If you go around asking people what the national dish of Pakistan is, what answer would you expect?
I would expect either ‘Daal Chawal’ or ‘Biryani’. I mean, who doesn’t love these traditional foods. Plus, it is a go to dish for anything.
But, if you google the same question… *drumroll* the answer you get is “Nihari”
Like whaaaaaaaaat???? Nihaaari??? Are You Sure?
Most people do not enjoy nihari for it to be a national dish. So for those who doesn’t know, Nihari is basically meat cooked in gravy that is then thickened with flour.
Nihari is a traditional dish of Muslims of Delhi, Bhopal and Lucknow. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, many Urdu speaking Muslims from northern India migrated to Karachi and Dhaka in the eastern wing (now in Bangladesh), and established restaurants. In Karachi, Nihari became a roaring success and soon all over Pakistan.
Its a savory dish that can be eaten for all three meals of the day. Some people cook ‘nihari’ with cow brain which is then called ‘maghaz nihari’ or with bone marrow to make it ‘nalli nihari’. This dish is known for its spiciness and taste.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that nihari was also used as a home remedy for common colds, rhinorrhea and fever? Wow, we need to give that a try too…
