Kebab, kabob, kebap, kebob, or kabab (Kashmir), is a variety of roasted meat dishes that originated in the Middle East.
Pakistani cuisine can be characterized as a blend of regional cooking styles and flavours from across South, Central and West Asia. Pakistani cuisine is influenced by Iranic, Indic & Arab cuisine. The cuisine of Pakistan also maintains certain Mughal influences within its recipes and cooking techniques. Pakistan's ethnic and cultural diversity, diverse climates, geographical environments, and availability of different produce lead to diverse regional cuisines.
Chelow kabab is an Iranian dish consisting of steamed rice and one of the many varieties of Iranian kebab. It is considered the national dish of Iran, and was probably created by the time of the Qajar dynasty.
Chicken tikka is a chicken dish popular in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. It is traditionally small pieces of boneless chicken baked using skewers on a brazier called angeethi or over charcoal after marinating in Indian spices and dahi (yogurt)—essentially a boneless version of tandoori chicken. The word tikka is a Persian word, meaning "bits" or "pieces". It is also a chicken dish served in Punjabi cuisine. The Kashmiri version of the dish, however, is grilled over red-hot coals, and does not always contain boneless pieces. The pieces are brushed with ghee at intervals to increase its flavour, while being continuously fanned. It is typically eaten with green coriander and tamarind chutney served with onion rings and lemon, or used in preparing an authentic chicken tikka masala.
Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Caucasian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meat—usually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutton, or a mixture—mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. The earliest known recipes are found in early Arab cookbooks and call for ground lamb.
Shami kabab or shaami kabab is a South Asian variety of kebab, composed of a shallow fried small patty of minced meat, generally beef, but occasionally lamb or mutton, with ground chickpeas, egg as binder, and spices. It originates from the Lucknow region of the Indian subcontinent developed during the Mughal rule. It is a popular dish in modern-day Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines. Shami kebab is eaten as a snack or an appetizer, and is served to guests especially in the regions of Bengal, Deccan, Punjab, Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and Sindh.
Shish kofta (Turkish) is a type of kebab-style kofta dish in Turkish cuisine.
Kabab koobideh is an Iranian type of kofta kabab made from ground lamb, often mixed with salt, ground black pepper and grated onions.
Shish taouk or shish tawook is a traditional marinated chicken shish kebab of Ottoman cuisine that later became part of Middle Eastern cuisine. It is widely eaten in the Middle East and Caucasus. A similar dish in Persian cuisine is the traditional jujeh kabab. It is also served in kebab houses in many cities around the world.
Shish kebab or shish kebap is a popular meal of skewered and grilled cubes of meat. It can be found in Mediterranean cuisine.
Many regional cuisines feature a mixed grill, a dish consisting of an assortment of grilled meats.
Mughlai cuisine consists of dishes developed or popularised in the early-modern Indo-Persian cultural centres of the Mughal Empire. It represents a combination of cuisine of the Indian subcontinent with the cooking styles and recipes of Central Asian and Islamic cuisine. Mughlai cuisine is strongly influenced by the Turkic cuisine of Central Asia, the region where the early Mughal emperors originally hailed from, and it has in turn strongly influenced the regional cuisines of Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Awadhi cuisine is a cuisine native to the Awadh region in Northern India and Southern Nepal. The cooking patterns of Lucknow are similar to those of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern India and western India with the cuisine comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The Awadh region has been influenced by Mughal cooking techniques, and the cuisine of Lucknow bears similarities to those of Central Asia, Kashmir, Punjab and Hyderabad. The city is also known for its Nawabi foods.
Pashtun cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Pashtun people and is covered under both Afghan and Pakistani cuisines. It is largely based on meat dishes including mutton, beef, chicken, and fish as well as rice and some other vegetables. Accompanying these staples are dairy products, various nuts, local vegetables, and fresh and dried fruits. Peshawar, Islamabad, Kabul, Bannu, Quetta, Kandahar and Mardan are centers of Pashtun cuisine.
Chapli kebab or chapli kabab is a Pashtun-style minced kebab, usually made from ground beef, mutton or chicken with various spices in the shape of a patty. The chapli kabab originates from Peshawar in Pakistan. The Peshawari chapli kabab is made with beef and is a popular street food throughout South Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh.
Meat plays a much more dominant role in Pakistani cuisine, compared to other South Asian cuisines. Of all the meats, the most popular are chicken, lamb, beef, goat, and fish.Beef is particularly sought after as the meat of choice for kebab dishes or the classic beef shank dish nihari. Seafood is generally not consumed in large amounts, though it is very popular in the coastal areas of Sindh and the Makran coast of Balochistan.
Karachi cuisine refers to the cuisine found mainly in the city of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is a multicultural cuisine as a result of the city consisting of various ethnic groups from different parts of Pakistan. Karachi is considered the melting pot of Pakistan.
