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Green ice cream soda
Karachi’s bright green ice cream soda.
$3–15
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The story
Pakola is a fizzy drink from Karachi that tastes like vanilla ice cream soda and is famously, vividly green. For many Pakistanis abroad, a cold green bottle is pure childhood.
It has been bottled in Karachi since the middle of the last century and is one of the country’s best-known home-grown brands.
In pictures
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History
Pakola was launched in Karachi in the early years after independence and grew into a national favourite alongside imported colas. Its ice cream soda flavour is still its signature, though the brand now makes other flavours too.
How it’s made
Sugar, flavouring and colour are blended into syrup.
The syrup is mixed with carbonated water.
It is filled into glass bottles, cans or plastic bottles and sealed.
Kinds
The green original.
The brand also sells flavours such as lychee and orange.
Pakistanis also mix green soda with cold milk, a street-stall favourite.
In Pakistan
Served cold at weddings, iftar in Ramadan, and with biryani or barbecue. Street stalls mix it with milk as doodh soda.
Buy it well
Where to buy
Typical price: $3–15, before shipping. Read the “Buy it well” checks above before you order, and ask the seller for photos of the exact piece.
Questions
Like vanilla ice cream in a fizzy drink: sweet and creamy.
That is its colour and its signature. It is added colouring.
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