Peshawar - Pakistan's Meat Capital

Pashtuns have distinct rituals that celebrate their inclusivity and possess a diverse food palate that reflects their geopolitical position.

The Pashtuns of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are a meat-loving community. Meat is a staple in all of their dishes including those that are vegetable-centric. Interestingly, meat is emphasised to such an extent that locals, irrespective of their financial status, add it to their recipes.

Dumba (fat-tailed sheep) meat is appreciated and utilised most in the region.

Pashtun cuisine does not depend on the use of heavy spices. In fact, most often the seasonings used are salt, herbs and green chilies.

The use of meat is deeply embedded in the food culture of the city.

Dumba meat is readily available in any restaurant or meat shop in the city and people utilise it to cook both barbeque and gravy based dishes with it.

Patta tikka is a great example which is made by grilling animal liver wrapped in fats over a controlled flame.

The now famous Nisar Charsi was a pioneer in serving grilled meats in the Namak Mandi area of Peshawar.

Charsi karahi is an extremely simple dish - consisting of a handful of ingredients. Here, the quality of the meat and the rendered fat from the animal give the dish a meaty intensity rarely encountered outside the region.

The dumba meat and fat are combined with whole tomatoes, salt and pepper and cooked down over high flame till it dries up.

People travel from all over the country to savour the meaty karahi at the Nisar Charsi Tikka shop.

Rice is by no means a neglected item in Peshawar. 

There are quite a few authentic rice dishes made in the region. Kabuli Pulao and Channa Mewah are both notorious dishes that combine savory flavours with the sweetness of dry fruits perfectly.

The rice used here is the long-grain Sella rice.

Siri Paye is a traditional breakfast that is still popular amongst the elderly of the area, and arguably Peshawar's version is the best one in the country.

Different in taste and ingredients from versions made in Punjab; the Siri Paye made in KPK utilizes the meat of a younger animal.

Trotters are slow cooked overnight until the cooked collagen from the bones turns the stock gelatinous and thick.

Chunks of meat are also slow cooked in the same stock. Before serving, the vendor divides these meaty chunks for each customer.

Chapli kabab is also a famous Peshawari dish and even though it has numerous adaptations all over the country, the authentic version follows a very specific recipe. 

There are particular fats that are added.

There is a precise method of mixing the minced meat.

And there is a special kind of wood used for the fire to cook the kababs.

All of the above make for their original taste.

While there are other regions with traditions of Kahwa drinking, none can surpass the popularity of the Peshawari Kahwa. 

It uses indigenously grown herbs and follows detailed steps to achieve that definitive taste.

Hot water is always on tap in this antiquated chai khaane, where the water is kept just under boiling temperature using a central-Asian style samovar in the Qissa Khwani area of Peshawar.

After brewing the fresh tea leaves in small kettles, the tea is mixed with sugar before being poured and served to customers. 

The rest of the country takes after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kahwa culture.