It would be a crime of sorts to make sense of modern 'Punjabi' cuisine without taking into account its rich history and even geography for that matter. Arguably one of the most fertile lands of India, Punjab is the land of five rivers and countless farms, it is also called the ‘breadbasket’ of India. Even after the 1947 partition, Punjab continues to be one of the most prominent states of the country, both from an economic and cultural standpoint. And why is it important to understand the history of Punjab? That is because the undivided Punjab that stretched to Afghanistan to the west and Rajasthan to the East, has been a melting pot of cultures, and the same is manifested in the cuisine of the region.
Punjab Has Everything For Everyone
We often tend to think Punjabi cuisine has the choicest meaty delicacies, which is valid to a great extent, and we cannot thank Kundan Lal enough for his Tandoori chicken and Butter chicken. Kundan, a Punjabi cook who migrated from Pakistan to Delhi post-partition put India on the culinary world map with his lip-smacking Punjabi delicacies. But a big part of Punjab revels in an array of vegetarian, rustic food. Making saag out of mustard, plucked fresh from the adjacent farm or rotis out of in-house maize flour. We tried to compile some of the most iconic snacks you find in Punjab that you must try recreating at home with much effort. Here goes:
1. Amritsari Macchi
This toothsome, batter-fried sole fish sprinkled over with chaat masala is well worth the calories. The sole fish has no bones, making it ideal for those who find eating fish ‘too much of an effort'.
2. Amritsari Kulcha
From the kulcha capital of the country, this flatbread often comes with a spicy potato stuffing. Slathered over with ghee, this kulcha is best paired with chole, chickpea curry or pickle.
3. Chole Bhature
Desi brunch ka king kon? Chole Bhature is a match made in heaven between a rustic chickpea curry replete with hot spices and bhature and a puffy flatbread made with all-purpose flour and yeast, that is deep-fried in oil until golden. Do not forget to take some carrot and chilli pickle, pudina chutney and dry aloo sabzi with the epic combination. Throw in a glass of Lassi in the mix, and drown in an explosion of flavours.
4. Punjabi Samosa
Here’s a little tidbit you may not have known. Our humble samosa is not Indian at all. It is a version of Turkish ‘Sambusak’ that arrived in India somewhere during medieval times. We have appropriated the snack as per our local palate, if Bengali Shinghara has a thinner, crispier coating, a Punjabi Samosa has a slightly thicker coating made of either atta, maida or both. It also has a spicy potato filling that may or may not comprise peas, raisins, paneer and cashews.
5. Matthi
Growing up in Delhi with lots of Punjabi friends, I have always called this crispy, savoury and flaky biscuit ‘Mathhi’ instead of ‘Mathri', which is an alternative name for the same snack. The snack is quite popular across the Northern belt, and one of the ways I enjoy it is with a hint of pickle on top. Quite a fantastic entrée if you think about it.
6. Aloo Tikki
Another snack that may divide the internet. Yes, Aloo Tikki is indeed as much a property of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, but Punjab's streets are also incomplete without the sound of sizzling tikkis in the making, the demand for more meethi chutney, the continuous whipping of yoghurt. So here’s a recipe in case you decide to stop drooling and start doing something about the cravings.
7. Tandoori Chicken
How can we possibly leave this classic out? Chicken pieces coated in Tandoori masalas smoked in Tandoor, the charred snack goes best with rotis, chutney and sliced onions.
Try these recipes and let us know which ones you liked the best.