Real desi cooking, written down properly.
Every recipe explained step by step and illustrated at every stage, from the karahi to the last pinch of garam masala.
The Pakistani kitchen
Everyone’s favourites
New: the Turkish kitchen
Kebabs, pide and Turkish tea
Turkish home and street food, with a Pakistani substitute for every ingredient.
Adana Kebab
اَدانا کباب
- ⏱ 42 min
- Hard
- Serves 4
Lahmacun (Turkish Thin-Crust Mince Flatbread)
لحم عجون (قیمے والی پتلی ترکی روٹی)
- ⏱ 1 hr
- Medium
- Serves 6
Mercimek Çorbası (Turkish Red Lentil Soup)
مرجمک چوربا (ترکی مسور کی دال کا سوپ)
- ⏱ 45 min
- Easy
- Serves 5
Mantı (Turkish Dumplings with Garlic Yogurt)
مانتی (لہسن والے دہی کے ساتھ ترکی پکوڑیاں)
- ⏱ 1 hr 15 min
- Hard
- Serves 4
Menemen (Turkish Eggs with Tomatoes & Peppers)
مینیمین (ٹماٹر اور مرچوں والے ترکی انڈے)
- ⏱ 25 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Künefe (Crispy Cheese Pastry in Syrup)
کنافہ (شیرے والی کرکری پنیر پیسٹری)
- ⏱ 45 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
New: the Arabic kitchen
Mandi, shawarma and mezze
Home cooking from the Gulf and the Levant, with substitutes you can find wherever you live.
Chicken Mandi (Smoky Yemeni-Gulf Rice and Chicken)
چکن مندی
- ⏱ 1 hr 50 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Chicken Kabsa (Saudi Spiced Rice with Chicken)
چکن کبسہ
- ⏱ 1 hr 30 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Chicken Shawarma (Arabic Wrap with Garlic Toum)
چکن شوارما (لہسن والی ٹوم کے ساتھ عربی رول)
- ⏱ 55 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Hummus (Silky Chickpea and Tahini Dip)
حمص (ملائم چنے اور تل کی ڈپ)
- ⏱ 15 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
Falafel (Crispy Chickpea & Herb Fritters)
فلافل (کرارے چنے اور ہری پتیوں کے پکوڑے)
- ⏱ 45 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Luqaimat (Emirati Saffron Dumplings with Date Syrup)
لقیمات (کھجور کے شیرے کے ساتھ اماراتی زعفرانی گولے)
- ⏱ 35 min
- Easy
- Serves 6
New: the Indian kitchen
Dosa, pav bhaji and paneer
Regional Indian cooking, from the south to the north and from Mumbai to Bengal.
Masala Dosa (Crisp Rice Crêpe with Spiced Potato)
مسالہ ڈوسا (آلو کے مصالحے والا کرارا ڈوسا)
- ⏱ 1 hr 10 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Paneer Butter Masala (Paneer Makhani)
پنیر بٹر مسالہ (پنیر مکھنی)
- ⏱ 45 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Pav Bhaji (Mumbai Buttery Mashed Vegetable Curry with Bread Rolls)
پاؤ بھاجی (ممبئی کی مکھن والی مسلی سبزیاں اور نرم بن)
- ⏱ 55 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Dal Makhani (Slow-Cooked Black Lentils with Butter and Cream)
دال مکھنی (مکھن اور کریم کے ساتھ آہستہ پکی کالی ماش)
- ⏱ 1 hr 55 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani (Kachchi Style)
حیدرآبادی چکن دم بریانی (کچی طرز)
- ⏱ 1 hr 40 min
- Hard
- Serves 6
Rasgulla (Spongy Chhena Balls in Light Syrup)
رس گلا (ہلکے شیرے میں اسفنج جیسے چھینے کے گولے)
- ⏱ 55 min
- Hard
- Serves 6
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From the blog
Guides from the kitchen notebook
Air Fryer Guide for Desi Food: What Works, What Doesn't
How to use an air fryer for Pakistani and desi food: samosas, pakoray, tikka, kebabs, nuggets, fries and reheating, with times and temperatures, the tricks that make coatings crisp, and the dishes to keep on the stove.
Baking Without an Oven: Cakes, Breads and Pizza in a Pot or on a Tawa
How Pakistani home cooks bake without an oven: the patila or degchi 'oven' with a stand and salt bed, temperatures and times for cakes, muffins and bread, tawa and pan baking, pressure-cooker and steamed cakes, and common mistakes.
Buying and Handling Chicken: Cuts, Desi vs Broiler, and Kitchen Safety
A practical guide to chicken in a Pakistani kitchen: broiler vs desi chicken, the cuts butchers offer (karahi cut, boti, boneless), how much to buy per person, freshness signs, storing and thawing, whether to wash raw chicken, and cooking it safely.
Glossary
Bhunai, tarka, dum: every kitchen word explained simply. Tap the ⓘ on any recipe.
Open the glossary →