Top 7 Famous Food and Dishes of Punjab That You Cannot Miss

Punjab is the land of food. Not only are the major crops grown and harvested in Punjab, they are made with traditional recipes. While the land of five rivers is known for its spicy food, there is much more than street foods in Punjab. From the famous butter chicken to everyone’s favourite sarson da saag, there’s a lot to explore in Punjabi cuisine.

List of Top 7 Famous Foods of Punjab

Chole Bhature

When you hear the word “Punjab,” there is a high chance of getting a mental image of chole bhature. To make chole or chane or chickpeas, you can prepare a masala with chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, and spices like cumin seeds, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and garam masala. Once the masala is fragrant, you can add overnight soaked chickpeas and let it simmer till the chole absorb all the flavours. Simultaneously, you can deep-fry bhature from a maida-based dough and pair them with chole.

Punjabi Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is one of the most famous Punjabi dishes that features tender chicken pieces simmered in a rich tomato-based gravy. Once the chicken pieces are marinated in a curd and spice-based marinade, you can cook them in a tandoor till they get juicy. Next, you can make the tomato gravy with chopped onions, tomato puree, butter, and a blend of spices. Once aromatic, you can add the tender pieces to the gravy and let the butter chicken simmer to perfection. Garnish with butter and chopped coriander and serve with a naan or paratha.

Dal Makhani

If you are making a Punjabi-themed meal, you cannot leave Dal Makhani out of the menu. Made with black lentils and rajma, dal makhani is a classic Indian recipe you can make for an elaborate lunch or dinner. Just slow-cook the dal with butter, cream, and a blend of spices till all the flavours are properly absorbed. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and cream poured in circles. Finally, serve with naan, rice, or roti.

Also Read: 6 Traditional Punjabi Sawan Desserts You Cannot Miss This Monsoon

Punjab's Famous Rajma Chawal

Rajma chawal is much more than just a dish. It is a feeling that can make anyone feel that they are at home and can make you nostalgic about maa ke haath ka khana. The Punjabi combination of rajma cooked in a rich tomato-based gravy with jeera rice is just something else. To make it even better, you can prepare a raita and serve it along with your usual salad.

Sarson Da Saag

Whenever the weather is a bit chilly, the aroma of sarson da saag cooking in a Punjabi household is pretty quick. Made with mustard greens, known for their slightly bitter and pungent taste, it is usually paired with makki (corn flour) ki roti. Garnished with a generous amount of ghee on top and paired with gud (jaggery), sarson da saag is a Punjabi dish that you cannot miss out on.

Halwa

When it comes to dessert, Punjab has a heritage of making different types of halwa. Starting from the holy kada parshad or atte ka halwa to the recipes made with vegetables like petha, there is a wide range of halwas that you can make. Just roast your favourite ingredients with ghee and sugar, and don’t forget to indulge it with chopped dry fruits and nuts before serving.

Punjabi Pinni

Another traditional Punjabi dish that can make you feel at home is pinni. To make these little balls of heaven, all you need is wheat flour, ghee, sugar, dry fruits and nuts, and jaggery powder. Just grind sugar, dry fruits, nuts, and jaggery to make a coarse powder. Next, take a pan, add some ghee and the mixture you made, and roast until it turns golden. Add wheat flour and ghee and cook till you get a uniform mixture. You can then shape them into balls and enjoy.