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Punjabi cuisine
(from the Punjab region of Northern India and Eastern
Pakistan). Punjabi cuisine can be non-vegetarian or
completely vegetarian. One of the main features of Punjabi
cuisine is its diverse range of dishes. Home cooked and
restaurant Punjabi cuisine can vary significantly, with
restaurant style using large amounts of clarified butter,
known locally as ghee, with liberal amounts of butter and
cream with home cooked concentrating on mainly upon wheat
masalas (spice) flavourings. Though wheat varieties form
their staple food, Punjabis do cook rice on special
occasions. During winter a delicacy, Roh Di Kheer, is cooked
using rice. Rice is cooked for a long time in sugar cane
juice.
Within the state itself, there are different preferences.
People in the area of Amritsar prefer stuffed parathas and
milk products. In fact, the area is well known for quality
of its milk products. There are certain dishes which are
exclusive to Punjab, such as Mah Di Dal and Saron Da Saag (Sarson
Ka Saag).
The food is tailor-made for the Punjabi lifestyle in which
most of the rural folk burn up a lot of calories while
working in the fields. The main masala in a Punjabi dish
consists of onion, garlic and ginger. Tandoori food is a
Punjabi speciality especially for non-veg dishes. |
