Punjab is known for its delicious cuisines and hospitality. The British when they conquered Punjab were astonished to see that on the periphery of every village there was a special Dera or Takia where hospitality was offered to every wayfarer. Even today you cannot come out of a Punjabi home without having had enjoyed its hospitality. There are denominational institutions all over Punjab, specially the Sikh historical gurudwaras where free board and lodging is offered through out day and night. Punjabi`s are the most hardworking people in India and Punjab is the largest producer of food grains in India. Due to the hardworking nature of Punjabis they need a good supply of food to get the physical strength so the Punjabis have the reputation of being the greatest producer and consumer of good food.

Punjabi Cuisine tends to be the dominant cuisine throughout the country. In a manner of speaking, Punjabi cuisine is mainstream cuisine. Punjabi cuisine is largely consumed in most ceremonies. At weddings, birthday celebrations, etc. it is common to find a biryani or a qorma present. No matter where these dishes originated from, within the boundaries of Pakistan, they are essentially considered to be Punjabi. It is true to say that Punjabi cuisine is densely influenced by Indian cuisine. This is because of the fact that the province of Punjab stretches out of Pakistan and into the Indian territory as well. Therefore, there is distinct geographical and cultural similarity between the Indian Punjab and Pakistan Punjab. Their traditions that are reflected in things like cuisine are clearly visible.

The Punjabi cuisine has an enormous variety of mouth-watering vegetarian as well as non vegetarian dishes. The spice content ranges from minimal to pleasant to high. Punjabi food is usually relished by people of all communities. In Punjab, home cooking differs from the restaurant cooking style. At the restaurants, the chefs make a liberal use of desi ghee, butter and cream to make the food lip smacking and finger licking. On the other hand, at home, people prefer using sunflower oil or some other refined oil for cooking, with the basic idea of making the food low in fat content.

Due to proximity and similar crop pattern, food habits of Punjab and Haryana are more or less the same. What distinguishes Haryana a little from Punjab is its greater love for milk and dairy products. Staple diet of the people Punjab and Haryana is wheat based rotis, paranthas and naan. Rice is cooked less frequently on special occasion. It is often prepared flavoured with onions and other condiments. Striking feature of the cuisine of Punjab is lavish use of butter, cream, ghee and cheese. Pulses or dals, cooked on slow fire and flavoured with characteristic Punjabi tadka which includes Red Chili powder, Turmeric powder, Cumin seeds, Cumin powder, Coriander seeds, Coriander powder, Black Mustard seeds constitute a major item of the meal. Gravy is prepared using the basic mix of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, chillies and liberal dose of spices. Jaggery is appreciated by the people in the winter season.

Traditional Punjabi food is cooked in earthen tandoors (ovens) which lend it a unique aroma. Though vegetarian dishes of the state are extremely popular and demand no introduction, some non-vegetarian dishes of the state are also famous for their scrumptious taste and the typical Punjabi flavor. The rich food is downed with the famous Punjab-di-Lassi. The choices available at Punjabi cuisine are plenty. You can kick start your meal with a tandoori platter or the appetising masala papad which is garnished with chillies, onion, tomato and coriander leaves. Shift to the main course and taste the quintessential sarson da saag and makkai di roti served hot with dollops of clarified butter of desi ghee. Non vegetarians can take a quick bite of naan and butter chicken or murgh Amritsari. Quench your thirst with lassi or buttermilk, and that`s not all. If you have a sweet tooth then finish up your sumptuous meal with gajar ka halwa or rabri.

Preparing food is an important step in any form of cooking. This is because preparation methods greatly influence the end result. The taste may greatly depend on the method employed in cooking. In Punjabi cooking, it is commonly known that there are particular steps necessary to bring out the best taste. One of these steps includes marinating meats. When meats are marinated or seasoned they tend to make the meat much easier to cook. Marinating is commonly done using tamarind water or even lemon. The meat gets tenderized, and the taste improves as well.

Aside from marinating the meat to cook, adding spices in at the correct time is also very important to bringing out the best taste. Some dishes require you to add all the spices in at once, while others require you to add the spices in piece by piece. Let us take the preparation of biryani for example. In order to cook this dish, the rice is boiled separately, and the meat and spices are cooked separately. Finally, at the end of the process they are added, and cooked.

In addition to the starting and intermediate methods of cooking employed in Punjabi cuisine, there are other important steps. One of these is the garnishing. In several Punjabi foods, it is known that without garnishing the food cannot be eaten and enjoyed. In biryani for instance, you might need to garnish the food with finely chopped coriander leaves. Also, at the end of cooking lentils, you might need to add browned garlic or onions.

Whatever method is employed to end the cooking process in Punjabi cuisine, it certainly should be followed to bring out the best taste. In addition to the ending process, other cooking preparation methods should also be adhered to.

Dhabas in India is the most traditional eating place or a roadside cafe famous with the truckies who drive all night and long distances delivering goods from one city to another, but over the years it has become popular to all walks of life. All the credit goes to the Punjabis who have brought out the concept of Dhaba from Punjab and popularized it across the country. Gurudwara is another place where you can experience the Punjabi food though it will be vegetarian and free of cost but no compromises on the quality and taste of the food.

Popular Punjabi Recipes

• Aloo Amritsari
• Amritsari Fish
• Butter Chicken
• Chicken Tikkas
• Dahi Bhalle
• Dal Makhni
• Lassi
• Makki di Roti
• Punjabi Chhole
• Sarson ka Saag