Balochistan's Home-cooked Culinary Heritage

Inviting local dishes from Baloch cuisine; Qurut Baingan, Tereeth and Butt-o-Mash.

Shot of Sajida bibi, in Quetta (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Sajida Khair

Sajida, a graduate of IDSP University of Community Development in Quetta, specializes in Mainstream Gender and Development and is now a faculty member. She learned to cook from her mother and enjoys preparing traditional Balochi dishes.

Scroll on to experience a deep dive into Sajida's favorite dishes'

Balochistan's Home Cooked Culinary Heritage (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Watch our film on Sajida's home-made dishes.

Qurut Baingan, in Quetta (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Eggplant and Liquidised Cheese (Qurut Baingan)

Qurut baingan is a unique vegetable dish from Iran. Qurut, famously known as ‘Kashak’, is a dairy product in the form of dried cheese popular from Central Asia to Balochistan.

Step 1: Mix 1½  kg aubergine and 2 tbsp salt with sliced eggplant.
Step 2: Slit green chillies also fried with the eggplant till soft.
Step 3: Slice 2 onions and pound 3 large cloves of garlic.
Step 4: Add 2 inches of ginger and 1 green chilli by hand.

Preparing / cutting bengan (eggplant) for Qurut Baingan, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Deseeding green chillies to be used in cooking in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Setting aside the eggplant and chillies after frying for use in cooking later, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Step 5: Heat the oil and fry onions till brown.
Step 6: ¾ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp red chilli powder are added.
Step 7: Fry and add the pre-fried eggplant.
Step 8: Add liquidised dried cheese (qurut) and cook for a few minutes.

Pot is seen filled with the precooked eggplant and mixed in with onions and chillies, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Adding onion, garlic paste into the cooking pot, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Adding Qurut into the cooking pot, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Step 9: Remove from fire and serve, top with cilantro if preferred

The Qurut Baingain is cooked and being served, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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The finished product is displayed in the hands of the chef, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Shot of prepared Tereeth, in Quetta (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Flatbread and Liquidised Cheese (Tereeth)

Tereeth is a simple Baloch dish; pieces of chapati (flatbread) mixed with gravy and onion or qurut (liquidised cheese), usually eaten with pickle.

Step 1: Slice 1 onion.
Step 2: Pound 2 cloves of garlic,1 inch of ginger, 1 green chilli, and ½ tsp turmeric and chilli powder.
Step 3: Add the onions and pounded ingredients to heated oil in a pan and fry until soft.

All the ingredients are stirred together on low heat, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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The gravy for Tereeth is ready, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Step 4: Prepared liquid qurut is then added to the mixture and cooked for a minute. A little water can be added to thin the mixture.
Step 5: 3-4 chapatis are made and torn up into small pieces and put in a wide dish.
Step 6: The qurut mixture is then thoroughly mixed with the pieces of chapati and served warm.

The roti is broken apart for serving the tereeth, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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The Tereeth has come unto completion, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Butt o maash kichri, in Quetta (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Butt-o-Maash (Lentils and Rice)

This traditional homemade Baloch dish is a delicious combination of rice and green mung beans. This is a recipe typically reserved for rainy days in Balochistan.

Step 1: Slice 1 onion.
Step 2: Heat ½ a cup of oil.
Step 3: Pre-cook 250g of green mung beans.
Step 4: Add heaped 2 tsp salt, then add 4 large glasses of water to boil 1/2 kg rice.

Spices are added to the mix, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Lentils are added to the mix, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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All the ingredients are mixed together, in Quetta, 2023, From the collection of: SOCH Outreach Foundation
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Top view shot of food spread, in Quetta (2023)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Enjoy your spread!

Credits: Story

SOC Films Team

Creative Director: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Producer: Sameer Khan, Huma Shah
Associate Producer: Sara Sharif
Research Associate: Sara Sharif
Project Manager: Quratulain Khalid
DOP: Murtaza Ali
Photography: Shoaib Tariq
Photography Editor: Shoaib Tariq
First Camera: Nadir Siddiqui
Second Camera: Shoaib Tariq
Exhibit Writer: Sameer Khan
Exhibits: Sameer Nazim
Video Editor: Jason Liao, Azeem Charania
Colour Grade: Jason Liao, Azeem Charania
Assistant Video Editor: Misrah Nizami
Sound Design: Sameer Khan

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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