Favourite Food In Chakwal

The food which people of Chakwal consume is basically very simple. In the rural areas they use vegetables, lentils or meat, cooked in a very simple manner, butter or ghee is also eaten with roti (bread) made of wheat flour or sometimes with rice flour. There is a considerable use of dairy milk and its products in rural areas. In the urban areas the staple food is the same, but continental food has also made a place for itself. Murgh Polaw of Pehlawan & Haq are quit popular among Chakwal’s people. Fried, roasted, BBQ meat, sandwiches, patties, pizza (No Pizza Expert till date) and burgers are well liked. The people of Chakwal, owing to their simple eating habits, hard work and rough terrain, are strong and healthy. However, in the urban white collared classes, diseases, which occur because of sedentary life styles, are prevalent.

The most well known and favorite food product coming from Chakwal is a sweet called Riyori (pronounced ree-o-ree). It is about the size of an M&M. it is basically a mixture of desi ghee (clarified butter) and gurr (jaggery) covered with sesame seeds.

Dhooda & Barfi of Nisar Hotel are also very famous in the whole region.

Chakwal is famous for production of international standard oranges, wheat, barley, sugarcane, and many other fruits and vegetables.

The shop is located at the Talagang Road in Chakwal, just before the General Post Office. The sweet smell of the many sweets displayed in the showcases is irresistible as you pass by this shop. It is a welcoming place with the sweet aroma of desi ghee (dry milk) and khoya.

Upon entering the back of the shop, you will see five to six workers making different kinds of sweets. The attention immediately focuses on the man in the corner who is busy making a special item in an enclosed container. His clothes are sweaty and he is rubbing his forehead with the spatula. The man in the photo isn’t a worker at the shop. His name is Nisar Ahmed and the shop’s name is the Nisar Hotel.

Nisar Ahmed, a 68-year-old man, is not a grumpy boss in his shop. He rises at 3am to get to his shop and prepares all sorts of sweets under his direction. He does not let his workers leave the special barfi, the signature of his shop.

The Nisar Hotel is a landmark in the city. Its sweets are internationally renowned.

Ahmed has been involved in this business since 1968. He is assisted by his younger brother, Allah Yar, son Sanaullah and nephew Iftikhar Ahmed.

People of all ages love the sweet, barfi. It is made from khoya sugar. It is the most popular item in a box of mixed sweets. It is loved by children, and elders enjoy it with great care. Only a handful of places in Punjab are known to produce the best barfi, and Chakwal’s Nisar Hotel in one of them.

Chakwal is a place where people are expected to bring back some barfi.

This product from Nisar Hotel is available in every corner of Pakistan and around the globe.

This sweet is in high demand on Eid because many people like to give it as gifts.

Nisar Hotel’s success story is filled with passion, dedication, hard work, and steadfastness. Nisar Ahmed started his business in 1968 with only 5kg milk. His story is both fascinating and inspiring.

As Nisar sits in front his shop, he recalls that his father used to own a shop in Sidhar. He sold barfi and other sweets. Mian Khan, Nisar’s father was well-known for making homemade sweets. Nisar was a part-time worker at his father’s village shop. After ninth grade, he quit school and began working in Nowshera as a laborer.

After three years, he quit the job and moved to Chakwal with his family in 1968. He recalls that he rented a shop for Rs70 per month, and began making tea with 5kg milk. Nisar started making tea and other sweets at his shop, including barfi, laddu and dhoda.

He reminisces that he used to make sweets using desi ghee which was Rs6 per kilogram at the time. Jalebi was Rs2 per kilogram and barfi was Rs6 per kilogram at that time.

“It was a time that milk was sold at 40 paisas a kg, and we used to get 40kg milk. He says that even large hotels wouldn’t have this amount of milk at that time.

It is interesting to note that Nisar did not name his hotel but rather his customers began calling it ‘Nisar Hotel’.

He adds, “I officially installed a board bearing this name after five years.”

Nisar Hotel currently offers many sweets as well as tea and samosas. This hotel’s most popular items include a bowl of yoghurt or samosas.

“Fifty kilograms of each, barfi, dhoda, and 1,500 samosas can be purchased almost every day. Dawn was told by Nisar that they sell 70-80 kgs of barfi on Eid. He says, “This is my secret to our success,” adding that he personally helps in the production of sweets.

Tariq Mehmood comments, “Nisar Hotel is rich in taste. This has been and continues to be a blessing to the taste-conscious residents Chakwal,” he says.

Mudassir Zaman, another frequent customer, said that “I simply love their barbi”