Pakistani Pregnancy Recipes

Here’s a Panjeeri (Panjiri) recipe for new mothers that’s traditionally consumed after delivery. This recipe is nourishing, healing, and provides a host of crucial vitamins & nutrients for postpartum moms.

Panjeeri (or Panjiri) is a tasty Pakistani/Indian postpartum healing and lactation food that is perfect for providing nourishment and energy to new moms. Since panjeeri is considered a ‘hot’ or warming food, it’s also eaten during winter to replenish and strengthen the body.

Though panjeeri recipes vary based on region and family, this is a long-standing, traditional version made with a base of ghee, whole wheat atta flour, semolina (sooji), dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.

Restaurant Food During Pregnancy

If you’ve been following this blog, you know I truly believe in traditional South Asian food wisdom. Our ancestors may not have studied the compounds of food in laboratories, but they observed the effects it had on their bodies. Using that wisdom, they made food that was healing, nourishing, and appropriate for individual needs and requirements.

Labor is very taxing to the body. In Western culture, it’s often overlooked how much healing women really need. That’s why I turn to traditional ayurvedic foods that consider the postpartum nutritional needs of recovering and nursing women.

Panjeeri is similar to muesli or granola, except next-level healthy (proudly biased opinion) making it a nutritious snack. It’s a mashup of whole-wheat flour (atta), fine semolina, nuts, seeds, and herbs. You basically roast the entire South Asian/superfood section of your pantry in ghee, mix it all up, and you’ve got panjeeri!

Pakistani Recipe: Memon Style Khausa

Sourcing the ingredients for making Panjeeri may seem harder than making the Panjeeri itself. You can find edible gum (goond), flame of the forest (kamarkas), fox nuts (phool makhana), and powdered jaggery (gur) in many South Asian grocery stores (try calling before making the trip) or online, but feel free to omit the ingredients you can’t find. Here they are:

Variations: For a gluten-free version, I would substitute ground lentils and chickpea flour (called gram flour or besan in Urdu/Hindi) for the semolina and whole wheat (atta). For a vegan panjeeri, substitute the ghee with coconut oil.

I truly hope and pray this recipe benefits new moms and anyone looking to strengthen their bodies. If you try this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment below! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. Thank you!

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Panjeeri (or Panjiri) is a tasty traditional Pakistani/Indian postpartum healing and lactation food that is perfect for new moms and for strengthening the body.

Note 1: Whenever it’s needed, clean off the pan as you go. Simply turn off the heat and wipe with a paper towel. If you find bits of the ingredients are sticking to the bottom, rinse the pan, then return to heat and continue cooking.

Note 2: Phool Makhana (Puffed Lotus or Fox Nuts): Raw phool makhana will not not break if you bite into it. When cooked, it’ll be crispy and break apart easily once you bite into it. Note that these absorb a lot of oil, so you don’t need to add more unless you want to.

Essential Foods For Women During Pregnancy. Ebook By Barkat Ali

Note on Workflow: To save time (and bowls!), grind ingredients in the food processor as you roast them. Then keep transfering them to the large bowl with all the Panjeeri ingredients.

Calories: 97 kcal , Carbohydrates: 16 g , Protein: 2 g , Fat: 3 g , Saturated Fat: 1 g , Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g , Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g , Trans Fat: 1 g , Sodium: 2 mg , Potassium: 107 mg , Fiber: 1 g , Sugar: 7 g , Vitamin A: 1 IU , Vitamin C: 1 mg , Calcium: 16 mg , Iron: 1 mg

Panjeeri (or Panjiri) is a tasty traditional Pakistani/Indian postpartum healing and lactation food that is perfect for new moms and for strengthening the body.

Note 1: Whenever it’s needed, clean off the pan as you go. Simply turn off the heat and wipe with a paper towel. If you find bits of the ingredients are sticking to the bottom, rinse the pan, then return to heat and continue cooking.

Note 2: Phool Makhana (Puffed Lotus or Fox Nuts): Raw phool makhana will not not break if you bite into it. When cooked, it’ll be crispy and break apart easily once you bite into it. Note that these absorb a lot of oil, so you don’t need to add more unless you want to.

Essential Foods For Women During Pregnancy. Ebook By Barkat Ali

Note on Workflow: To save time (and bowls!), grind ingredients in the food processor as you roast them. Then keep transfering them to the large bowl with all the Panjeeri ingredients.

Calories: 97 kcal , Carbohydrates: 16 g , Protein: 2 g , Fat: 3 g , Saturated Fat: 1 g , Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g , Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g , Trans Fat: 1 g , Sodium: 2 mg , Potassium: 107 mg , Fiber: 1 g , Sugar: 7 g , Vitamin A: 1 IU , Vitamin C: 1 mg , Calcium: 16 mg , Iron: 1 mg