FOOD
Punjab’s best food is hearty country fare, based on good milk,
buttermilk, ghee and freshly harvested produce. A passionate lot, the Punjabi are united
as much by their culture as by their passion for healthy, protein enriched food. To retain
the rich flavour, food is cooked on slow fire.
A typical Punjabi breakfast consists of layered paranthas (flaky,
griddle breads, stuffed with spiced, mashed potatoes or grated, spiced radish eaten with
dahi(creamy yoghurt) and tarty mango pickle for pep and pungency. This is washed down with
a glass of thick, creamy milk. An exquisite country fare if Sarson-Ka-Sag (buttery mustard
greens, flavoured with aniseed and asafoetida) eaten with Makki-Ki-Roti (crisp, fresh corn
bread) and washed down withenormous glasses of Lassi (thick, creamy butter milk). Another
typical Punjabi meal is the universal favourite chhole (spicely stewed chick peas, in
green chillies and onions), Bhaturas (fully, leavended deep fried breads), and Dahi Baras
(lentil dumplings in creamy yoghurt). Tandoori food-dishes cooked in hot, clay
ovens-include the delectable fish and tandoori chicken (barbecued, red and succulent, with
a nicely spiced paste of tomato puree, gram masala, butter, ginger and coriander),
Uncommonly good are the meat tikkas (patties of finely pounded meat, with a pleasant
mixture of mint, green chillies and green coriander). Hearty eaters, other favourites of
Punjabis are : the piquant baigan-ka-bharta (egg plant smoked on fire and then cooked with
hot spices and tomatoes); the delicious Karhi (Yoghurt whipped with chick pea flour and
chick pea dumplings); the protein rich maah-ki-dal (pulses cooked with onions, tomatoes
and red-eyed beans). Rice is popular and traditional breads eaten are chapaties (flat,
griddle bread), pooris (puffed, whole wheat breads) and bhaturas (puffed, white flour
breads) and naans (large leaf-shaped tandoori breads).
