is now alive
Why, because I'm here.

 

[Blossom]

Spinach Rolls​

Alright people, its a nice, delicious, mild, easy made snack.All the ingredients are available in your kitchen almost all the time.

Ingrdients:

Chicken mince 1/2 Kg
Spinach boiled and smashed 1/4 kg
red chilli powder 1/2 half tbsp or according to your taste
salt to taste
ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Corn flakes 1 cup roughly crushed
corn flour 1 cup
egg 1 no.


Method:
add ginger garlic paste, salt and red chilli powder to chicken mince and mix well.Boil spinach in little water so that it remains thick.
make a medium sized ball from chicen mince and shape it in the round form of about half an inch thickness on a cutting board (like a chapaati).
oil your palms if the mixture is sticky.add red chilli powder and salt to taste into boiled spinach and mix it.take about 1 tablespon of it and spread it over the round shaped chicken mince mixture.Now take one side of it and start rolling it.Shape like a roll.Similarly, make rolls from the rest of the material.now dab them in corn flour or better spinkle the flour over them.A very thin layer.brush off extra flour.dip it into beaten egg and then finally into roughly crushed corn flakes.deep fry at low flame.Make sure oil is warm not hot.
When its done,Cut the roll in the middle and you'll find circular layers of mince and spinach.You can also replace spinach with cottage cheese.

 

[Rafael]

Any body for frog eye soup???

 

[Blossom]

Any body for frog eye soup???

aye haye

 

[Blossom]

demand batayi jaye.Then I'll post the recipe