India celebrates the arrival of the harvest season with great enthusiasm, and Baisakhi is one such festival that welcomes the season of spring. Also known as Vaisakh Sankranti, Baisakhi is celebrated by the Sikh community all across the globe. On this day, they visit Gurudwaras and pray to seek blessings for new beginnings and a good harvest. This year, it falls on April 14. Apart from dance, music, and prayers, Baisakhi also brings a platter of delicious Punjabi dishes that can satiate your heart as well as your taste buds.
As we all know, Punjabi cuisine is known for its rich and robust flavours, and the platter of Baisakhi is also packed with such mouth-watering dishes as sarso ka saag, makki roti, lassi, phirni, kadhi, peele chawal, kada prasad, and pindi chole, which are some of the popular dishes prepared on this festival. But if you're looking for some unique dishes to surprise your family at the Baishaki party, try some authentic non-vegetarian dishes from Punjabi cuisine.
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From besani murgi to achari chicken, here are the top five non-vegetarian dishes from Punjab you can enjoy on Baisakhi:
Besani Murgi
Besani murgi is made with boneless chicken pieces coated in a spiced gram flour batter and fried until crispy. The batter is made with a combination of gram flour, spices, and yoghurt, which gives the chicken a crunchy texture and a lip-smacking taste. The dish is mainly served with mint chutney or raita and is perfect as an appetiser as well as a main course.
Butter Chicken
Also known as murgh makhani, this dish has a separate fanbase among non-vegetarian lovers across the world. This curry-based dish has a rich texture and is best served with naan bread. Butter chicken is made by marinating chicken pieces in a mixture of spices and yoghurt and then cooking them in a creamy tomato-based sauce that is prepared with butter, cream, and aromatic spices such as cumin, coriander, and garam masala.
Chicken Champ
Amritsari Fish
Originating in the city of Amritsar, it is made by marinating boneless fish fillets in a mixture of spices and gram flour batter before deep-frying them until crisp. Spices such as carom seeds and fenugreek seeds used in the marinade give the dish a distinct flavour, and the gram flour batter adds a crunchy texture. It is often served as an appetiser with mint chutney or onion rings and is a popular street food in Amritsar.
Achari Chicken
It is basically boneless chicken pieces cooked in a pickle-based sauce made with red chillies, coriander, mustard, and fenugreek seeds. The chicken is marinated in a mixture of yoghurt, pickle spices, and lemon juice, then sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and pickles. Achari chicken has a distinct flavour that comes from the combination of spicy, sour, and tangy tastes. It is mainly served with rice or naan.