Thai food blogger relishes Pakistani food
He described his tour as the journey of a life time.'
(Web Desk) - Pakistan is a country blessed with river, plains, mountains and oceans. The different terrains are inhabited with the most exuberant, friendly and hospitable people, who have a very unique food palette to offer, as you travel from region to region.
Mark Weins, the food blogger made a 16 day food journey to Pakistan, visiting the diverse landscape from Lahore to Giligit Baltistan in his quest to taste the exquisite food. He along his journey met the most welcoming populous who always met him with a warm smile sharing not only their food but guiding him to the tastiest treats around town.
Mark went from Lahore to Gujranwala, Chakwal, Islamabad, Peshawar and in the North visited Peshawar, Gilgit Baltistan and Karachi. He tasted the karahis, the payaz to the niharis and the street food that each city deems special.
He described his tour as ‘the journey of a life time,’ where he came across the most open and friendly people, glad at his coming to Pakistan and excitedly showed him around to the best treats in town.
Starting off his journey in Lahore, famous for its food, he visited a variety of streets for the tasty delicacies that the city has to offer. He tasted the traditional Halwa purri, the pera lassi, the roasted chik peas, the roadside sweet potatoes, the Kulfi, karahi and the Balochi Sajji.
He visited a local Dhaba for lunch varieties of curries, of which, he enjoyed the liver curry the most.
Then came the Chicken Karahi .
Impressed with the skills of a local tondoor roti maker, making a roti in 3 seconds, declared him the fastest roti maker, ‘the fastest roti maker that i have ever seen in my life,’
He then went ahead for the tasting of the Payaz, ‘Legendary siri paye, a stew of goat trotters,’ as he called them.
The ‘Goat feet jacuzzi! the bubbly stew of thick gravy, tasted like melted collagen and fat rendered into the sauce’
From Payaz to the walled city of Lahore, he tasted the ‘Gur Gatta,’ which he referred to as the sweet toffee.
‘The Walled City of Lahore is an endless maze of ancient narrow bustling alleys, something fascinating everywhere you look. This man was selling a sweet toffee.
One of his favourite snack was the channa chaat made by a roadside vendor, making the savory chaat with the apricot chutni.
‘He s 50 years old, and he s been making "chana chaat," chickpea mix, for 40 years. That s perfection. One of my favorite snacks in #Lahore’.
The fried fish offered by Siddiq fish corner got him going.
’Deep fried in mustard oil, this is one of Lahore s best places to eat fish!’ he added.
The tender meat of Nihari,‘splashed with boiling desi ghee (clarified butter)! And the creamy, dripping stew of Nihari was delicious.’
Mark also tasted the desi aloo and Moli paratha’s
The minced beef kababs from Peshawar were the greatest that he ever tasted.
‘Minced beef, spices, and nuggets of bone marrow, fried in animal fat over a raging bonfire, known as chapli kebab. Easily the greatest kebab I have ever consumed’.
In Islamabad, he found the Majeed hut’s delicacies truly amazing.
The scrambled brain masala and fresh tandoori roti stopped him in his tracks to just dig into the buffalo brain.
Gilgit, with its amazing scenery had meat skewer offerings, that simply blew his mind.
The unique Pamiri food, was quite a mouthful with apricot soup delight.
He called the Karachi bun kabab a ‘ street food wonder’ and the crab lollipops just made his day.
Mark Wein, during his visit fell in love with Pakistan; calling it one of the most unforgettable trips of his life. His travel experience changed his perception of the country, not once did he counter any negativity and the people were the true winners whom were very welcoming, the vendors never charged him for any of the food that he tried and the people made his journey through Pakistan the most memorable, in his own words it has become ‘ a trip of a life time.’
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