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Punjab is a beautiful state in the Northern part of India and is famous for its farm fields and majestic landscape. Another thing that Punjab is extremely famous for throughout the world and not just India is some delicious and extremely fulfilling meals. The diet of people in Punjab heavily relies on milk products and the dishes keep on changing as per the change in seasons.
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Now that the monsoon has finally arrived in Punjab and many other parts of India, one will see an array of monsoon-exclusive dishes being cooked in different parts of Punjab. For people looking for some wonderful monsoon dishes to add to their menu, here are the food items that one can try some Punjabi.
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* Pakoras
Pakoras are also called fritters and are made not just in Punjab but also in many other parts of India. However, the popularity of this snack is a lot more in the northern parts of India as compared to other regions. People in Punjab like to enjoy different types of pakoras. These are first made by making a thick batter from chickpea flour, water, spices, and some other continents. In this batter which is neither too thin nor too thick, one adds some freshly chopped vegetables and properly coats them with a chickpea flour batter from all sides. These fritters are then deep-fried in some smouldering oil until they become properly crispy and edible. Pakoras can be enjoyed with both a tamarind sauce and a mint sauce.
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* Pua And Kheer
Pua is the Indian version of pancake that is extremely popular in Punjab. It is one of the most frequently sold streetside desserts that one will find in the bustling cities of Ludhiana and Amritsar. This simple dessert is hard to resist because of its extremely soft and mouth-melting texture and the very subtle flavour of cardamom and saffron. Pua batter is made from a mixture of all-purpose flour, sugar, syrup, cardamom, saffron, and sometimes even paneer. This batter is poured over a flat pan and cooked until it becomes crispy from the ends and fluffy from the middle. The puas are then combined with kheer made from rice and sugar. The correct way to eat the combination is to dip the puas in kheer and enjoy them thoroughly.
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* Samosas
Samosas are yet another deep-fried snack on the list that are crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. The outer crust of samosas is made from all-purpose flour which makes them perfectly crispy when deep-fried. The inside stuffing of the samosas is made from mashed potatoes and lots of Indian spices. Potatoes are first boiled properly and then seasoned with nice spices. After packing the samosas and securing the inner stuffing of these samosas, they are deep-fried until they become properly crispy and golden in colour. In Punjab, people like to enjoy it with green chillies and tamarind chutney.
* Makki Ki Roti
Makki ki roti is a quintessential Punjabi dish that is synonymous with the culinary tradition of Punjab. Monsoon in the northern part of India translates into an abundance of corn cultivation. As the market is filled with maize, it's only fair that one gets to use it to the fullest. Makki ki roti is made from maize and is a type of flatbread extremely popular in many Northern parts of India, specifically Punjab. With the onset of monsoon, butter-dipped makki ki rotis that are crunchy and delicious are served with sarso ka saag. The perfect meal is eating makki ki roti and sarso ka saag with a full glass of fresh buttermilk.
* Ganne Ka Rass
Monsoon in India is extremely humid and energy-draining. Although the temperature is low, because of the high moisture in the air, a person is likely to feel perpetually dehydrated because of low water retention. Hence, to tackle dehydration soothingly and deliciously, people enjoy ganne ka rass. Made from juicy sugarcane, ganne ka rass is the perfect way to satiate one's thirst and instantly feel rejuvenated. As sugarcane is naturally sweet, there is no need to add refined sugar to enhance the flavours. One would find ganne ka rass being sold on the streets in Punjab and Haryana very frequently in monsoon.
* Patiala Raan
Patiala raan is a regal dish from Patiala’s royal heritage that has got lost somewhere amid the introduction of some new recipes. It's a type of marinated lamb dish specifically made from leg pieces. What's so special about this dish is that it takes six hours to get prepared. The mutton is first fried in desi ghee with green chillies and garlic after being marinated with yoghurt and spices. It's enjoyed with tandoori naan and mint chutney on the side.
