COAL AND CURRY

Chicken Biryani

Fragrant long-grain rice layered with spiced chicken, finished over coal for a smoky crust that lifts the whole dish

Karahi

Rich, reduced tomato-and-ginger sauce cooked in a wok over live coal — the char on the edges is the whole point

Nihari

Slow-braised beef or lamb shank in a deeply spiced broth — the kind of dish that takes hours and shows it

Seekh Kebab

Hand-formed minced meat skewers cooked over coal, arriving with a proper char and served with mint chutney

Halwa Puri

The classic Pakistani breakfast plate — fried puri bread with semolina halwa and spiced chickpeas, best ordered early

Chai

Spiced milk tea brewed properly strong — the kind that anchors a breakfast or closes a meal