Karachi is a paradise for Pakistani street lovers! It is a home to a massive population of some 15 million people, with probably a lot more. It is a melting pot of people, food, and cultures from throughout Pakistan and the entire Indian subcontinent. Karachi is home to some of the best Pakistani street food.
Here is a sneak peek into some of the best street food spots of Karachi that you must try.
Nihari for breakfast
Nihari is considered one of the heavyweights of all meat breakfasts in the world. It is a rich meat stew that is available in all cities of Pakistan. It is delicious in Lahore too, but according to some real hardcore food lovers, Karachi still reigns supreme in the nihari department. The king of all nihari combos is the nalli nihari, bone marrow beef stew, topped in a layer of desi ghee, and rich beyond belief. One of the best things about nihari is that it can be seasoned with ginger, chillies, and a squeeze of lime. It is an amazing breakfast to begin the street food tour in Karachi.
Arabian Paratha
Still away from the nihari breakfast is the Burns Road, one of the most well-known Pakistani street food streets of Karachi. It is famous for its Arabian Paratha, although its halwa puri is very popular. It is similar to a mataba or martabak in Southeast Asia and originally from Arabia. It includes a thin piece of dough, filled with minced chicken and an egg spiced mixture, which is fried. Its mild yet balanced spices, and fresh from coriander, including the crunchy dough from outside, makes it a delicious snack.
Matka kulfi
Still on Burns Road, there is a small hole-in-the-wall shop that specializes in matka kulfi. It is an Indian sub-continent ice-cream made from khoa (similar to sweetened condensed milk). It is frozen inside a matka, a small clay cup.
Rabri – sweet pudding
Next door to the kulfi, you’ll find Delhi Rabri House, a sweet shop famous for its rabri. Rabri is an extremely sweet, condensed milk-based kind of pudding. What’s very interesting is that it is not smooth, but you can rather feel the strands with the sweet pudding. If you are a sweet lover, there is no way you should leave Burns Road in Karachi without trying it.
Bone marrow biryani
From Burns road, we turn our attention to Liaquatabad, an area of Karachi which is densely populated and teeming with markets that sell everything you can imagine and more. It is a home to some amazing Pakistani street food, specifically bone marrow biryani. The biryani is cooked in massive pots with kilos of spices consisting of giant beef bones. On ordering a plate, you get a portion of the fragrant rice, topped with a massive bone of two.
Ninja street salad
Just across the street, continuing with Liaquatabad, is a place where the famous Karachi street salad called Ninja street salad is served. It is prepared with raw vegetables, sliced and diced, sprinkled with lime juice and seasoned with masala powder. This salad tastes awesome with fresh and vibrant tasting vegetables, sour from the lime juice, and just enough masala powder to make it tasty.
Fish kata-kat
In Karachi, at Mash Allah Fish Kata-kat, fish kata-kat is served, which is one of the most favourite dishes of Karachi. The fish fillets are first deep-fried to make a batch. A portion of the fish is scooped onto the hot plate. Onions, chillies, oil, and masala are added, mixed, and chopped with rhythmic motions. In just five minutes, the batch of kata-kat is ready and scooped into individual serving plates. It is served with chapati and a side of very green herb filled chutney.
Bun kebab
Pakistani street food is incomplete without a bun kebab. Hanif Super Bryani & Bun Kabab is located in the extremely busy Pakistani Chowk. They are known for serving one of Karachi’s best bun kebabs, a street food snack that represents Karachi.
A bun kebab begins with a small puck made from lentils and minced meat that is dunked into a foamy bowl of egg white before being dropped into oil on an iron hot plate. The creation looks like a redesigned fried egg. The white colour indicates the white egg, which is filled with a little lentil patty inside. These patties, once cooked, are served with some chutney and onions.
Dua restaurant – curry and tikka
Dua restaurant, located in the Marine Promenade branch, is known for its curry and tikka. The curry is prepared with fish, shrimp, chops, and kebabs, all surrounded by rice. Prawn curry is a special item served in this restaurant. It is prepared by submerging prawns in spices, a desi ghee and shredded ginger and lime juice to provide a burst of freshness.