Mouth-Watering Delight: Local Flavour, International Following

Shazia Mehboob

Mansehra: Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a famous German lawyer once said, “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.”

In Qalandarabad, this phrase is turning out to be quite true. The delicious chapal kebabs of Qalandarabad in Baldheri Union Council of Abbottabad are gaining more and more popularity among visitors.

The kebabs are sold at a small market, popularly known as Al-Marjan market, consisting of nearly 20 restaurants. As soon as you enter the market, you are captured by the tantalising aroma of kebabs being fried, which automatically attract you to one of the restaurants.

The kebabs are not only a local favourite, but a much enjoyed local treat among visitors from across the country, including foreigners, who enjoy them while travelling north to the Karakoram Mountains.

According to the restaurant owners, the summer season is the time when these kebabs sell like hot cakes, as it is the peak tourist season.

Although most of the restaurants are not well-established, the shortage of proper facilities does not seem to affect visitors, as the taste of the dish makes a convincing argument.

It has also been observed that overseas Pakistanis also demand these kebabs from their relatives. “The demand for these kebabs is increasing rapidly. Tourists from all over Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and even foreign countries stop here while travelling north to enjoy the delicious kebabs.

It suggests that this small market will soon become a popular lunch spot for tourists,” said Majid Ali, who owns a restaurant in the market.

Among the restaurants, Bedu Café is the oldest and most prominent, serving kebabs for over 45 years now. The café was set up by Haji Muhammad Pervez (Bedu) and although he himself has passed away, he is still remembered among local people, who refer to the kebabs as Bedu kebabs.

After Bedu’s death, Majid Ali and Dilwara Awan began running the family business and have kept their father’s name alive. Majid, who is relatively more educated, is commonly referred to as ‘professor’ by local people.

“We usually sell between 150 to 200 kilograms of kebabs every day, out of which around 100 kilograms are sold between 11am and 4pm,” said Awan. When asked about the incredibly high turnover, he said people from the surrounding areas mostly visit the market during

the day and have the kebabs for lunch.

About Qalandarbad

Qalandarbad, a three-hour drive from Islamabad on the Karakoram Highway, is named after Qalandar Baba (the first person to set up a pakora shop here). The town has a population of a few hundred people, who mostly speak Hindko. However, Pashto and Urdu are also commonly spoken.