Saman Ali Saudi Gazette AL-KHOBAR — Situated in Peshawar between Kohat Road and Cinema Road is an old place called Namak Mandi, meaning salt market. Namak Mandi is one of the oldest markets in Peshawar to buy spices, meat, tea, qahwa, and nuts. But these are not the only items that make this market special. It is the food; the chicken tikkas, kababs and mutton cooked in black woks with pieces of fat, green chilies, slivers of ginger and salt that makes it worth visiting. The aroma on the streets compels everyone to stop and enjoy these delicious food items. Among the hustle and bustle of downtown Thuqbah in Al-Khobar, there is a place between the 18 and 19 cross on Madinah Street, which is famous for its authentic Peshawari Karhai, a northern Pakistani delicacy. The owner proudly flaunts a huge signboard telling everyone the origin of this northern Pakistani dish. It says, “Famous Namak Mandi Karhai, Chappali Kababs, Seekh Kababs now available in Al-Khobar.” Though people living in Thuqbah are regular consumers of this delectable dish, it is the weekends that attract a huge line of many branded cars. They are seen patiently waiting for the black wok of sizzling mutton karhai to arrive. Accompanied with fresh naan (bread), slices of lemon and the famous northern Pakistani Chappali Kababs, a meal at the ‘karhai' joint is a must for all food connoisseurs. “We are in business in Al-Khobar for the past 15 years. We started in Shumaisy, Riyadh and then opened one here,” Nawab Ali who runs this eatery said. His food is very popular with the locals as at a small price of SR9 one can enjoy two huge Chappali Kababs with the ‘naan' bread, a small serving of yoghurt and lemon. When asked about those who come in cars and line up to enjoy his food, he smiled and said, ‘It is the quality of food that has attracted so many people. There are Saudis, Yemenis, Indians and of course Pakistanis who are our regular customers.” The moment you place an order for mutton or chicken karhai, a wok is placed on flame. Pieces of meat are added with oil and with a dash of salt it is then stirred and fried for a few minutes. Once the meat turns brown, spices are added along with slivers of ginger, tomatoes and green chilies. The flame is high and the cook stir-fries it with confidence and perfection till the aroma starts spreading everywhere. Behind the woks is a ‘tandoor' where ‘naan' is baked till it is golden. On the other side mincemeat is knead and mixed with finely chopped tomatoes, onions and other aromatic spices. “Some times people ask us to add eggs to their kababs. Then we scramble and cook eggs with spices and later add it to the mincemeat to make kababs.” Unfortunately, this eatery is only for bachelors with no place for families to sit. For Saudi men they have a room at the back with carpets so they can eat in their own style. Families line up to eat inside their cars. The supply of ‘karhai” woks and “naan” is quick. You can douse the chilies with a chilled bottle of Coke or Seven up! “We use imported Pakistani mutton, local chicken and Brazilian beef. All our other ingredients are fresh and we have never had any problem with the inspection teams,” Ali, who runs this place with his son Ahmed Ali, proudly stated. The only thing missing is the sweet “halwa” which is a staple of Peshawari food. The price of 1 kg karhai plus naan and yoghurt comes around SR50. The quantity is enough for three people. Next time when you are thinking of dining out without spending a fortune and do not want to compromise on quality, think of this small joint in Thuqbah. You would not be disappointed.
