green fuel used by millions of people. In cities, towns, and villages with access to gas and electricity, people use electric and gas appliances for food preparation. Aside from stoves, these appliances include blenders, mixers, and microwave ovens, the latter used commonly to reheat foods, rather than for cooking.
The majority of Pakistanis do not purchase imported foods. Eating out is an infrequent practice that
the middle-income and low-income groups cannot afford. Home-cooked meals are preferred. Groceries are generally purchased immediately prior to consumption. The availability of refrigerators can reduce the frequency of purchases, as in the absence of these appliances and especially in the sizzling summer heat, food cannot be stocked for long. Additionally, Pakistanis display a preference for fresh rather than stocked food; even meats are freshly butchered prior to purchase. Presently, most urban dwellers have refrigerators and freezers and very often freeze on a weekly or monthly basis. Cooked food is rarely stored in the low- income communities. These families tend to have several children and may barely have enough food for the day’s meals; most cannot afford to purchase or run a refrigerator. For those who can afford enough food and have refrigerators, the majority store cooked food and leftovers in them. To thaw meat, those in lower-income groups immerse it in water. Those with microwave ovens use them to defrost meat.
There are a number of distinct methods of cooking meats. For example, kebabs, which are mostly barbecued or sometimes fried in a hot oily pan instead of being baked, come in the following varieties:
