After arriving in Karachi, Pakistan, after midnight, I jumped up just a few hours later to go on my first street food tour in the country. Join me on my Pakistani street food breakfast experience, where I got to meet the king of parathas in Karachi, Pakistan!
My first morning in the country kicked off bright and early at 8:30 a.m. I couldn’t wait to get my first taste of Pakistani breakfast items. I was so pumped and ready to go!
First, I met up with my guide Furqan from Manaky, who told me I’d be having parathas with an omelet, channa, and chai at Quetta Alamgir Hotel. As we walked through the city of lights, Karachi, I noticed how friendly everyone in town was. Everyone is so open-hearted!
A paratha is a layered flatbread that’s pan-fried with ghee. The cook there is known as the King of Parathas in Karachi. He cooks his lachha parathas in a massive pan! The kitchen is outside near the street, and the dining area is inside and upstairs. That’s how most restaurants in Pakistan work.
The chai was sweet and frothy. I really liked the cardamom flavor. The egg was nice and fiery. I love when my food has a kick of heat and these eggs really hit the spot!
Meanwhile, the lachha paratha was very flaky and crispy. It reminded me a lot of the parottas I ate in Kerala, India. Dipping it into the channa is the best! The chilies, sauce, and flaky texture of the paratha was excellent!
Then, I dipped some of the paratha into the chai. I loved the combination! Mixing the paratha, chickpeas, and egg together can’t be beat, though!
After eating, I washed my hands thoroughly. A lot of the local kids came up to me to see what I was doing. Then, the owner gave me a Sindhi cap. Everyone was so kind and friendly! They really welcomed me with open arms, and then they comped our meal!
Then, we went to have a yogurt drink called lassi at Sialkot Milk Centre, which also sells bread and milkshakes. Here, you can go up and order, or you can sit in your car and the waiter will come to you. It’s the perfect thing to drink after a spicy meal! The lassi had a nice layer of yogurt on top and was more liquid on the bottom. It coated my stomach and was super refreshing.
From there, Furqan and I drove past restaurants, vendors, and mid-rise and high-rise buildings on our way to Empress Market. We were lucky; the temperature wasn’t too hot and there wasn’t much traffic.
The market is located in a beautiful, British-style building and dates back to 1889. Pakistan used to be part of India from 1858 to 1947 under the British Raj. When India became independent, Pakistan also broke off to become its own country.
It’s an old-school bazaar and is like taking a step into the past. I saw vendors selling tons of chilies, as well as spices, fruits, vegetables, honey, peanuts, and clothing. One of the vendors let me try some of his delicious figs and dates.
In the center of the market is a guy selling hairy coconuts. The coconut water wasn’t sweet and had a unique flavor. I also saw vendors selling pickled achar with mangoes as well as moringa and different oils. The man who sells the oils will extract oils from your seeds, coconuts, or nuts if you want!
Further on were snacks, cookware for grills, and household items. The market was actually quite small! There’s an extension of the market outside where you can buy clothing and street food like samosas, parathas, and biryani. Then, a vendor invited me into his toy shop, which sold a variety of toys, including Marvel figurines!
What an incredible Pakistani street food breakfast in Karachi, Pakistan! Huge thanks to everyone at Manaky for making it such a fun morning.
I hope you liked coming with me on my Pakistani street food breakfast tour in Karachi, Pakistan! If you did, please give this video a thumbs up and leave a comment below. Also, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the notification bell so you don’t miss any of my travel/food adventures around the world!
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