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Nihari vs Karahi vs Biryani

Which would you choose?

  • Total voters
    20
If you meant Desi that includes Indians and then Biryani would win among the three.

Personally i like karahi Paneer with tandoori roti.. but i know most prefer biryani
 
Shab deg

jk

Biryani for me but I also think qormah is really good. Kebabs get an honorary mention.
 
Biryani.

Daylight.

Mutton Karahi.

Chicken Karahi.

Daylight.

Nihari.
 
Nothing beats Nihari.... and there is no such thing as chicken nihari, it might be the nihari masala made with chicken but actual nihari is from a specific cut of beef.
 
Hard to separate Peshawar’s mutton karahi and Karachi’s beef nihari. Biryani is overrated by those who haven’t had a proper pulao.
 
My cooks biryani is the single greatest thing I’ve ever had. It’s very hard to separate the 3 of these when they’re all really good. I’ll gladly have any one of them
 
Mamoon said:
Hard to separate Peshawar’s mutton karahi and Karachi’s beef nihari. Biryani is overrated by those who haven’t had a proper pulao.
Click to expand...


Good pulao is really really good but it appears you haven’t had the best biryani
 
aliasad1998 said:
My cooks biryani is the single greatest thing I’ve ever had. It’s very hard to separate the 3 of these when they’re all really good. I’ll gladly have any one of them
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You have a cook? you are the 1% of Pakistan?
 
Nihari every day of the week and twice on Sunday and by Nihari I meant slow cooked beef nihari with nuli and/or maghaz to boost, garnished with corriander and thin ginger sticks.

Don't even want to think about the abomination that is Chicken Nihari.
 
All 3 dishes are epic if cooked right.

Biryani though edges it for me (from the given 3 choices).
 
Mamoon said:
Hard to separate Peshawar’s mutton karahi and Karachi’s beef nihari. Biryani is overrated by those who haven’t had a proper pulao.
Click to expand...

How about Peshawari Charsi Tikka?

Delicious it is.
 
Mamoon said:
Hard to separate Peshawar’s mutton karahi and Karachi’s beef nihari. Biryani is overrated by those who haven’t had a proper pulao.
Click to expand...

Pulao is more popular west of the Indus, while biryani takes precedence east of the Indus + Karachi.
 
JaDed said:
You have a cook? you are the 1% of Pakistan?
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Yeah. Servants are the norm in Pakistan if you’re middle class or higher. There’s nothing wrong with it. He’s like family and has been with my parents since before I was born
 
aliasad1998 said:
Yeah. Servants are the norm in Pakistan if you’re middle class or higher. There’s nothing wrong with it. He’s like family and has been with my parents since before I was born
Click to expand...

Not saying its wrong, jus asked. Having part time maid who works in diff homes for cleaning , dishes is common in middle class India as well, dunno about cooks.
 
JaDed said:
Not saying its wrong, jus asked. Having part time maid who works in diff homes for cleaning , dishes is common in middle class India as well, dunno about cooks.
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Cooks and drivers are pretty common here.
 
Mueez said:
Cooks and drivers are pretty common here.
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Driver and maid are common, but having a cook means you are in the elite of the elite. Most middle class and upper class folks don't have dedicated cooks.


However, in some middle class homes the driver doubles as a cook.
 
Syed1 said:
Pulao is more popular west of the Indus, while biryani takes precedence east of the Indus + Karachi.
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Not true, most of Punjab is east of the indus and pulao is preferred while Karachi is west of the indus lol.
 
Pakistanian said:
Not true, most of Punjab is east of the indus and pulao is preferred while Karachi is west of the indus lol.
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You might have a point, people of Lahore serve pulao and call it biryani. :yk
 
Syed1 said:
Driver and maid are common, but having a cook means you are in the elite of the elite. Most middle class and upper class folks don't have dedicated cooks.


However, in some middle class homes the driver doubles as a cook.
Click to expand...

Not true. My mom has worked her whole life so it made sense for us to have a cook. I am in no way among the elite of the elite. Not even close
 
What the crap is chicken nihari? Who invented that? And why are people having chicken nihari?
 
DeadBall said:
Nihari every day of the week and twice on Sunday and by Nihari I meant slow cooked beef nihari with nuli and/or maghaz to boost, garnished with corriander and thin ginger sticks.

Don't even want to think about the abomination that is Chicken Nihari.
Click to expand...

LOL - can’t agree more >chicken nihari is an abomination. Being a proud Pakhtoonia, there is no way on earth can chicken ever be replaced with goat, beef, or lamb in any of these three delectable dishes which in my humble opinion would be sacrilegious :46:

FYI, some of the best nihari and karahii can be had at Cooco's Den, old city Lahore - not to mention the Mughal grandeur and aura of sitting at the very top level terrace overlooking incredibly beautiful Badshahi Masjid on a full moon night ...
 
Nalli beef nihari is where meat reaches its peak. The only thing is that it’s notoriously hard to master cooking it so you will more likely be disappointed than happy which is why very few restaurants in the west offer it.

Biryani is also great and I’d say it’s relatively easier to find good biryani
 
Syed1 said:
Pulao is more popular west of the Indus, while biryani takes precedence east of the Indus + Karachi.
Click to expand...
In Lahore they make pulao, color it yellow and sell it as biryani :)))
 
Biryani is the Bradman of Desi foods. Nothing comes close.

Biryani wins easily.
 
aliasad1998 said:
Good pulao is really really good but it appears you haven’t had the best biryani
Click to expand...

I had biryani in Karachi which is as good as it gets in Pakistan, although I don't exactly remember where so I might not have had the best Karachi biryani. Nonetheless, I prefer pulao.
 
Chicken nihari seems to be a bigger abomination than chicken steak.
 
Syed1 said:
Driver and maid are common, but having a cook means you are in the elite of the elite. Most middle class and upper class folks don't have dedicated cooks.


However, in some middle class homes the driver doubles as a cook.
Click to expand...
I am definitely not elite class.

But we have a cook who’s working for us since 40 years.
 
Nihari is a breakfast meal and IMO is a delicacy. Karhai is a dish that is served with other dishes. Biryani is the dish that defines a party, event or occasion.

Hence Biryani is King!
 
Depends on the mood I'm in.
Was a time when I'd go to a restaurant with friends and order all three :)

However, for me a Karahi, whether chicken or lamb, has to be cooked on the bone.
Same goes for Byriani.
 
Nihari with garam parrathas in the morning with a fried egg on the side.
Lamb /chicken on the bone Karahi with hot tandoori naan in the afternoon.
Chicken Biryaani with some raita in the evening.
 
classic said:
Nihari with garam parrathas in the morning with a fried egg on the side.
Lamb /chicken on the bone Karahi with hot tandoori naan in the afternoon.
Chicken Biryaani with some raita in the evening.
Click to expand...
As a bengali i would add hilsha bhape and prawn malaikari to the contention..pork vindaloo is pretty good too
 
Mueez said:
I am definitely not elite class.

But we have a cook who’s working for us since 40 years.
Click to expand...

Bhai half of Pakistan cannot afford three full meals in a day, and here you have full-time employed people to cook food for you. You are definitely in the elite of the elite. Every rich person thinks they are not that rich. Should spend a day with an actual poor person to know what poverty looks and feels like.
 
Ok. Chicken Nihari...I have never come across this in my life.

Tbh, I have come round to the the thinking that Nihari and Haleem are both way overrated. They are nice to have from time to time, but I can have Karahi every day of the week. Mutton Karahi with Roghni naan.....*drool*

Not a rice person, so Biryani/Pulao both get the thumbs down from me. And cant do maghaz...
 
Nihari is my favorite. However i am shocked that some Pakistanis like Chicken Nihari.

I can understand if Hindus might prefer Chicken or Lamb Nihari due to religious reasons. Thats no different than Muslims eating Turkey or Beef Bacon.

I can also understand Indian Muslims not eating Beef Nihari.

But I dont understand why a Pakistani Muslim would want to eat Chicken Nihari. Like steak Nihari needs to be Beef for the best taste.
 
DeadBall said:
Its the kosher Indian version. Let our padosi bhais have their choti choti khushiyan. :lara
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I thought thats what Lamb Nihari was for. Tbh when we make Nihari at home, its usually lamb. Actually, same with most desi food. Beef is usually with lasagne, burger, steak, etc.

You will never get same texture with white meat as you do with red...so the idea of Chicken Nihari seems weird.
 
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Mamoon said:
Chicken nihari seems to be a bigger abomination than chicken steak.
Click to expand...

oh yess the chicken steaks that are famous in RWP/ISB

People give resturants reviews based on such foods.

and dont get me started on those cheese breas that are sold in Pakistan in the name of Pizza. Even Pizza hut has to sell those disgusting pizzas without sauce
 
Nihari from this list. Biryani I think is overrated. There are several alternatives which taste equally good if not better.

I will take Haleem over everything else. It is far more nutritious than Nihari, Biryani, etc.
 
Pulao is actually a very interesting dish.

You see, the Pulao has become the Pindi trademark all thanks to Savour Food. They have made this dried dish soo popular that everyony that copies savour food they sell the rice cooked in the same way with 2 shami kebabs and 1 chicken boti.

Savour started this trend, which was then copied by Saeen Jee, Baoo Jee, Haq Bahoo and Tasty foods.

Today this kind of Pulao has become famous in Pindi, and i didnt realize until i visted New Delhi that how good our Pindi pulao is.

I once ordered pulao in New Delhi, and it was not that good, infact getting good pulao in Delhi was difficult. Thats when i realize that how Savour had started a trend and made its pulao so famous around pindi and islamabad that it was the bench mark of Pulao.

But there are two types of Pulao:
One is that Savour kind of pulao that only Savour makes the best and the other resturants just copy it.
The second pulao is the daigi pulao which you get to eat in khatams and funerals (sad). Daigi pulao has its own great taste.

As for Biryani. Biryani is the king of rice, but the problem is you cant find good biryani from anywhere. Just like how i would assume that better Pulao than savour cant be found in other places in Pakistan.

Everyone tries too cook biryani, but there are only those few rare people or restaurants that could actually cook it.

My mumani (who died 2 years ago), made the best chiicken biryani. She would actually bake that biryani or maybe do a dum in the oven. But Goodddd that was the best biryani i ever had home cooked.

Then i remember in Mississauga there used to be Karachi Kitchen and they sold pretty good biryani aswell.

In Pakistan, i have only had good biryani from Karachi(literally when ever my dad got a chance to travel to Karachi by air he would not only bring tasty biryani in his hand carry, but also that Delhi Rabri :)) )

In Rwp/Isb, you cant find that Biryani which has imlee, aloo bukhara, and those spices. The biryani here we get is they cook rice, place it in the Handi and add some boneless cooked thigh piecee, and voila Biryani.... People then end up saying they hand hte sindhi biryani experience :facepalm:


As for Karhai, the best Karhai i ever had was Butt Karhai and java Karhai (both on the same day consequently) from Lahore. If the karhai is cooked well, one enjoys eating from the karhai directly.

In Pindi we have fake Butt Karhai making terrible Karhai.

Nihari is a dish my mom cooks very well and enjoy eating it. I dont trust eating beef now adays from outside so i avoid muhammadi. But my mom makes great Nihari.

You cant really choose 1 dish form the above 3, it depends upon which one could be cooked the best by the person.
 
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The Mrs is abroad so I went out and had Nihari from a restaurant near my place called Patna, they are probably one of the few Pakistani restaurants in Toronto that have Karachi style food. The rest are mostly Punjabi style, or hybrid Indian-Pakistan. But larkayyy kya nihari thi ufffffffffffff, I'm not a very religious person but a good nihari makes an honest man outta me


:ua
 
Syed1 said:
The Mrs is abroad so I went out and had Nihari from a restaurant near my place called Patna, they are probably one of the few Pakistani restaurants in Toronto that have Karachi style food. The rest are mostly Punjabi style, or hybrid Indian-Pakistan. But larkayyy kya nihari thi ufffffffffffff, I'm not a very religious person but a good nihari makes an honest man outta me


:ua
Click to expand...

Smh cheating on your wife with nihari :imam

Also what's wrong with being religious? :inti
 
Syed1 said:
The Mrs is abroad so I went out and had Nihari from a restaurant near my place called Patna, they are probably one of the few Pakistani restaurants in Toronto that have Karachi style food. The rest are mostly Punjabi style, or hybrid Indian-Pakistan. But larkayyy kya nihari thi ufffffffffffff, I'm not a very religious person but a good nihari makes an honest man outta me


:ua
Click to expand...

It's like the opposite in Texas and Chicago where Pakistani restaurants usually serve Karachi-style food.
 
All three are good but it comes down to personal preference.

Biryani for me.
 
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