Lahori cuisine facts for kids

Plain rice and a tasty Lahori lamb kebab.

Lahori cuisine is the delicious food from the city of Lahore in Punjab, Pakistan. It's a special part of the wider Punjabi cuisine. Lahore is well-known for its amazing food culture. People from Lahore are famous across the country for how much they love food! The city has a huge variety of tasty dishes. Lately, Lahori food has become popular in many other countries. This is because of its pleasant and often milder taste. Many people from Pakistan living abroad have helped share this wonderful food.

How History Shaped Lahori Food

The arrival of Islam in South Asia greatly changed the local food. This is because Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol. They also follow other Islamic dietary laws. Because of this, people in Pakistan focus on other foods. These include beef, lamb, chicken, fish, lentils, and vegetables. They also enjoy traditional fruit and dairy foods. You can see the influence of food from Central Asia, North India, and the Middle East everywhere in Pakistani food.

Much of Lahore's food is influenced by local Punjabi and Mughlai cuisine. Besides traditional local dishes, Chinese, Western, and other foreign foods are also popular. These are often mixed with local recipes to create new and refined tastes. For example, Pakistani Chinese food is very common.

Popular Dishes to Try

A tasty Lahori-style karahi dish.

Lahore is famous for many unique and delicious dishes. Here are some of them:

• Chicken Lahori: A special chicken dish from Lahore.
• Gosht karahi: This is chicken or mutton cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. It's made in a special pan called a karahi, which looks like a wok.
• Dal gosht: Meat cooked together with lentils.
• Murgh Cholay/Channay: Chicken cooked with chickpeas.
• Murgh Musallam: A whole chicken cooked with rice and dried fruits stuffed inside.
• Seekh kababs: Rolls of minced meat, often grilled.
• Gol gappa: Small, crispy hollow balls filled with spiced water and other tasty bits.
• Dahi bhallay: Appetizers that are dipped in yogurt.
• Shawarma: Sliced meat, often served in a wrap.
• Chicken tikka: Pieces of chicken cooked on a barbecue.
• Biryani: A flavorful rice dish with meat or vegetables.
• Haleem: A thick stew made from wheat, barley, meat, and lentils.
• Falooda: A sweet dessert drink with noodles, syrup, and ice cream.
• Halwa Poori: A popular breakfast in Lahore, with sweet halwa and fried bread (poori).
• Nihari: A slow-cooked meat stew.
• Samosa: A fried or baked pastry with a savory filling.
• Kheer: A sweet rice pudding.
• Paya (dish): A dish made from trotters (feet) of goat or beef.
• Lahori Fried Fish: Fish fried in the Lahori style.
• Chargha: A whole roast chicken, Lahori style.
• Daal Chawal: Boiled rice served with spicy lentils.
• Lahori Steamed Charga: A steamed version of the Lahori roast chicken.
• Lahori Chana Chat: A spicy chickpea salad.
• Lahori Daal Murgh: Chicken cooked with lentils in Lahori style.
• Lahori Red Chicken Karahi: A red, spicy chicken karahi.
• Hareesa: A mix of mutton and lentils.
• Fried Fish: Another name for Lahori Fried Fish.
• Beef Bong Paaye: Beef shank meat cooked with trotters.
• Chikkarh Chollay: White chickpeas cooked in water with black pepper.
• Naan Haleem: Baked flatbread (chapatti) served with haleem.
• Chicken Sajji: Roasted and salted chicken cooked slowly, often in a hunter's style.

Famous Food Streets

Lahore has special "Food Streets" where you can find many restaurants and food stalls. These places are lively and full of delicious smells!

• M M Alam Road Food Street
• Fort Road Food Street
• Gawalmandi Food Street