The Halal Pantry Pilot

Imran Qureshi

Imran was born in Barcelona's Raval to a Pakistani father from Lahore and a Moroccan mother from Tangier, and grew up as the family's food translator — the kid sent to Mercadona to work out which sausage was safe and which broth hid pork. He cooked the line at a halal rotisería near the Mercat de Sant Antoni for eight years, where Maghrebi aunties, Pakistani uncles and curious Catalan neighbors all ate from the same counter. He now teaches that a mainstream Spanish supermarket is a halal kitchen waiting to happen: skip the chorizo and the jamón, lean on chicken, beef, lentils and the whole fish counter, and set a table that honors Lahore, Tangier and the Mediterranean at once.

Halal Home CookingMaghrebi & South AsianMediterranean

Voice · warm, reassuring, practical, knowledgeable, never preachy

Signature Dishes

The essential curation of Imran's favorites.

55 MIN

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pinto Bean Fritters with Smoked Paprika

Crispy golden fritters made with roasted butternut squash and wholesome pinto beans, finished with a smoky paprika drizzle. A satisfying vegetarian dish that draws on the warm spice sensibility of the halal pantry.

45 MIN

Smoky Pinto Bean and Butternut Squash Dip

A warmly spiced, velvety dip blending pinto beans with caramelized roasted butternut squash, finished with smoky paprika, lemon and cooling yogurt.

50 MIN

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Fritters with Cumin Yogurt

Crispy golden fritters made with roasted butternut squash and mashed chickpeas, seasoned with cumin and fresh cilantro, served with a cooling cumin-spiced yogurt sauce. A warm, satisfying vegetarian dish perfect as an appetizer or light meal.

45 MIN

Warm Chickpea and Kale Stew with Lemon Yogurt

A hearty, warming stew where tender chickpeas and wilted kale swim in a spiced tomato broth, finished with a bright swirl of lemon-spiked yogurt. Ready in under an hour.

45 MIN

Ground Beef and Buckwheat Patties with Cumin and Lemon Yogurt

Crispy buckwheat and savory ground beef patties with warm cumin spice, finished with a bright lemon-yogurt sauce that cools and balances everything. A satisfying halal meal that honors Lahore, Tangier and the Mediterranean at once.

45 MIN

Almond Flour and Spice Cake with Caramelized Pears and Honey

A moist, warmly spiced almond flour cake topped with tender caramelized pears and a honey-lemon drizzle — naturally gluten-free and finished with cooling yogurt.

35 MIN

Cantaloupe and Fennel Seed Compote with Yogurt and Mint

A warm, lightly spiced compote of tender cantaloupe scented with bloomed fennel seeds, finished with a cool yogurt sauce and fresh mint. Sweet, anisey, and creamy all at once.

45 MIN

Cumin and Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds and Yogurt

A warmly spiced roasted cauliflower with a cumin-turmeric crust, topped with toasted almonds and finished with a cooling garlic-yogurt sauce. Simple to make, big on flavor.

80 MIN

Saffron and Ginger Chicken Thighs with Quinoa

Golden saffron and warm ginger transform humble chicken thighs into something special, served over fluffy quinoa brightened with lemon and fresh herbs. A dish that honors the Maghrebi love of golden spices and South Asian ginger depth.

35 MIN

Lemon Herb Cod Fillets with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Tender cod fillets nestled on a warm chickpea and tomato base, brightened with fresh herbs and lemon. A homey, halal Mediterranean one-pan meal that honors both the sea and the spice.

50 MIN

Cumin-Crusted Lamb Chops with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Warmly spiced lamb chops seared to a golden crust, then nestled into a fragrant chickpea and tomato braise. The cumin, garlic and lemon finish brings everything together in that slow, savory way my family's kitchen always smelled.

55 MIN

Walnut and Herb Stuffed Zucchini with Yogurt Sauce

Tender zucchini halves filled with a savory walnut-herb breadcrumb mixture, baked until golden and finished with a cooling lemon-yogurt sauce. A warm, satisfying vegetarian centerpiece that honors Imran's signature garlic-and-herb foundation.

45 MIN

Ginger Garlic Chickpea Stew with Spinach and Lemon

A warmly spiced chickpea stew with a ginger-garlic foundation, wilted spinach, and a bright lemon finish — finished with cooling yogurt for balance.

55 MIN

Smoky Paprika Turkey Meatballs over Basmati Rice

Tender turkey meatballs spiced with smoky paprika and cumin, nestled on fragrant basmati rice and finished with a bright tomato sauce. A warm, satisfying weeknight dinner that honors the flavors of Lahore, Tangier and Barcelona.

45 MIN

Turmeric Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Shallots and Lemon

A warming bowl of silky red lentils bloomed with turmeric and cumin, finished with golden crispy shallots and a bright squeeze of lemon. Pure comfort from Lahore to Tangier, zero pork, all heart.

45 MIN

Spiced Ground Beef and Chickpea Pilaf

A fragrant basmati pilaf layered with warmly spiced ground beef and tender chickpeas, finished with bright lemon and cooling yogurt. This is the kind of one-pan wonder that makes the whole flat smell like home.

50 MIN

Lemon Yogurt Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Tender chicken thighs marinated in bright lemon-yogurt with warm spices, roasted alongside sweet carrots and parsnips until golden and fragrant. A comforting one-pan meal that honors Lahore, Tangier and the Mediterranean.

60 MIN

Lahore-Style Red Lentils with Charred Onions and Lemon

A deeply comforting Pakistani-style red lentil dal with smoky charred onions and a bright lemon finish, flavored with warm spices and finished with cooling yogurt.

50 MIN

Warming Ground Beef and Chickpea Stew with Paprika and Ginger

A hearty, warming stew where golden-spiced ground beef meets tender chickpeas in a rich tomato broth, finished with bright lemon yogurt and fresh cilantro. Perfect for a cozy evening.

60 MIN

Mediterranean-Spiced Chicken Thighs on Basmati Rice with Garlicky Yogurt

Golden seared chicken thighs seasoned with warm Mediterranean spices served over fluffy basmati rice and finished with a cooling garlicky yogurt sauce.

45 MIN

Cumin Lentil and Carrot Soup with Lemon

Cumin blooms in the pot before the carrots and onion go in, then the lentils cook down until the soup is thick enough to coat a spoon without being heavy. A generous squeeze of lemon at the finish cuts through the earthiness and pulls everything into focus — honest, warming food that costs almost nothing to make.

45 MIN

Smoked-Paprika Cod and Chickpea Simmer

Chickpeas soak up a smoky tomato base built around good smoked paprika and slow-cooked garlic, and the cod goes in toward the end so it steams gently in the broth rather than falling apart. The fish stays in clean, yielding flakes that hold their own against the bold, ruddy sauce surrounding them.

50 MIN

Lemon-Garlic Cod over Lentils and Spinach

Cod flakes gently into a bed of earthy lentils that have been brightened with garlic and a good squeeze of lemon, the spinach wilting into the broth just enough to feel like part of the dish rather than an afterthought. It is honest, filling food — the fish counter and the pantry shelf working together with real purpose.

45 MIN

Roasted Eggplant and Chickpeas with Tahini

High heat collapses the eggplant into something silky and almost smoky, and the chickpeas roast alongside until their skins blister and crackle. A tahini-lemon dressing cut with raw garlic ties the whole thing together — creamy, tart, and savory in a way that makes you want to scrape the plate.

45 MIN

Ginger-Garlic Chicken Curry over Basmati

Bone-in chicken thighs absorb a patient ginger-garlic base until the tomatoes collapse into a ruddy, fragrant gravy that clings to every fiber. Nothing complicated here — just the kind of depth that comes from letting aromatics do their job properly. Spoon it over basmati and the steam takes care of the rest.

50 MIN

Beef Keema with Potatoes and Cumin

Ground beef browns with onion and cumin until the fat runs fragrant, then the tomatoes go in to build a sauce that soaks into the potatoes as they cook through and take on all that savory depth. Every home in Lahore has its own version of this dish — this one is straightforward and does not overcomplicate what already works.

60 MIN

Paprika Beef and White Bean Braise

Beef sears hard before the white beans and tomato go in, the smoked paprika blooming in the fat and staining everything a deep terracotta. A slow simmer lets the beans drink up the braising liquid until the whole pot is thick, smoky, and substantial — a braise that needs nothing more than good bread alongside.

40 MIN

Sizzled-Cumin Red Lentil Dal

Lentils soften into a thick, golden dal while cumin seeds bloom in hot oil until they crackle and pop, then get poured sizzling over the surface along with garlic that has turned just past golden. Tomato and cilantro finish the bowl with brightness — simple food built on layers that reward a patient hand.

35 MIN

Turmeric Chickpeas with Wilted Spinach

Onion cooks down until it sweetens, turmeric is stirred in early so its earthiness has time to round out, and the chickpeas go in to absorb the base before the spinach collapses on top in the residual heat. A bright squeeze of lemon before serving lifts the whole dish — fast, filling, and genuinely good.

45 MIN

Cumin Shakshuka with Peppers and Cilantro

Bell peppers break down into the tomato sauce until they add body and a quiet sweetness, the cumin blooming early so it threads through every layer before the eggs go in to poach. Cilantro scattered at the end keeps the whole thing alive and green-tasting — a one-pan meal that works at any hour.

From the Pantry

Signature staples

chicken-thighground-beefchickpeaslentilsbasmati-riceyogurtcumingarlicyellow-oniontomato

Favorite tools

DutchOvenChefKnifeSaucepanWoodenSpoon

Reaches for

chicken-thighground-beeflentilschickpeasyogurtbasmati-ricetomatoyellow-oniongarliccilantro

Steers clear of

porkbaconhampork-loinpork-bellychorizolardgelatinalcohol in cooking

Flavor Profile

The Loves

warm layered spicegarlic-and-ginger depthbright lemon and yogurt against richnesssmoky paprikaslow brothy savor

The Defaults

a cumin-turmeric base bloomed in olive oila ginger-garlic foundationa finish of lemon, cilantro and cooling yogurt

The Avoids

bland under-seasoned foodone-note chili burnneeding pork fat to taste goodrushed thin curriestimid spicing