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    A Plate of Daal in Kalar Kahaar

    Written by: Imran Khan
    Posted on: September 21, 2015 |

    Hamdani Hotel at Kalar Kahaar Interchange

    Apart from the monotony of driving in a straight line, the motorway has in store a culinary monotony as well. Go through the various rest stops aka “qayyam o tuaam” and all that you will find are copy-pasted restaurants that are serving pretty much the same dishes. From Chicken Karahi to Chicken Shashlik to Chicken Burger, most if not all of these restaurants aim to be average at a lot of things, rather than be good at a few. And this latter philosophy, i.e. to be good at a few dishes is something that is the mark of our trucker hotels, ones that should be doting the motorway rather than the big on “ambiance” and low on taste sorts that are currently the face of all rest areas. 

    However, there is one hidden gem right close to the Kalar Kahar interchange, which gives all these rest area eateries a run for their money. This place is good enough to plan a visit just to have its food, but it’s definitely a must-have if you are passing by. I actually discovered this place by accident and now look for excuses to go back.

    Hamdani Hotel’s Daal at Kalar Kahaar

    It is called the Hamdani Hotel. From the Kalar Kahar interchange, it’s located at a five-minute drive on the road towards Chowan Saidan Shah. It is located in a PSO petrol station on the left side of the road, and the PSO sign is visible from afar. During lunch and dinner time, there is a wall of trucks covering the hotel front.

    Hamdani Hotel’s Daal at Kalar Kahaar

    When you arrive, ask for Noor Khan, who is a waiter there. There is one thing extraordinary about waiters in trucker hotels: their ability to keep you supplied with piping hot rotis. This guy is a master at that; he literally doesn’t let you break to look for him. Your next roti will most likely arrive when you are about to finish the current one. And the food at this place demands a steady supply of garma garm rotis.

    Once you find him, ask him to seat you in the “lawn”, which is a little enclosure on the side with a great view of the hills, fields, and what appears to be a water reservoir. How’s that for ambience?

    Now to the food – the star of the show is Hamdani Hotel’s daal; the “Jhal Chakkiyan” wali daal. The claim is that they cook the same recipe as some famous hotel in Jhal Chakkiyan, which is a place near Sargodha. I haven’t tried that daal, but if it is anything close to this one, then it should be a must-have. The daal comes submerged in really good quality desi ghee and has a consistency that is thinner than that of the daal at Mian Jee’s. On this particular visit, it was a bit low on salt, but even then I gobbled down two plates. As per etiquettes, you will be asked if you want a refill every time you are done finishing your plate.

    Hamdani Hotel’s Daal at Kalar Kahaar

    The other, less advertised dish is their “Rosh”, a Pashtun dish that originates from Quetta and its surrounding areas. Unlike Shinwari Tikka and Karahi, this one does not take a long time to be served, as it is already cooked. This trait makes it highly suitable for trucker hotels, as their clientele is usually short on time. Wherever you find a trucker hotel, whether in Punjab or Balochistan, it is highly likely that they will serve Rosh.

    I personally love Rosh and have tried it at quite a few places in Punjab as well as Balochistan. One thing common among them all is that spices are kept at a minimum. However, at Hamdani Hotel, they have given the Rosh a Potohari twist, as this one comes with turmeric and other spices. This works surprisingly well; I won’t say it’s the best that I have had, but I order it every time I am there. Try dunking a piece of Rosh meat and roti in the daal; the tastes really complement each other.

    Hamdani Hotel’s Daal at Kalar Kahaar

    As is the norm, the lunch was washed down with an extra strong doodh pati. All in all, two really happy customers left the dhaba after paying a total of Rs. 470.

    So the next time you are on the M2 motorway and feel like eating something authentic, consider taking a little detour for some amazing dhaba food at the Hamdani Hotel. It is totally worth the time and effort.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021