Pakistan day is almost here and honestly we cant think of a better time to honour the exotic spices our culture has bless us with than this! If you’re a true Pakistani you have to be a foodie that loves his chat patta masala! Haleem, karahi, daal, achaar gosht, biryani and the list goes on of all the delicious dishes that are known to the world as our pride. There isn’t a single foodie we know that lives in Pakistan and doesn’t love his fair share of mirch masala and aromatic spicy food! But what really makes our food so finger lickin’ good? Spices! Our wide range of flavour bursting spices! I mean what even is a channa chaat with a bit of chat masala sprinkled on it, or piping a bowl of piping hot haleem without some garam masala or, curry without tez patta and zeere ka tarqa? Nothing right ? That’s exactly what we thought! we know we love our desi spices just as much as we love our cultural heritage! its almost as if we inherited flavour as a cultural gift from our country and roots. While there isn’t a single child that hasn’t been lured to the kitchen while dadi cooks her famous nihari what makes dadi’s recipes such a hit in the family are the desi masalas she swears by.

1. Dar Cheeni – Cinnamon Sticks

The aroma and sweet taste of dar cheeni is jus divine! At the end of the day, cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthiest spices on the planet. It can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk factors, and has a plethora of other impressive health benefits.

2. Zeera – Cumin 

Who likes their daal topped with a sizzling zeere ka bhagaar? We know we do. Extensively used as a condiment or a spice in culinary practices of the Indian subcontinent zeera boasts a number of important nutrients that can help keep you healthy Because of its strong aroma, only a small amount of cumin essential oil is used in recipes to provide them with a powerful punch.

3. Sukhi Gol Laal Mirch – Dried Round Red Chillies 

Large round chillies, which are a bright or dark red in colour are very commonly added to desi dishes like daal, kari, karahi and other vegetables. Owning to its hot fiery taste, it is preferred for making hot and sizzling dishes for those that dare!

4. Long – Black Clove

They might be tiny, but cloves are giants when it comes to nutrition and natural health – longs are anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and analgesic. The strong, almost medicinal flavor of clove comes from the concentration of essential oils. But be careful when adding this spice in – they can tend to overpower more delicate spices.

5. Garam Masala – Hot Spices

An exotic mix of cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and nutmeg – Garam Masala is the jaan of every tasty and spicy desi recipe! Us Pakistanis just cant live without it!

6. Haldi – Turmeric Powder

Almost ever Pakistani cuisine uses turmeric powder! Bright yellow in color, turmeric is known for its many medicinal properties and gives a yellow tinge to dishes. Great tip: Use haldi mixed with yogurt or milk as a face mask to remove tan and marks and reveal a healthy glow!

7. Tez Patta – Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are commonly found in biryani, pulao, soups, curries and most dishes. Also known as tez patta, this culinary herb makes for an integral part of the Indian cuisine, thanks to its distinctive flavour and fragrance. Bay leaves are a rich source of vitamin A and C along with folic acid and minerals. There’s no comparison to a tarqa or zeera and tez patta!

8. Kali Mirch – Black Pepper

Black pepper is actually native to the whole of the subcontinent. A pinch of black pepper added to any recipe works as more than just a flavor enhancer. This king of spices is known to offer a number of health benefits while providing an excellent depth of flavor to a dish. The use of black pepper in the diet helps promote weight loss, improve digestion, relieve cold and cough, boost metabolism, and treat skin problems.

9. Tandoori BBQ Masala

Pakistani’s simply love their bbq food! Pakistan day is right around the corner and we have just what you need for a quick bbq While we always have the option to mix together different spices to make our own customized marination its always an easy option to use a pre-mixed tandoori masala which is a great option to get your bbq chicken ready in no time!