Street Food of Lahore ~ 5 Delicious Dishes to Try

The street food of Lahore is known for offering aromatic flavours and finger-licking tastes. DESIblitz presents 5 dishes that you must try at home!

Street Food of Lahore: 5 Delicious Dishes to try

Sights and sounds of Taka Tak are a true definition of the streets of Lahore

The street food of Lahore, a slice of the local life.

Sprinkled with some spicy chaat masala, street cuisines are fantastic for soaking up the traditional atmosphere of Lahore.

Set yourself up for the day with a rich breakfast of Nihari. For starters, try a tasty plate of Dahi Bhalay, Fruit Chaat, or Laddu Pethiyan.

The lunch and dinner options are exciting too! Try the ever so popular Takka Tak.

DESIblitz takes you through the culinary street dining charms of Lahore. And serves up interesting dishes that will leave you with a mouth-watering taste all day.

Why Lahore is Lahore

Street Food of Lahore

Ever wondered why the Pakistani singer, Tariq Tafu, gave the prominent Punjabi saying, “Lahore Lahore Aye,” a melodious voice?

This track reflects the culture of Lahore. It emphasises what makes the city so unique. In particular, the song highlights its incredible street food.

A true taste of the food can only be enjoyed within the architectural streets of Lahore, surrounded by rustic old buildings, colourfully painted and beautifully lit at night.

And, indeed, one of the best ways to experience the culture of a country is through its food.

Dahi Bhallay

Street Food of Lahore

As Tariq Tafu’s lyrics perfectly express: “Jinnay Lahore Ni Takkeya, O Jammeya Nay, Ballay Ballay O Khalo Dahi Bhallay.”

Translated as, If you haven’t seen Lahore, you haven’t even been born. And, those who have, let us celebrate with eating Dahi Bhallay!

Spongy with a great flavour, this plate is a mouth-watering identity of Lahore.

Sour and sweet, Dahi Bhallay are soft and fluffy balls made of black lentils.

Dunked in creamy yoghurt, with a mixture of boiled chickpeas and potatoes, this street food of Lahore will have you salivating.

Top it with spicy and sweet tamarind chutney, to further tickle your taste buds.

Equally important, add a pinch of chaat masala!

To make it crunchy, add thinly sliced onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, every spoonful is a rich refreshing bite.

So dip your spoon into the tangy sauce, break into the Bhalla ball, and lift out the thinly chopped vegetables – all together.

An experience you’ll have to try on the streets of Lahore to believe!

Meanwhile, try this luxurious treasure with this recipe from Cooking Adventurez here.

Fruit Chaat

Street Food of Lahore

Bano Bazaar in Anarkali, Lahore, has a refreshing and juicy fragrant because of its Fruit Chaat stalls. The impeccably arranged fruit displays are the highlight of the streets of Lahore.

Chaat, often translated as, to ‘lick,’ is a term used for spicy fruit or vegetable salads.

The apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges, burst with juice when you bite into them.

Little fruits with big flavours, strawberries, and pomegranates, add striking colours to the fruit salad. While the Amrood (guava) gives a taste of the tropics.

For a whole different dimension, throw in some chickpeas, with some sour and sweet sauces.

Like Dahi Bhallay, fruit chaat is also satisfied with chaat masala, containing green mango powder, ginger, coriander, and cumin. A combination of the sweet and spicy.

For a more pungent taste, sprinkle some black salt and a good amount of pepper.

Fruit is one of nature’s greatest starters, served with a Desi spice! Eat it for the tangy taste and love it for the nutrition!

Peel and slice your favourite fruit to create this nutritionally balanced starter with this recipe.

But, don’t forget to add the Special Shan Chaat Masala!

Laddu Pethiyan

Street Food of Lahore

Another celebrated street food of Lahore, Laddu Pethiyan. A precisely designed bite to eat.

These tasty and crunchy, fried batter gram lentil balls, are a true Lahori delight.

As noted above, you will be pleasingly surprised by its unique presentation.

A delicious array of thinly grated radish drizzled with plum sauce will make you lick your Laddu Pethiyan plate clean.

Most importantly, radishes are rich in vitamins. They improve the functioning of the liver and the stomach.

Surely, this street food of Lahore will look great as part of a party, made with a healthy twist.

Remake the taste of this crunchy street food of Lahore here.

Nihari

Street Food of Lahore

Best eaten with freshly prepared naan, Lahore is also famous for its meat Nihari. 

This thick curry with perfectly trimmed beef or lamb pieces is slowly cooked to perfection.

Marinated in special spices, lime, and garlic, Nihari tempts the taste buds. But, dissolves immediately on the tongue.

This deliciously smooth dish is often eaten at breakfast. One reason is that, due to its rich and heavy texture, ‘Nihari’ is best to be worked off once eaten.

Accordingly, the word ‘Nihari’ is taken from the Arabic word ‘nihar’, meaning ‘morning’ or ‘day.’

Served with finely chopped ginger and fresh coriander leaves, Nihari is the perfect start to your Sunday morning!

The combination results in the most majestic and signature meat breakfast.

Find the full recipe here.

Taka Tak

Street Food of Lahore

To illustrate, takka-tak, refers to the sounds that the metal utensils make while the chef prepares this speciality.

This minced meat dish is incomplete without the echo of this fascinating rhythm. The first impact on your appetite will certainly be due to this sound of the tawah (frying pan), coordinating with the spatula.

A combination of boneless organ meats. Including, the brain, liver, heart, and kidneys. Sounds bizarre?

Yet, when served sizzling in assorted spices, herbs, and topped with mint chutney, it becomes a fascinating curry masala.

These organ meats are widely described as a great source of iron. Loaded with Omega-3s and natural vitamins.

On the whole, these sights and sounds of Taka Tak are a true definition of the streets of Lahore.

Why not try a fine mixture of organs with this Lahori touch recipe.

When you visit Pakistan, make sure you hit the streets of Lahore, to get an actual taste of what we are talking about here.

In the meantime, enjoy these satisfying recipes.

Anam has studied English Language & Literature and Law. She has a creative eye for colour and a passion for design. She is a British-German Pakistani "Wandering Between Two Worlds."

Images courtesy of DESIblitz, Tariq Tafu, Dawn, The National, Destination Pak, GroupIn.pk, Wonder Destinations, Panchpakwan, Zabiha Bites, Table Conversation, Free Knowledge Centre, Instructables, PakWheels, Lahore Lemon, Shugal, Wow Reads, and Blog.Kfoods





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