A land of MOUNTAINS & BERRIES
Pakistan is a place of sweetness and spice where no table is complete without dessert, says Sumayya Usmani
Over hundreds and thousands of years, Pakistan has inherited many traditions that have left an indelible mark on the culture and cooking of its people. A rich and turbulent history has seen the country swept through by Mongol invaders and Alexander the Great’s armies, ruled by Mughal emperors and British colonialists. Its culinary fabric has also been touched by its geographic borders with Afghanistan and Iran, and further enhanced by Muslim emigrants from India.
Pakistan’s bounty is captivating, plentiful and exotic, and the way in which different communities use it is greatly dependent on where they live. Icy mountains and arid deserts meet fertile plains and deep valleys. Dramatic and beautiful, this landscape is capable of supporting a broad natural larder, from sweet berries to fiery spice. However, there is one unifying adoration that reigns supreme across this changing and vast country and that is its people’s love of desserts, confectionery, fruit and nuts.
The country’s northern areas are blessed with fruit such as pomegranates, mulberries and cherries, as well as pistachios, walnuts and pine nuts, which all grow in abundance. In the rugged mountains and valleys of Chitral, Kalash, Gilgit and Hunza, warm breezes carry the delicate scent of apricots. In the warmer months, these are dried on the foothills and served with fresh cheese at the end of a meal or to greet guests.
In the southern part of the country, puddings are more strongly spiced and balanced with floral notes. In the dry majestic deserts of Balochistan, which borders Iran, spices such as saffron, cardamom and pepper are grown and used extensively. Sweets tend to be simple in this area, based on local wheat and dates that have been dried for the harsh winters ahead. Expect saffron and cardamominfused milk, rice puddings and buffalo milk sweetmeats.
The streets of Karachi in the southern region of Sindh are a real melting pot of flavour. Here, diverse puddings are influenced by immigrants from Mumbai, east Punjab and Hyderabad, as well as the local Sindhi cuisine. In summer, Sindh’s large fields turn amber with ripe sugar cane and its lush trees are heavy with juicy pink guavas and honey mangoes, while winter brings delightfully sweet red carrots. Shops are packed high with colourful morsels handmade with raw sugar and spices and sold by the kilo.
Flavours differ again in Lahore, the eastern city which is known as Pakistan’s food capital. Here, sweets celebrate the bounty of the fertile lands of Punjab and take the form of vegetable halvas, milky rose-scented rice puddings and kewra-infused treats.
Sweets vary in grandeur depending on the occasion. Decadent desserts are a fundamental part of all celebrations and festivities, however, on a daily basis, mithai are a household staple. Mithai simply means sweetmeats, and they can be anything from a humble afternoon tea to a special gift made for a loved one. To a Pakistani, sharing and giving mithai comes easily. They are a way to show appreciation, rejoice on a happy occasion or merely as an act of kindness to bring a smile to someone’s face.
Pakistani people have an adoration of ‘muh meetha karna’ (sweetening one’s mouth), a lyrical expression that defines the very essence of dessert culture, which is far more than simply concluding a main meal. It’s about savouring, sharing and celebrating happiness by indulging in sweetness with family and friends. Whether it’s a dawwat (feast) or a friend coming over for chai, there is always a platter of decadent dessert, perfumed mithai or halvas. This practice reflects the nation’s sweet tooth, sense of hospitality and love for sharing joy and sweetness with everyone.
Many people shy away from making South Asian sweets because of their complex reputation. However, if you stop viewing them as an appendage to a meal and instead look at them as a fundamental part of Pakistani food culture, you will soon find yourself under the spell of their exoticism, historical romance and indulgence.
‘Dramatic and beautiful, this landscape is capable of supporting a broad natural larder, from sweet berries to fiery spice.’