Pashtun cuisine ( ps, پښتنۍ خواړه) refers to the cuisine of the

Pashtun Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically r ...

people and is covered under both

Afghan Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia *Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity **Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pash ...

and

Pakistani cuisine Pakistani cuisine ( ur, , romanized: ''pākistānī pakwān'') can be characterized by a blend of various regional cooking traditions from South Asia, Central and Western Asia, as well as elements from its Mughal legacy. The country's va ...

s. It is largely based on meat dishes including

mutton Lamb, hogget, and mutton, generically sheep meat, are the meat of domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries''. A sheep in its first year is a lamb and its meat is also lamb. The meat from sheep in their second year is hogget. Older sheep meat is mutton. Gen ...

, beef, chicken, and fish as well as rice and some other vegetables. Accompanying these staples are dairy products (yogurt, whey, cheeses), various nuts, local vegetables, and fresh and dried fruits.

Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...

Kabul Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into #Districts, 22 municipal dist ...

Kandahar Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the c ...

Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of th ...

and

Islamabad Islamabad (; ur, , ) is the capital city of Pakistan. It is the country's ninth-most populous city, with a population of over 1.2 million people, and is federally administered by the Pakistani government as part of the Islamabad Capital ...

are centers of Pashtun cuisine.

Popular food items

The following is an incomplete list of food items that Pashtuns enjoy eating. * Afghan burger * Aush (hand made noodles) *

Aushak Aushak (Pashto/Persian: اَشَک) is an Afghan dish made of pasta dumplings filled with chives, with a (frequently meaty) tomato sauce, topped with yogurt and dried mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating sy ...

(vegetable and chive-filled dumplings topped with tomato and yogurt sauces) * Bolani, also called Piraki in some parts of Afghanistan * Badenjan (cooked

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mo ...

in oil with potatoes and tomatoes) *

Bhindi Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

(cooked

okra Okra or Okro (, ), ''Abelmoschus esculentus'', known in many English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It has edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with su ...

in oil with potatoes and tomatoes) * Biryani *

Chapli kabab Chapli Kebab or Chapli Kabab ( ps, چپلي کباب) 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 originally comes from the northern areas of Pa ...

* Chopan Kabab (lamb chops, skewered and grilled on charcoal) * Dodai (a flat bread made in vertical clay ovens called Tanoor in Pashto, Tandoor in Urdu/Hindi) * Shomleh/Shlombeh, also known as "Triwai" in Kabul (a drink made by mixing yogurt with water and shaking it extensively before adding optional dried mint leaves and a small amount of salt) *

Fried fish Fried fish is any fish or shellfish that has been prepared by frying. Often, the fish is covered in batter, egg and breadcrumbs, flour, or herbs and spices before being fried and served, often with a slice of lemon. Fish is fried in many parts ...

with fries and naan * Ghatay Rujay, Ghatay Wrejay (literally "fat rice"; a rice dish resembling risotto prepared in Charsadda, Mardan, Pirpiai, and other villages of the region where short grain brown rice is grown) * Kabuli palaw * Kaddo Borwani ( sweet pumpkins) * Kichrei (sticky rice with mung beans and onions topped with melted qurot sauce, mostly eaten during winter) * Londei, also known as Tarshay (lamb or beef jerky cooked with rice) * Pakora * Paratha * Pekhteh or Pukhtay (beef/mutton ribs) * Naray ghwakha (mutton, mutton dish) * Seekh kabab (beef/mutton/chicken) * Shinwari tikka (roasted lamb) * Shorwa (soup) * Mantu (meat dumplings, usually served under a yogurt-based white sauce) * Masteh (freshly made yogurt) * Rosh (cooked

lamb and mutton Lamb, hogget, and mutton, generically sheep meat, are the meat of domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries''. A sheep in its first year is a lamb and its meat is also lamb. The meat from sheep in their second year is hogget. Older sheep meat is mutton. Gen ...

with no spices) File:Peshawari Chapli Kabab by Chef Nina.jpg, alt=Peshawari Chapli Kabab,

Chapli Kabab Chapli Kebab or Chapli Kabab ( ps, چپلي کباب) 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 originally comes from the northern areas of Pa ...

, by Chef Nina at Nina's Desi Kitchen (Southington, CT) File:Afghan men feasting.jpg, Men eating lunch in Kunar Province of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

File:Afghani dinner.jpg, Pashtun dinner sitting on dastarkhan in

Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto/Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering area. The province contains 13 ...

of Afghanistan, with U.S. troops in the background File:Afghan roast chicken-2010.jpg, Roasted chicken is popular in Pakistan and Afghanistan File:Bread of Afghanistan in 2010.jpg,

Naan Naan ( fa, نان, nān, ur, , ps, نان, ug, نان, hi, नान, bn, নান) is a leavened, oven-baked or tawa-fried flatbread which is found in the cuisines mainly of Western Asia, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, ...

bread is widely consumed in Afghanistan and Pakistan File:Peshawari Dinner.jpg, A typical

i dinner course with various dishes File:Special Forces commander meets with village elders Afghanistan 2007.jpg, Village elders and US special forces drinking Afghan green tea (kawa) in 2007 File:A fruit vendor at the Kabul International AgFair-2009.jpg, Samples of some native Afghan fruits

Traditional breakfast items

Pashtuns in their traditional territory drink green or black tea (chai) with breakfast. Some drink

masala chai Masala chai (, ; Urdu: مصالحہ چائے, Hindi: मसाला चाय) is an Indian tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India the beverage has gained worl ...

, especially the Pakistani Pashtuns. ''Sheer chai'', which is a type of tea that is mixed with milk and sugar is also consumed. Other breakfast foods can include: Afghan naan, paratha, eggs,

butterfat Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain. Composition Butterfat is mainly composed of triglycerides. Each triglyceride contains three fatty acids. But ...

, milk creams, cheeses, etc. Pastries, cakes and cookies are consumed with either tea or warm milk. Those in cities buy and eat whatever breakfast items are sold in grocery stores, which may include porridge, oatmeal, cereal, pancakes, sausages, fruit juices, etc.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pashtun Cuisine Afghan cuisine Pakistani cuisine South Asian cuisine Pashtun culture Cuisine by ethnicity

Popular food items

Traditional breakfast items

See also

References

External links