Pakistani cuisine (Urdu: ‫پاکستانی پکوان‬, romanized: pākistānī pakwān) can be
characterised as a blend of regional cooking styles and flavours from
across South, Central and Western Asia. Pakistani cuisine is a concoction of Persian and Arab
cuisine. The cuisine of Pakistan also maintains certain Mughal influences within its recipes and
cooking techniques.[2][3] The country's various cuisines vary across the country.
Pakistan's ethnic and cultural diversity, diverse climates, geographical environments, and
availability of different produce options reason for the uniqueness of pakistani cuisine.
Pakistani cuisine, as in the food culture of most Muslim nations, is structured
around halal principles, which, for example, forbid pork and alcohol consumption in
accordance with Sharia, the religious laws of Islam. Many more details of halal regulations
apply to meats, which types of animals are acceptable or “clean” for human consumption.
Further important points declare precisely how animals are to be slaughtered; it must be done
quickly and with minimal suffering, with the animal’s awareness of the situation being
extremely brief (preferably nonexistent, as stress releases cortisol and adrenaline, potentially
spoiling meat quality). The animals must also be healthy as halal principles forbid the
consumption of sick, abused, cancerous or otherwise unhealthy animals. Additionally, animals
that are killed inadvertently, or during accidents are forbidden, as the intention was not
slaughter in those cases.
International cuisine and fast food are popular in major cities such as Islamabad and Karachi;
blending local and foreign recipes (fusion food), such as Pakistani Chinese cuisine, is also
common in large urban centres. As a result of lifestyle changes, health trends, and new
dietary research being published, traditional ingredients such as masala (pre-mixed and
ready-to-use) and ghee (clarified butter)—with its health benefits and high smoke point—have
been increasingly popular.