Bold claim: a humble bean may be Lyari’s best-kept secret for a healthy, affordable meal. If you’re curious how a community feeds itself on nutrition without breaking the bank, read on. But here’s where it gets controversial: many readers assume tasty, wholesome meals must be expensive or complicated. Not so in Lyari, Karachi.
In Karachi, you can wander through vibrant neighborhoods and find breakfast options ranging from bakeries to sweet shops. Typical fare includes aloo chholay with puri, halwa puri, paaye with flatbreads like paratha, kulcha, or naan, and hearty stews such as nihari. This culinary variety is also found in Lyari, one of the city’s oldest and most densely populated areas.
A roadside vendor with a large cooking pot on a wooden stool serves biryani. When asked whether it’s chicken or beef, he laughs and says, “You’re in Lyari—don’t expect fancy biryani or pulao here. We make chana biryani instead.” This dialogue reflects Lyari’s socio-economic reality: many residents earn modest incomes, so local cooks focus on affordable, highly nutritious meals.
Every morning, women sit on small stools along doorsteps to sell a wholesome breakfast of fava beans, also called broad beans or saim ki phalli. In Lyari, these beans are affectionately known as “baklik.” The vendors prepare quick, takeaway packs in clear cellophane pouches, priced at Rs30 for a small bag and Rs50 for a larger one.
“I like to pair them with paratha or naan from a nearby tea stall or tandoor,” explains Zohrah Bibi near Cheel Chowk. She adds that fava beans can also be enjoyed with plain rice. “I’m about to fry potato and green chili pakorray (fritters) if you’d like to have baklik with those too,” she offers.
A few doors down, Bahar Bibi sells baklik mixed with black lentils (masoor) and chickpeas (chholay). The scene repeats with slight variations as you walk further, yet one constant remains: these women prefer not to be photographed. Even when told I’m a newspaper reporter, they decline, saying, “No pictures!”
There are exceptions. Ghulam Ali, a fava bean seller in Lyari’s Kalakot area, didn’t mind being photographed while peddling his beans.
When I asked about the recipe, everyone chuckled and claimed there was nothing special to it. Yet their methods are strikingly similar.
Method
Fava beans arrive in both dried and fresh forms. If the beans are dried, they’re soaked overnight. Fresh beans don’t require soaking. The soaking water isn’t poured out in the morning; instead, the beans are cooked in that same water on low heat, with additional water added as needed to keep them submerged.
You can choose to cook the beans with their thin brown skins or after peeling. The peel peels away easily, but in Lyari locals often cook them with the skins for a chewier bite.
The sole added ingredient is salt, to taste. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, until tender. Then turn off the heat. The fava beans are ready to serve.
They pair well with soups and salads. If plain boiling feels too simple, you can strain the cooking liquid and dress it with lemon zest, a splash of lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dusting of black pepper to suit your palate.
Nutritional note: fava beans are packed with protein, fiber, vitamins (notably B6), and minerals such as folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
Original publication: Dawn, EOS, December 7, 2025 (Epicurious: The Cool Beans of Lyari)
