1.   You have to ask for a bottle of Tabasco sauce on the side at EVERY single restaurant.

Yes, I want it to be spicy. DESI spicy, not angrezi spicy. I can take the heat – just let me please have it!


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2.   The location of the nearest Desi store is going to be of key priority when you decide where to live.

Where do I get my haldi, namak mirch from? And besan – Ramazan kay pakoray.


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3.   You stand for at least an hour at the supermarket reading the labels to check whether you can eat it or not.

Does it have gelatin in it? Where is the gelatin from? Please let it have the ‘Vegetarian’ symbol.

4.   Just seeing the ‘Halal’ sign at a restaurant makes you jump up & down with joy.

Thank you Halal food carts – we love the fact that we can find you at least somewhere.


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5.   Your cupboard will be filled with Shan Masala’s; Biryani, Korma, Nihari, Handi the works.

Shan, whoever you are; wherever you are – we love you!


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6.   You need to turn on 50,000 candles in the apartment just to make sure the Desi lehsun piyaaz smell goes away.

Hair, clothes, apartment, corridor – it’s everywhere! You can totally smell a Desi house from miles away.

7.   You will start learning the value of Dhaniya once you start paying Rs.300 for a bunch at the angrezi super-store.

What? Rs.300 for dhaniya! Ghar pe to dus rupay ki gaddiya aati thi.


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8.   Whenever you come home, all you will take back is food.

Nimco, Masalay, Mithai, Chili Chips, Sheermal , Pakola – sab dey dein!


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9.   Though you never liked chaat or bun kebab, you will miss it like CRAZY when you are abroad.

OMG!! This place has Chaat on the menu – let’s go!


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10.   Weekend trips will consist of going to a Desi neighbourhood and binging like anything.

Finally I can have meat (Halal Kebab FTW) and Biryani and Chaat and Gol Gappay. Is there space in the trunk for all the Desi snacks that we need to buy.


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11.   Every second call to your mother back home will be about something food related.

Ammi – yey lehsan kia hota hay?
Ammi – yey chawal kaisay banate hain?
Ammi - mein nay salan jala dia - kia karon?


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12.   You will start hating fish burgers in like a couple of weeks.

Oh yay! McDonalds. Wait, what can I have at McDonalds – fillet of fish burger. Not again.

13.   You will be astounded by the variety of biryani there is and how none of it tastes like the spicy maseladaar biryani available in Pakistan.

Matlab yey to daal chawal hain – biryani masala kahan hay? Dhoka Biryani!


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14.   Every time you cook Desi food, you need to ask your room-mate to fan the fire alarms!.

No explanations to the fire brigade like last time.


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15.   Instant noodles will become your new best friend!

2 minutes mein khana tayyar.

16.   You miss celebrating Eid like anything – the 5 day government holiday, the Eidi and of course the food!

Pakora’s and dahi baray for Iftar. Sheer Khurma for Eid and that Eid trolley. Sigh!

  

17.   You will miss mom’s home-made food like anything!

No matter where you go out to eat, and no matter how well you cook NOTHING will taste as good as Ammi kay haath ka khana.


Photo Credits: Gourmetcc.com