Introduction
Who doesn’t have good time when eating, people all around the world like to indulge themselves into different cultural delicacies and satisfy their taste buds by fulfilling their cravings. When it comes to food we all have our own ideas of comfort food while some might prefer savory some have sweet tooth and always crave sugar. Here are some of the comfort foods based according to the Pakistani taste buds along with ht mood and weather.
Summer Comfort Food
Summers can be quiet hard with the hot and humid weather and especially if you are Karachite you don’t feel like eating something packed and loaded with loads of spices you prefer having light and hearty meals. Summer comes with it’s own variety of food and we are very fond of them here’s a list of summer comfort foods, drinks and snacks and all you need to know about them: –
Daal chawal
Ohhhh, who doesn’t love a good tarkafied daal with some chawaal in the hot breeze of summer when one thinks of lunch nothing sounds more mouthwatering then a plate of yummy daal chawal along with the sides of vinegar soaked onions and achaari fried mirchi with some crackers these aren’t the only condiments that come with daal chawal people also prefer other condiments such as a chicken and potato cutlet or fried okra and achaar or tomato chutney. It is a very wholesome and fulfilling food that is bound to give you a food coma.
Matar Pulao
Lightly seasoned and spiced matar (peas) pulao is nothing but a nation’s favorite enjoyed almost all across the country and it is yet another hearty meal for the summer season with condiments such as raita or mint and cilantro chutney will keep you asking for more fresh peas and long grain rice with the infusion of Pakistani spices is the best light meal for hot days.
Gola ganda or Ice cones
Crushed ice topped with colorful syrups gives a major hit to all the Pakistani locals in the summer season the condensed milk and chocolate coating over the top is just phenomenal. The cooling effect of the ice and the flavor of the colorful syrups in it makes it all worth the fun it comes in two forms whether on a stick or cup I personally feel like the stick one is more fun while sucking out all that flavor from the giant ice-ball. A tip you can always ask the seller to add more syrups. Condensed milk and chocolate again and again
Sugar cane juice or Ganny ka Rus
Sugar cane juice is widely loved all over the country in scorching heat when the sun is right over your head the sugar cane juice works great in cooling down our body temperature while it’s not too sweet and very delicious especially if you’ve drank a cold glass in boiling heat
Limca
Our very own take on a desi lemonade haha yes limca is a very refreshing spicy and tangy drink us Pakistani’s absolutely love it is more of a street style drink and is preferred to be enjoyed with street food in Pakistan. It is made up of various flavored sugary syrups and a lime carbonated drink with some lime and black salt in it. A very refreshing drink mostly enjoyed by the youngsters and so cold that it may give you a sore throat in a very humid weather as well.
Coconut water
In the blazing heat coconut water is a natural cooling drink available it has a lot of refreshing qualities and is also really good for health but like to endorse more and more in this natural drink as long as the season lasts and benefits from it
Pista kulfi
Made of milk, pistachio and desiccated coconut this sweet and frozen delicacy on a stick is Pakistani take on ice-cream all over the nation in hot humid climate to cool themselves of and for late nigh sweet cravings this kulfi is most loved by almost everyone in the country
Jalebi
A sweet sugary deep fried syrup made of sugar gram flour and all purpose flour is a perfect fix for your sham ki chai while the days of summers may be very hot and humid by the evenings are to live for out in your garden with your family surrounded by the bush of jasmine and a trees of plumeria people in Pakistan tend to enjoy their evening tea with snacks and jalebi is every hose favorite and gets sold within minutes from the shops.
Rainy comfort food
Rainy season in Pakistan comes with its own joys and comfort while this season lightens up the mood of every Pakistani and giving a break from the hot weather there are its own various ways to be enjoyed, as soon as t starts to rain the streets get filled by kids playing in the rain and families in their gardens or rooftops making the most of the weather in a pleasant chilly weather like this people celebrate it food suitable for it like:
Pakoray or Fritters
A mixture of onion, potatoes and spices in gram flour pakoray are deep fried snacks that go so well with chai in this weather as soon as it rains every home starts to smell like pakoray there can be a variety of pakoray bust the most loved form is onions and potatoes families share this delicacy with their neighbors over tea and enjoy the rainy weather together.
Gol gappy or Pani puri
A n other street food enjoyed in this weather with variety of condiments and chutneys paani puri is a mouth watering snack people start to rush over to the shops who sell them in pleasant weather and enjoy it with drink of their choice it’s a deep fried crunchy bowl made up flour filled with boiled chick peas, potatoes, sev and onions and topped with yogurt meethi chutney and tamarind chutney drenched in tangy spicy water as soon as it you eat it explodes inside your mouth with a fusion of different flavors and textures leaving you wanting more of it.
Samosay
A snack widely loved not only all over Pakistan but also the world samosay are triangular shaped deep fried savory that comes with three kinds of fillings
- POTATOES
- CHICKEN
- BEEF MINCE
Fresh and hot samosa in this weather are a perfect combination with a cup of tea.
Winter comfort food
Winter comfort food in Pakistan is enjoyed according to the basis of region being Karachite myself we in the city don’t get come across harsh winter season so we end up enjoying the winter nights more than our fellow citizens winter comes as breath of fresh year and can also be called a season of celebration in Pakistan as mostly weddings in Pakistan are celebrated in winter and if not that people tend to leave the house more frequently in order to enjoy the weather their choice of comfort food.
Street style chicken soup
Pakistani street style chicken soup has the streets of citizens lined up for this soup and is available almost everywhere in the city the hearty hot chicken bone broth along with chicken top of with boiled egg, sauces and slims is city favorite it fuels up your soul and is the best soup available.
Khaosey
A memoni delicacy available in most parts of the city khaousey is a dish of noodles and chicken/beef curry drenched in coconut curry with a hitting flavor of coconut topped with slims, garlic chips and other condiments is a soul fulfilling dish with a burst of different flavors loved by the majority a bowl of steaming hot khaousey in a cold weather warms up the soul.
Chinese hotpot
A not very Pakistani take on this one but chine hotpots have become the talk of the town and I cannot find a single person not being in love with it, a spicy flavored broth along with your favorite side of protein, Vegetables and noodles is not just a food for soul but an experience in itself. On a cold night sipping up and enjoying yourself with a hotpot fuels up the soul and not to forget the warm time spent with your friends and the experiencing of cooking it all by yourself before indulging into it right from the pot into you bowl and tummy.
Other kinds of comfort food
When it comes to comfort food there is a list that just keeps on going these are a few comfort foods to lift up more mood when you feel down while binging on your favorite show or watching your favorite movie: –
- Spicy ramen noodles
- McDonalds chicken nuggets
- Fried chicken
- Milkshakes
- Cookies
- Brownies
- Cheese cake
- Cheese burger
- Paratha roll
- Dumplings
- Pasta
- Tacos
- Mac & cheese
- Chocolate cake
- Chocolate truffles
- Hot chocolate
- Ice cream
- Coffee
- Gulab jamun
- French fries
These comfort foods do not need a specific season or a reason to be enjoyed or indulged into these are available all year round and you can enjoy them to make yourselves feel better when having to face a bad rough day or celebrating with friends, while watching your favorite t.v show or movies.
Conclusion
Comfort food is something that brings comfort and warmth to the soul it makes you feel happy and content and sort of provides with a happy safe space for a person in various season for various reasons we all have our comfort foods based on our likes and dislikes and availability, it helps in lifting our mood up and gives a boost calm and relaxing energy. Every nation and every person has their own personal choice and preference when it comes to what they like to eat and hence the concept of comfort food rises from that anything can be a comfort food for anyone in ore simpler words it is supposed to be something that brings joy and warms up your soul.
