The Punjabi Tadka - famous dishes of Punjab

The Punjabi Tadka - famous dishes of Punjab

Punjabi cuisine is worldwide famous especially for its panner tikka, butter chicken, sarso ka saag aur makki ki roti. Punjabi cuisine is a mélange of Indo-Mughal-Persian-Afghani nuances. The king of all foods- Butter Chicken is the crowning jewel of the food of Punjab. The people of Punjab are renowned for their high spirits, well-loved hearty appetites and their distinct love for flavors. Punjab has always been considered as the breadbasket of India due to its fertile and agricultural land.

Punjab cuisine is highly influenced by the agriculture and farming lifestyle prevalent since Indus Valley Civilization. Locally grown foods form the major part of the local cuisine. The fields are rich of wheat and grains, so naan, roti and kulchas are the staple foods of every house. Basmati rice is very famous in Punjab and used as a side dish with almost all the dishes. Punjab is a major producer of wheat, rice and dairy products.  Punjab also being a major producer of dairy products boasts of the highest per capita usage of milk in the country. Generous amounts of ghee, butter or cream are used to garnish the dishes. Cows and buffalos are milked every day to get fresh milk and churn it into butter and curd. Both cow milk and water buffalo milk are used extensively in Punjabi cuisine. Milk is used for drinking or adding to tea and coffee. Milk is also used to make an Indian-style cottage cheese called paneer which is a staple ingredient in the Punjabi diet.

Amritsari fish is another very important dish of Punjabi cuisine. It is almost like an Indian version of fish and chips but without the chips. This really sumptuous fish is synonymous with Amritsar and is crispy on the outside while the flesh is flavored and creamy.

Punjabi cuisine is best known for its tandoori cooking and it is rare to attend a Punjabi feast where tandoori chicken isn’t cooked and served. Tender pieces of marinated meat pieces are skewed and cooked on a huge earthen oven called a tandoor. These dishes are now served in restaurants around the world. Poultry, lamb and goat meat are the preferred meat sources in different regions of Punjab. Some of the famous non-veg dishes are chicken biryani, kebab, keema. Shami kebab, chicken karahi, kunna gosht and butter chicken.

Ma ki dal is one of the most renowned and frequently cooked vegetarian Punjabi dish which is made with black urd and chana dal with spices, coriander and a generous amount of butter for extra richness and goodness of taste. Other vegetarian dishes on Punjabi menu are Rajma chawal, shahi paneer, panjiri made of dry fruits and legumes. Sarso ka saag is a variety of leafy greenhs (including spinach and mustard greens) cooked down to a stew and tempered with ginger, tomato, onion, garlic, chillies and other spices. It is served with butter on top along with makki di roti. It is one of the most popular dishes of Punjab. Curd is used to make kadhi pakora which is spicy, yellow gravy with pakoras made of chickpea flour, commonly served with rice or naan. The by-product of curd, the buttermilk lassi is enjoyed as a beverage. Punjabis rarely sit down to have their meals without a glass of lassi.

Punjabi cuisine includes varieties of desserts and mithais such as kheer, khoya, Malpura, rabri, kaju katli, ate ka halwa and pinni.

Eating etiquette differs in every Punjabi household and communal dining is a norm in Punjabi families. Gifting sweets, fruits and vegetables to family members is a common practice in Punjab particular during festivals and spring season. Dinner or tea invitation is generally given few days in advance and cancelling the plan without any major reason is considered rude and a breach of etiquette. The entire purpose of Punjabi cuisine is to eat not just your till your stomach is full but till your heart is full too. Punjabis love to serve and be served to. Punjabi food holds a strong ground worldwide because of some signature dishes. The way to the heart of a Punjabi is through his stomach.