Tasty twist: Haleem meets Biryani at KP’s Iftar gatherings

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Feb, 2026) Known as city of hospitality, Peshawar’s food outlets of Haleem and Biryani started attracting a substantial number of buyers due to its mouthwatering taste and deliciousness during Iftar parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Qisa Khwani, Namak Mandi, Fawara Chowk and other famous bazaars with plenty of Haleem and Biryani shops are making roaring business these days as food exchange and outdoor iftar parties gain pace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Like other food sellers, Farhad Ali, an expert in haleem-biryani mix dish, was seen supervising his staff as they mixed a deep yellow stew in a giant cauldron at Namak Mandi where a large number of customers were assembled around the food stall, enjoying haleem-biryani combination and other mouthwatering cuisines during Iftar parties.

Traced its origins to the Arab world, Haleem is a mixture of meat, wheat and pulses that are pounded and slow-cooked in large pots until all the ingredients are properly merged together to form a thick and dense stew.

Introduced in the Indo-Pak subcontinent by Arab expats, haleem has evolved into a most sought-after dish in Pakistan with the addition of the distinct flavors of local spices being preferred at Iftar parties.

On the other hand, Biryani was originated in South Asia and is a flavorful mix of rice, beef, mutton, or chicken, as well as vegetables like potatoes added colour to Iftar parties.

“Biryani and Haleem mix is my favourite dish and my iftar seemed incomplete without it,” said Naveed Farooq, a professor of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, while talking to APP at Namak Mandi, Peshawar.

As the two dishes are usually eaten separately, people have also developed a taste for a mix of the two. In Peshawar, the food vendors are selling the fusion dish to attract foodies for Iftar in outdoor parties.

Waris Khattak, who runs a restaurant at Qissa Khwani, said that he has been serving this special blend in Ramazan since 1955 and its sale increases during weddings, haqeeqa of newborns, engagements and other happy events.

Rehman said he was proud to carryforward the legacy of his forefathers, who were an expert of preparation of mixed dishes of biryani and haleem that attract food even from Afghanistan.

“Its recipe has been brought from Karachi and later tried in Peshawar by my grandfather, and now mashallah, my sons have also supported me in this business.”

As this unique blend has been offered in the area for the last seven decades, food bloggers and social media users have put a spotlight on the Ramadan offering, leading to an influx of customers in Peshawar.

Ehrisham Khan, 28, a food lover, said that he had traveled all the way from Nowshera to taste Haleem-Baryani mix at Peshawar.

“I heard about it on social media a lot and my friends had also told me about it, so we came here for the first time to taste the combination of Haleem-biryani, which was excellent,” he said.

This fusion has created a new taste in the city of hospitality, attracting foodies in droves from various districts of the province.