Mutton Korma, Tandoori Lamb Chops, Keema Samosa, and Fish Biryani! For some people, this list of Pakistani delicacies is mouth-watering. For others, this was horrifying. If you are a vegetarian in Pakistan, this article is totally for you! In this post, we will cover the typical expressions in Urdu that you can use when explaining or speaking about veggies. Ready to learn more? Let’s get started!
Here’s the thing, most people eat meat, which is an essential part of Pakistani cuisine, and people eat chicken mainly, if not red meat like beef or mutton/lamb. The locals believe that eating meat can also be unhealthy, especially when deep fried, which is why understanding a vegan lifestyle is essential.
Explaining A Vegetarian Diet In Urdu
A vegan diet is all about finding a meat substitute. Vegan food can be pretty delicious, and a vegan lifestyle means plant-based diets instead of meat-based ones. People also explain that they do not want to consume animal products because of animal abuse by which the products are made. Besides ethical reasons, they also change diets for health reasons. Being a vegan means different food choices, not necessarily deprivation of food! It becomes part of the daily lives of people. It is a relatively new concept but is slowly gaining quite a lot of popularity in the world.
Buying Vegetables To Cook At Home
Here are some phrases to help you hustle for your vegetables and enjoy cooking meals for yourself at home:
| English | Urdu Script | Pronunciation |
| How much are these vegetables? | یہ سبزیاں کتنی ہیں؟ | Ye sabziyan kitne hain? |
| I need a kilo of rice . | مجھے ایک کلو چاول چاہیے۔ | mujhe ek kallu chawal chahiye |
| Please give me 500g of cottage cheese. | براہ کرم مجھے 500 گرام کاٹیج پنیر دیں۔ | Bara karam, mujhe 500 gram paneer dey |
| Where can I find fresh vegetables? | تازہ سبزیاں کہاں سے مل سکتی ہیں؟ | Taza sabziya kahan se mil sakti hai? |
| I cook vegan food at home. | میں گھر میں ویگن کھانا پکاتا ہوں۔ | Mein ghar mein vegan khana pakata hoon |
| I will take two loaves of bread. | میں دو روٹیاں لوں گا۔ | Mein dou rotiyan loonga |
| Give me a dozen eggs. | مجھے ایک درجن انڈے دیں۔ | Mujhe ek darjan ande dey |
| How much for two kilos of lentils? | دو کلو دال کا کتنا؟ | Dou kallu dal ka kitna? |
| Do you deliver at home? | کیا آپ گھر پر ڈیلیور کرتے ہیں؟ | Kya ap ghar par deliver karte hain? |
| Can I have a bag for all these? | کیا میں ان سب کے لیے ایک بیگ لے سکتا ہوں؟ | Kya mein insab ke liye ek bag le sakta hoon? |
| Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and lettuce are my favorite. | ٹماٹر، کھیرے، گاجر اور لیٹش میرے پسندیدہ ہیں۔ | Tamatar, khirey, gajar aur lettush mere pasanjida hain. |
| What are the common vegetables in this season? | اس موسم میں عام سبزیاں کون سی ہیں؟ | Is mausam mein am sabziya kaunsi hain? |
For the right cooking utensils, check out our Urdu blog for the great info!
Ordering Food As A Vegetarian In Pakistan
Most restaurants serve vegetables as a side dish, and the meat becomes the main dish. But there are many vegan options besides vegetables. As a vegetarian, you may probably not be aware of your options. Pakistani cuisine is full of meat and meat eaters’ dreams, but the rising prices may make people reconsider their meal choices. Below are the phrases that you can use.
| English | Urdu Script | Pronunciation |
| I want only vegetables. | مجھے صرف سبزیاں چاہیے | mujhe sirf sabjiyan chahiye |
| What can I have besides meat? | گوشت کے علاوہ میرے پاس کیا ہو سکتا ہے۔ | mein gosht ke elava kya kha sakta hoon |
| Does the lentil curry have meat as well? | کیا دال کے سالن میں بھی گوشت ہوتا ہے؟ | Kya daal mein bhi gosht hota hai? |
| Can you change the chicken biryani to vegetable biryani instead? | کیا آپ چکن بریانی کو سبزی بریانی میں تبدیل کر سکتے ہیں؟ | Kya aap chicken biryani ko saabji biryani mein tafdil kar sakte hain? |
| Do you cook the food with animal byproducts? | کیا آپ جانوروں کی مصنوعات کے ساتھ کھانا پکاتے ہیں؟ | Kya aap janwaron ki masuwat ke saat khana pakate hain? |
| I want to see the vegetarian dishes. | میں سبزی خور پکوانوں کا مینو دیکھنا چاہتا ہوں۔ | Mein sabzion ke meynu dekna chahta hoon. |
| Do you have any dish without eggs? | کیا آپ کے پاس انڈے کے بغیر کوئی ڈش ہے؟ | Kya aap ke pas ande ke bager koi dish hai? |
| I do not eat dairy. | میں ڈیری نہیں کھاتا | Mein dairy nahi khata |
| What spices have you used in this dish? | آپ نے اس ڈش میں کون سے مصالحے استعمال کیے ہیں؟ | Kause masale istemal kiye hain is dish mein? |
| I am a vegetarian. | میں سبزی خور ہوں۔ | Mein sabzi khor hoon |
| I do not eat meat. | میں گوشت نہیں کھاتا | Mein gosht nahi khata |
| I do not eat eggs. | – میں انڈے نہیں کھاتا | Mein ande nahi khata |
Common Vegetarian Ingredients
If you are not Urdu speaking, choosing Pakistani food as a vegan in Pakistan is challenging. We don’t want you to seek refuge in the nearest Chinese restaurant! Many local restaurants are easy to find with vegan food choices. But if you want to get a particular serving, you can use these words below.
- lentil curry – دال کا سالن – daal ka salen
- rice and lentils – دال چاول – daal chawal
- dairy products – دودھ کی بنی ہوئی اشیا – duudh ki bani huwi eshiya
- sweet Semolina and fried flatbread – حلوہ پوری – halwa puri
- rice – چاول – chawal
- lentil fritters soaked in yogurt – دہی بارے – dahi baray
- mashed potatoes – آلو کا بھرتا – allu ka bharta
- cottage cheese – پنیر – paneer
- eggs – انڈے – ande
- veggies in a curry – سالن میں سبزیاں – salen mein sabziyan
Learning Urdu With Ling
Whether or not you are looking for vegetarian restaurants, you will need to understand Urdu words and phrases to visit Pakistan or Urdu-speaking places. Being a vegan in a meat-lovers paradise like Pakistan is not easy! You may have to explain your vegan lifestyle and food choices probably at every meal, every day.
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