Cookbook ‘Pakistan’ serves up recipes for Eid mainstays: mutton pulao, garlic chutney, sweet seviyan

This combination of photos shows cover art for the cookbook “Pakistan,” by Maryam Jillani, left, and a dessert recipe from the book called seviyan. (Hardie Grant Publishing via AP, left, and Sonny Thakur via AP)
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Updated 31 March 2025
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Cookbook ‘Pakistan’ serves up recipes for Eid mainstays: mutton pulao, garlic chutney, sweet seviyan

  • As Ramadan ends, Maryam Jilani’s new cookbook sheds light on Pakistan’s varied cuisine and culinary traditions 
  • Recipes reflect diverse nature of Pakistan’s migrant communities and influences on its food from India, China and beyond 

A mainstay at the Eid Al-Fitr table of award-winning food author Maryam Jillani’s grandmother, Kulsoom, was mutton pulao, an aromatic rice dish prepared in a gently spiced bone broth. It’s both comforting and celebratory — and can be absolutely revelatory when paired with a sharp condiment like a garlic chutney.

Dessert included seviyan, sweetened vermicelli noodles simmered in spiced milk.

Here are recipes from Jillani’s new cookbook, “Pakistan,” for the mutton, chutney, and seviyan:

Mutton Pulao (Aromatic Rice with Mutton)

Serves 6 to 8 as a main course

Ingredients:




The photo taken on June 21, 2022, shows a receipe for mutton pulao from Maryam Jillani’s book, "Pakistan." (Maryam Jillani via AP)

About 3 pounds bone-in mutton, lamb or beef, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 whole cloves

2 black cardamom pods

One 2-inch cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons garlic paste

2 tablespoons salt, or to taste

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 cups basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water

Directions:

Fill a large pot with 8 to 10 cups water. Add the mutton, half of the onions, the whole cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon of the garlic paste, and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the mutton for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the quality of the meat, until it is tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat. Strain the solids from the liquid, return the liquid to the pot, and place it by the stove. Discard the solids.

In a clean, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil until it begins to shimmer. Add the remaining onions and fry on medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes until they are a deep golden-brown color. Take care to not let them burn. Stir in the remaining garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the mixture no longer smells raw.

Increase the heat to high and add the mutton and remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Sear the meat, 5 to 7 minutes, until it has browned slightly. Pour in 6 cups of the strained mutton broth (put any leftover broth in airtight containers and freeze for later use). Taste and add more salt as needed. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Carefully pour in the rice and let cook for about 10 minutes until the water completely evaporates.

Wrap a tight-fitting lid with a clean kitchen towel and place it securely on the pot. Turn the heat to the lowest possible setting and let the rice steam for at least 10 to 12 minutes until fluffy. Carefully transfer the pulao to a serving platter and fluff with a fork.

Lahsun ki Chutney (Garlic Chutney)

Aida Khan, a London-based entrepreneur and chef, shared her mother’s recipe for this vibrant, punchy lahsun ki chutney. It’s very spicy, so a little goes a long way. Refrigerate this chutney in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

4 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled

1 1/2 small red onions, roughly chopped

1/4 cup red chili flakes

1 bird’s eye chile (optional)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the garlic, onions, chile flakes, and bird’s eye chile (if using), and blitz until you have a thick paste.

In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and onion paste and salt. Bring it to a simmer, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Cook the chutney for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t stick to the pan, until the garlic and onions have caramelized and the chutney’s color deepens.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Seviyan (Sweetened Roasted Vermicelli)




This image shows. dessert receipe called seviyann from the cookbook "Pakistan" by Maryam Jillani. (Sonny Thakur via AP)

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ghee

6 green cardamom pods, cracked

5 1/2 ounces seviyan (semolina vermicelli)

8 1/2 cups full-fat milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons blanched sliced almonds

Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt the ghee and heat it until it begins to shimmer. Add the cardamom pods and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the seviyan and fry over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until browned slightly. Gradually pour in the milk and bring the pudding to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Keep the milk at a gentle simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring continually, until the milk thickens but the seviyan still has some bite.

Transfer the seviyan to a serving bowl. Top with sliced almonds. Let it cool to room temperature before serving. To store, transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within 2 to 3 days.


Pakistan remittances seen surpassing $40 billion in FY26 as Saudi Arabia leads November inflows

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Pakistan remittances seen surpassing $40 billion in FY26 as Saudi Arabia leads November inflows

  • The country’s November remittances rose 9.4 percent year-on-year to $3.2 billion, official data show
  • Economic experts say rupee stability and higher use of formal channels are driving the upward trend

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s workers’ remittances are expected to exceed the $40 billion mark in the current fiscal year, economic experts said Tuesday, after the country recorded an inflow of $3.2 billion in November, with Saudi Arabia once again emerging as the biggest contributor.

Remittances are a key pillar of Pakistan’s external finances, providing hard currency that supports household consumption, helps narrow the current-account gap and bolsters foreign-exchange reserves. The steady pipeline from Gulf economies, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has remained crucial for Pakistan’s balance of payments.

A government statement said monthly remittances in November stood at $3.2 billion, reflecting a 9.4 percent year-on-year increase.

“The growth in remittances means the full-year figure is expected to cross the $40 billion target in fiscal year 2026,” Sana Tawfik, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, told Arab News over the phone.

“There are a couple of factors behind the rise in remittances,” she said. “One of them is the stability of the rupee. In addition, the country is receiving more inflows through formal channels.”

Tawfik said the trend was positive for the current account and expected inflows to remain strong in the second half of the fiscal year, noting that both Muslim festivals of Eid fall in that period, when overseas Pakistanis traditionally send additional money home for family expenses and celebrations.

The official statement said cumulative remittances reached $16.1 billion during July–November, up 9.3 percent from $14.8 billion in the same period last year.

It added that November inflows were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia ($753 million), the United Arab Emirates ($675 million), the United Kingdom ($481.1 million) and the United States ($277.1 million).

“UAE remittances have regained momentum in recent months, with their share at 21 percent in November 2025 from a low of 18 percent in FY24,” said Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global Capital Limited. “Dubai in particular has seen a steady pick-up, reflecting improved inflows from Pakistani expatriates owing to some relaxation in emigration policies.”