Culinary Treasures from a Punjabi Kitchen

A grandmother's special recipes

A close up portrait of Yasmin (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Introducing Yasmin Mubbashir

Yasmin Mubbashir, a seasoned grandmother from Punjab, is skilled in cooking and preparing meals to warmly welcome her guests. Her delicious home-cooked feasts reflect her father's Pashtun heritage and her mother's Punjabi ancestry.

Watch our film to see how Yasmin prepares dishes for her loved ones.

Culinary Tresures from a Punjabi Kitchen Pashtun Style Minced Kabab Chappal Kabab (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Step into Yasmin's kitchen as she prepares a Punjabi feast!

Plating shot of Chapli Kabab, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Chappal Kebab

Chappal Kebab originated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as a savory street food snack, garnering great affection from countless Pakistanis.


Yasmin skillfully incorporates elements of Mardani and Punjabi influences to create a personalized rendition of this beloved dish.

Step 1: Finely chop onions with a knife or in a food processor.
Step 2: Transfer to a sieve and drain out as much water as possible from the onions.
Step 3: Add green onions, green chillies, red chillies and ginger together in a mixer and blitz into a paste.
Step 4: Add the green paste.

Ingredient : Chillie Flakes, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Ingredient : Flour, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Adding egg, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Ingredient : Crushed Coriander, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Add to the Mixture:

2 diced tomatoes
½ cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp of Pink Himalayan salt 
1 tbsp dried red chili flakes
1 tbsp garam masala
2 tbsp whole white cumin
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
3 tbsp cilantro seeds
3 tbsp white cumin powder
5 tbsp gram (chickpea) flour
2 eggs

Step 6: Mix the ingredients together well till the right consistency is reached.
Step 7: Shape the chicken mixture into round patties with wet hands soaked in water.
Step 8: Heat a little oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the patties.
Step 9: Cover with lid until golden brown. Shallow fry for 3 minutes on each side.

Forming a kabab, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Frying chapli kababs, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Angled shot of plated Bengun, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Tart Eggplant Gravy (Khatay Baingan ka Salan)

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable used in Punjab to make delicious gravy, stews and other tasty dishes. This is Yasmin's recipe for an unusual dish that can be enjoyed all year round.

Putting all ingredients together in a pot, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Slices of eggplant are fried in warm oil.

Step 1: Soak 3 tablespoons of imli (tamarind) in water and add 2 tablespoons of shakkar (jaggery powder) and mix well.
Step 2: Slice the eggplant lengthwise into long wedges.
Step 3: In a clay pot, add onions to half a cup of oil and sauté until golden brown. 
Step 4: Once the onions have turned brown, add in the eggplant, tomatoes and green onions.
Step 5: Add one cup of water and turn the heat down.

Culinary Treasures from a Punjabi Kitchen Soured Aubergine Curry Baingan Ka Khatta Salan (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Cooking all ingredients together, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Step 6: Cover with a lid and let ingredients cook.
Step 7: Dice the red and green chillies along with 1 cup of cilantro.
Step 8: Add 2 tsp of garam masala to half a cup of yogurt.
Step 9: Add the yogurt on top of the eggplant once it is soft.
Step 10: Add 1 cup of cilantro and the diced chillies with 1.5 tsp salt
Step 11: Add in the tamarind water and tomatoes. Cover the pot again and let it cook till the oil is visible on the surface of the gravy.

Plating shot of Dahi Baray, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Yogurt with Chickpea Nuggets (Dahi Phulki)

Yasmin shares her family's recipe for an appetizing tea-time snack made with fried chickpea flour nuggets (Boondi), doused in yogurt and topped with chutneys and spices.

Culinary Treasures from a Punjabi Kitchen Yogurt with Chikpea Nugget Dahi Phulkiyan (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Step 1: Keep the Boondi soaked in water for 10 mins.
Step 2: Squeeze till liquid is drained and place dumplings in a bowl containing yogurt. 
Step 3: Mix the Boondi, salt, sugar, spices & yogurt together. 
Step 4: Top Dahi Phulki with tamarind sauce, chaat masala and mint leaves.

Close up plating shot of Keri Achaar, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Raw Mango Chutney (Kairi ki Chutney)

Raw mango chutney is a tangy relish that Yasmin serves as a condiment to complement savory dishes.

Culinary Treasures from a Punjabi Kitchen Raw Mango Chutney Keri Ki Chutney (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Chopped Keri in pot, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Step 1: Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Peel and cut 4 raw mangoes lengthwise (discarding the seed) and add to the water.


Step 3: Cook and once softened add 1 cup of shakkar (jaggery powder).

Keri with masalas (spices) in pot, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Boiling Keri Achaar, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Side view shot of plated Keri Achaar, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Step 4: Take 1 tbsp of salt, 2 tbsp white cumin, 1 tbsp cilantro, ¼ tbsp red chili powder and ¼ tbsp cup synthetic vinegar and add to the saucepan. 
Step 5: Cook on medium heat until it starts to boil and thicken up and the Keri begins to get translucent. 
Step 6: Sprinkle in ½ tsp of roasted nigella seed and 2 tsp of fennel seeds and stir thoroughly.

Shot of plated sevaiyaa, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Whole-Wheat Vermicelli (Dudh Seviyan)

Yasmin shares her recipe for sweetened noodles cooked in thickened milk and almonds for dessert.

Culinary Treasures from a Punjabi Kitchen Sweetened Vermicelli Noodles Meethi Seviyan (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Noodles for sevaiyaa, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Adding noodles into pot for sevayaa, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Adding milk into pot for sevayaa, in Islamabad, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Step 1: Take 1.5 cup of thick vermicelli, broken into half.
Step 2: Crush 4-5 cardamom seeds into a powder, taking care to discard the shell. 
Step 3: Add 1/2 cup of oil to a pot, followed by the crushed cardamom powder and place on on stove on medium heat till the mixture is aromatic.
Step 4: Add in the vermicelli and stir until golden brown.

Shot of cooked sevayaa, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Step 5: Add 6-7 cups of milk and 1 cup of sugar and wait for it to thicken.

Step 6: Add condensed milk for a thicker consistency, adjusting the quantity of sugar.


Step 7: Top with roasted slivered  almonds and optionally waraq (edible silver paper) and serve warm or cold.

Full plating shot, in Islamabad (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Enjoy a perfect Punjabi spread.

Credits: Story

 Produced by SOC Films

Creative Director: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Producer: Sameer Khan, Huma Shah
Associate Producer: Sara Sharif
Research Associate: Sara Sharif
Project Manager: Quratulain Khalid
DOP: Murtaza Ali
Second Unit DP: Khurram Victor
Photography: Murtaza Ali
Photography Editor: Murtaza Ali
First Camera: Khurram Victor
Exhibit Writers: Samar Ather, Sameer Khan
Exhibits: Sameer Nazim
Video Editor: Jason Liao, Azeem Charania
Colour Grade: Jason Liao, Azeem Charania
Sound Design: Sameer Khan

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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