By Asma Kundi
ISLAMABAD: Traditional cuisines of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including sohbat, beef pulao, and chappal kebab, offered by Malangjan Bannu Beef Pulao and Restaurant in Islamabad, are winning the hearts of locals.
After a highly positive response from the people of the twin cities in the Tarnol area, another branch of the restaurant has been set up in G-9 Markaz in the centre of the capital city. The outlet witnesses huge rush on weekends, with people waiting in long queues to get a table.
Beef pulao
A visitor, Mehvish Yazdani, a food blogger, told World Echo News, “I have tried traditional food of KPK many times, but this mouthwatering beef pulao of Malangjan was out of this world. The meat was so tender, and rice was enriched with taste.”
She also reviewed the restaurant’s food in her latest blog and wrote, “ Tried it for the first time, Banu Beef Pulao and Beef Chapli Kebeb. My honest review is that it was so delicious, the pulao was so rich, it was made in Yakhni, and the flavors were to die for. Chapli kebabs were the prize winner; they were so tasty and juicy, loved the spice level. It was the best so far. And to go with kebabs, fluffy flatbread/ naan.”
She recommended giving Malangjan a must-try, adding, “it took me quite a long time to finally go there and try the food, but I am going there again soon.”
Sohbat
Another super-hit dish on Malangjan’s menu is Sohbat. It is a traditional dish consumed in KPK and areas of Punjab provinces. Sohbat is made with pieces of meat, usually chicken, but sometimes mutton or beef, cooked in a rich broth of fried onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and spices before getting deep-fried.
The hot, aromatic soup is then evenly distributed over bits of a chapati flatbread, while the pieces of meat are usually placed on top of the torn, broth-drenched chapatis. The whole dish is served on a large serving platter, locally known as thaal, as it is meant to be shared and eaten with hands.
