'Lahore Food Festival' draws crowds in Delhi

       New Delhi: Lahore's is Pakistan's bonafide food centre. And the best place to experience the city's gourmet delights is The Food Street in Gawalmandi. It is unfortunate that we can't go over to savor the delicious Punjabi barbecue and kebabs. The only other way is to visit the `Lahore Ke Galiyon Se' Food Festival here. Pakistan's tradition of gourmet cuisine has always fascinated foodies. The secret lies in the kitchen. Chef Ankur, was busy preparing `Chapali-Kebab', the popular dish in Pakistan's Punjab Province. The recipe has been procured from across the border, the chef says. Actually, Muhammad Shafiq, executive chef of Lahore's Avari hotel and his compatriot Ayub Khan, had come for the festival to showcase evolving Pakistani cuisine. "The best part is that it has got a big selection of vegetarian food. They are doing very good preparation of `Bhindi' (lady finger) and `Tauri' which we even don't think of. They share with us preparing `Dal ka kebab'. The kebab section is more interesting - which they are cooking in a very different style - i.e, steam roast. That is very good and people have been appreciating it," said Bakshish Dean, master chef, The Park Hotel, New Delhi. By virtue of a shared heritage, Pakistani cuisine is closer to the North Indian, particularly the Punjabi fare. And, why just Indians, visitors from Scotland like Margaret Mikhael had a great time lapping up the street food of Pakistan. While most items in the menu are traditional - Peshawari balti Murg from Baltistan, Lahori Chaat, Multani Shahi Dal - most recipes were adapted to suit the modern palate. "We were very crazy in coming as when could enjoy a food which is very spicy, comparatively what we used to eat at home. We advised by the staff here and we have taken a step of deciding to sample a different cuisine. So, we can enjoying sharing food with another community," said Scottish tourist Margaret Mikhael Bhagat Kumar, a customer, said: "Well! I have never tasted food in Lahore, So I not been able to comment on that. But, when we taste different variety of food, it gives a blend to the type of culture and the nature of people of a country has." Whether its Old Delhi and Amritsar in India or Lahore in Pakistan, the ancient streets of an undivided India still preserve these flavours of the past.

       Pakistani cuisine is generally similar to that of North India. Due to its proximity with Central and West Asia, however, it tends to be modified by significant influences from these regions. It also varies greatly from region to region within Pakistan itself. People in the Northern Areas and Frontier province do not eat spicy food. There is much more focus on bread (wheat). After every meal, Qehwa or kehwa is served Among the best-known dishes are Biryani, Pullao and Nihari, Haleem, Chicken Karahi, Chicken Tikka, Kofta, Mutton Korma, Chicken Korma, Shab Degh, Chicken/Mutton Handi, chakna. Sajji is a Baluchi (Western Pakistan) dish made of lamb stuffed with rice that has become popular all over the country. Pakistanis eat various kinds of lentils called Dal as part of their daily diet as well as different kinds of vegetables. One very famous and hearty dish made of lentils is called Haleem. It contains a variety of lentels along with meat. A batch of haleem will typically take over five hours to cook. This dish is known to have originated in Agra, where the Taj Mahal stands today.
- Nov 12, 2006