PESHAWAR
\nRenowned for its hospitality, Peshawar\u2019s famed food street, Namak Mandi, welcomed an influx of food enthusiasts on Sunday.
\nFamilies and friends gathered to savor a variety of traditional dishes in a relaxed atmosphere, as cooler weather enhanced the dining experience especially at night.
\nAs temperatures dipped, Namak Mandi\u2014celebrated for its BBQ, Mattan Karahi, Chappli Kabab, and Peshawari rice Polao\u2014became a bustling hub for locals and tourists alike.
\nSituated behind the historic Qissa Khwani bazaar, this vibrant street is a magnet for those seeking authentic flavors.
\nVisitors often found themselves lounging on traditional charpoys at food stalls, indulging in the rich tastes of Chappli Kabab and Matton Karahi, complemented by fragrant green tea. \u201cChappli Kabab and Matton Karahi are my favorites; I can\u2019t leave without enjoying them,\u201d shared tourist Fayaz Khan from Nowshera.
\nMany patrons echoed similar sentiments, relishing the experience while awaiting their meals. \u201cAfter a year, I returned to enjoy Mattan Karahi and green tea here. The 30-minute wait for food fosters conversations in a relaxed setting,\u201d Fayaz noted.
\nAccompanied by his brother Nasir Khan who added, \u201cI also ordered two kilograms of Chappli Kabab and three parcels of rice Polao for my son\u2019s birthday party at home.\u201d
\nThis weekend saw a surge of food lovers flocking to Namak Mandi, drawn
\nLike Fayaz and Nasir, a large number of food lovers visited Namak Mandi and others food streets of Peshawar on weekend where they enjoyed traditional cuisines due to its excellent taste and deliciousness.
\nArif Ahmad, a famous Chappli Kabab businessman told APP that demands of Chappli Kabab have increased manifolds during winter and autumn seasons.
\nBesides enjoying appetizing traditional cuisines at hotels and open restaurants at night, he said most of Chappli Kabab lovers asked for parcels from two Kg to five Kg for parties at home.
\nInherited Chappli Kabab\u2019s business from my father, he said, \u201cmy father Jalil Ahmad took over it from his father, Jumma Khan in 1950. Following the death of my father, all his (Jalil Ahmed) six sons had carried forward the legacy of this hard-earned business and continued till date with a lot of hope to transfer it to the next generation.\u201d
\n\u201cMy grandfather had started chappli kabab business from a single \u2018Karahi\u2019 75 years ago and today with grace of Allah Almighty, we have six more shops including one at melody food street, Islamabad, two each at Firdous and University Road, one each at Gul Bahar and Faqirabad Peshawar,\u201d he added.
\nBakhatzada Khan, Assistant Director, Archealogy Department said the people of united India were mostly vegetarians but all kings and invaders from the west including Mughals, Turks, Ghazni and Afghans who conquered India were carnivores.
\nHe said they introduced the habit of eating meat in new ways and customs in the United India where Mughals made meat-eating a cultural dish by making it a substitute for beef and buffalo\u2019 meat by adding various spices and ingredients to it.\u201d
\nBefore marching towards India, the kings, warriors and invaders had stayed in Peshawar by introducing Chappli Kabab\u2019s recipe during Mughal dynasty, which had later gained international fame owing to its appetizing aroma and delectable taste.
\nLater, its recipe was shifted to Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and other cities of Pakistan besides Jalalabad and Kabul in Afghanistan and Amratsar, Lucknow and Dheli in India.
\nIn Peshawar, Arif said more than 3,000 chappli kebabs\u2019 small and big outlets were existed mostly in Firdus, Bakhshu bridge, Warsak Road, Ring Road, Nothia, Namak Mandai, Hastnagri, Ramadas, Faqirabad and Board bazaars flooded these days with consumers.
\nBesides Chappli Kabab, Arif said takeaway service of traditional cuisines including Peshawari rice polao, paye, dampokh, namak mandi karahi, lamb chops, BBQ and others traditional foods have also shined.
\nHe said people also dispatch it to UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries for their friends, relatives and loved ones besides used in walima, engagements and haqeeqa of the newborn.
\nQaiser Khan, a retired Wapda employee told APP that Namak Mandi was his favorite food place in Peshawar where he came for the last five years to enjoy its Matton Karhai and BBQ due to its unique taste and energy perspective.
\n\u201cIt gave us an opportunity to spend some times with my old friends here in a relex environment as the orders generally take close to an half and hour to prepare, with customers.
\nThey urged KP Government to covert Namak Mandi a full fledged food street on the patterns of Gawal Mandi Lahore and provide soft loans to shopkeepers enabling them to continue and expand their businesses after Coronavirus pandemic and terrorism incidents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR Renowned for its hospitality, Peshawar\u2019s famed food street, Namak Mandi, welcomed an influx of food enthusiasts on Sunday. Families and friends gathered to savor a variety of traditional dishes in a relaxed atmosphere, as cooler weather enhanced the dining experience especially at night. As temperatures dipped, Namak Mandi\u2014celebrated for its BBQ, Mattan Karahi, Chappli […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":432836,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-432819","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n