A Tour of Karachi’s Empress Market
Welcome to Empress Market: the very first and the only mall in Karachi that boasts the sale of everything from fresh produce to the ever essential masalas.
Empress Market Karachi, Pakistan KMC market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
The History of Empress Market
One of the most historic and popular places for food shopping in Karachi is Empress Market. One could call it the first mall of Karachi.
Located in the heart of downtown Karachi, Empress Market was constructed between 1884 and 1889 when it was one of only seven markets in Karachi and the largest with a space to accommodate 280 shops. The plaza was named in honor of Queen Victoria, who at that time was the Empress of India.
A wide shot of the empress market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Empress Market has always been accessible to all strata of society, with generations of shoppers visiting their favorite vendors to procure ingredients.
Vegetable Market
From exotic herbs to fresh produce, the most difficult of ingredients can be found in this one-stop location with hundreds of small and large vendors who practice the trade handed down to them from their forefathers, some of them having had businesses there established for over 50 years.
Street vendors selling vegetables (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
The produce is of high quality and sold at affordable prices.
Basket of green chillies (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
From left to right: turmeric root, birds eye chili peppers, long green chili peppers, ginger root, mint.
Saag leaves (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Seasonal greens, white raddish and lettuce leaves on display in the market.
Fresh green chillies (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Green bullet chili peppers.
Basket of green chillies (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Long green chili peppers
Various oils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Suve ka saag (dill).
Radish (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Sarson ka saag (mustard greens).
Vegetables for sale (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Left: Baingan (eggplant).
Right: Broccoli.
A type of greens (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Mooli (white radish).
Garlic bulbs (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Lehsun (garlic).
Dried red chilli (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
'Sanam' dried red chili peppers.
Spices being sold (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Left: Kashmiri chillies.
Right: Dundicut peppers.
A corridor in Empress Market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Exotic dry fruits, a rare and often expensive find can also be procured easily at Empress Market.
Dry Fruits Section
Dry fruits are a much-enjoyed seasonal offering in Pakistan, often during winter, and can be expensive. However, at Empress Market dry fruit items can be found at affordable prices. One has to keep an eye out for the quality, and ensure they are properly cleaned and contained for long-term consumption.
Vendors at the Empress Market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
A pile of dates (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Assorted dates.
Dried coconut (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Left: Anjeer (dry figs).
Right: Khopra (dried coconut).
Nuts and dry fruit (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Chuara (dried dates).
Tray of peanuts (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Moong phalli (peanuts).
The Empress Market tower (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
One of the many entrance and exit points of Empress Market.
Masala Section
Spices or masalas as they are locally known, are found aplenty at Empress Market. An essential part of Pakistani food, masalas such as red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and cumin powder are just a few of the daily cooking essentials in any Pakistani household. This is why Empress Market boasts of an entire section assigned to the selling of these masalas. Since they are often stored in the open air, one can often identify the masala market with all the fragrant smells permeating the air. Dried herbs such as bay leaves are also often found packed and ready to be purchased at almost every masala vendor’s stall.
Turmeric (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Haldi (turmeric powder).
Exterior of a shop in empress market karachi (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Ready-to-cook spice mixes for recipes such as qorma and biryani are also available.
Spices being sold (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Red chili powder.
Spices being sold (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Coriander powder (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Coriander powder.
Exterior of a shop (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Oil Section
Empress Market boasts a large variety of oils to choose from. Whether it is mustard seed, coconut or canola, most oils can be found freshly sourced by vendors who have been pressing their own oils for decades.
Pressing of Oil by hand in the Empress market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
The manual oil press is an Empress Market highlight.
A street vendor selling vegetables (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Dried coconut shells are being crushed to extract the oil.
Coconut oil being pressed in a manual oil press (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Coconut oil being prepared.
A wide shot of the Empress Market (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation
Produced by SOC Films
Project Director: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Producers: Syed Ayub , Sameer Khan
Project Manager: Huma Shah
Director of Photography: Murtaza Ali
Photography: Karim Baig , Murtaza Ali
Photography Editor: Karim Baig
Additional Video & Photography: Khurram Victor
Exhibits Writer: Nazia Latif , Sameer Khan
Exhibits : Syed Ayub , Sameer Khan
Art Direction : Rahat Niazi
Associate Producer : Asad Pabani
Video Editors: Nina Zehri, Farhad Jamali
Color Grade: Sourath Behan
Assistant Editor: Mishal Adhami
Sound Design: Sameer Khan
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