Shilpa Shetty’s Punjabi Grub In Patiala Has Triggered Cravings

Actress Shilpa Shetty who is currently judging the latest season of ‘India’s Got Talent’ on Sony TV, has also kickstarted the shoot of ‘Sukhee’, her latest film in Patiala, Punjab. And when in Punjab, you got to eat like Punjabis, right?  On Thursday, Shilpa Shetty took to Instagram to give us a glimpse of the mealtime on the sets. She panned on her plate and then tried to take reactions from her friends who are also the producers of the movie

“OMG Sarso Da Saag, Makki Roti, Gur and Makhhan..When you are in Patiala”, says Shilpa Shetty in the video she posted on her Instagram story.  

Further, she moves the camera towards her friends for their take, “Shikha what do you have to say? You are only here for food, not interested in us. Vikram...The producer is treating us good, making us fat”, she says jokingly.  

As all of you would know, the combination of Sarso ka Saag and Makki ki Roti is one of the crown jewels of authentic, rustic Punjabi cuisine. Sarso Ka Saag, is a semi-thick blend of winter greens such as mustard greens, bathua, spinach etc that is made with a tempering of red chillies. It is cooked in copious amounts of ghee, another winter staple. The season of Sarso da Saag is about to end soon, and Shilpa was lucky enough to enjoy the real deal, in Punjab itself. Punjabi cuisine is very wide, comprising a mix of delicacies involving seasonal fruits and veggies, local fish, meat and poultry. Here are some Punjabi dishes you must try making at home soon.  

Amritsari Kulcha

It looks very different from the white, smooth and stretchy Kulchas of Delhi. The Amritsari Kulchas are made with maida, and stuffed with a spicy potato mixture. Thes kulchas are cooked in Tandoor and served with chickpea curries, raita or pickle.  

Chole Bhature

The Punjabi breakfast favourite comprises a feisty chickpea curry and a puffy, leavened bread called Bhatura. Chole Bhature is often accompanied with gajar aur mirch ka achaar (carrot and chilli pickle), chutney and a dry aloo ki sabzi.

Amritsari Macchi

Punjab is a land of five rivers, and yet we have not heard of many fish preparations from the region. Ironic, right? The Amritsari Macchi is made of sole fish. The fish has no bones, which makes it ideal for a ‘tikka-like’ preparation. The marinated fish is skewered and cooked in tandoor until smoky and crisp from outside.

Pinni

Pinni is a Punjabi sweet fudge made with whole wheat flour, sugar, ghee and cardamom. When fresh, it is the softest thing you can put in your mouth. The sweet uses a generous amount of ghee, which may make it high on calories, but also very dense in energy.