THERE’S MORE TO PUNJABI CUISINE THAN THE OVER-HYPED BUTTER CHICKEN AND THE PANEER DISHES. BY BINDU GOPAL RAO

Even 22 years after seeing Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, I can vividly recall the song Tujhe dekha to and the beautiful mustard farm it was picturised in. The sight of the yellow flowers amidst verdant greenery has always been stuck in my mind. Imagine then, my joy when I recently went to Punjab to explore the state’s culture and cuisine – and landed there in the midst of the mustard harvesting season. I was treated to rows and rows of unending yellow and green fields that instantly uplifted my spirits on my maiden visit to the Land of Five Rivers.

Say Punjab and the immediate association is of food. As much as it is a cliché, I always think of Punjabis as people who love food. While I found this to be true, I also discovered that there is so much more to the cuisine beyond the done-to-death butter chicken and paneer dishes. It is no coincidence that Punjab has always had a rich food culture. It is said that the Maharaja of Patiala was a food connoisseur who ensured his cooks write out their recipes in detailed manuscripts.

I started my food trail in Amritsar at Pul Kanjari close to the India-Pakistan border and followed it up with a pind or farm visit. The first thing that caught my attention was the amazing array of pickles from carrot and turnip to cauliflower and even quail meat. There were also items like Shikar da Achar and Dehu da Achar as well as amla and apple murabbas – they make for a compelling sight and taste awesome too. While the ubiquitous lassi is always a big favourite, I suggest you try the Kaali Gajar Ki Kanji made with seasonal black carrot, mustard seeds and asafoetida allowed to dry under the sun in a container and fermented for a few days. The tangy drink has a sweet sour taste and is brilliant pink in colour.

The best part is that the inherent nature of the cuisine is simple and focuses on using traditional methods of preparation that retain the taste, flavour and nutrients. The spices are robust and coarsely grounded. They are never pureed in a mixie and it is always about cooking the food slowly and allowing it to cook overnight on a low flame. Gurpreet Singh, Corporate Chef, Punjab Grill, explains, “Most often Punjabi cuisine is synonymous with North Indian cuisine and it is limited to butter chicken, dal makhani and butter naan. However these are not Punjabi dishes at all. There are many dishes that are unexplored. In Punjab it is all about farming and the focus is on seasonal food. So while in Italy you have olive oil, you have mustard oil here. In winters, you have the divine sarson da saag and the ghobi shalgam achaar and makki (corn flour) and bajra (a millet) that make the food special.”

Lal Lobiya

So you have mouth-watering nonvegetarian delicacies like Tawa Tikka (a cutlet cooked on slow heat), Mutton Chaamp (spicy mutton mince cutlets), Amritsari Machchi (a river fish called Singhada cooked in traditional spices), Bhunna Ghosht (a mutton dish) and Charga Kukkad (a pan fried chicken dish). The vegetarian fare is equally extensive. The Methi Paneer (a fenugreek based dish), Gajar aur Gobhi di sabzi (a curry with carrot and cauliflower), Lal Lobiya (a kidney bean preparation) and Harra Cholliya Pulao (a rice dish with fresh green channa) figure high on the list of must-eats. Also, the wadi is a key feature of the food. These are lentils that are soaked, pureed and sun dried and can be used to enhance the flavour of the food – in the curries and even in rice. The variety of desserts is also amazing and the Malpua is made without dipping it in chashni (sugar syrup). Likewise Amritsar has its unique fruit cream and also Ganne Wale Chawal (rice cooked in sugar cane juice). The Khoye De Barfi, Gajjar Halwa and Makhane Di Kheer are also great options to try while you are in Punjab.

Chargha Chicken

The key feature in the cuisine is to keep the food fresh and literally have a farm-to-fork experience. Delving deep into the cuisine, I chat with Rama Ranjit Mehra who is a Medical Practitioner and founder of Ranjit’s SVAASA, a heritage boutique spa haveli in Amritsar. She explains, “Cooking in a handi put on a fire overnight especially the sarson ka saag and maa ki dal is the traditional way of cooking.

Methi Aloo is also famous here and the interesting part is that the potato is cooked with the skin as it is rich in nutrients and is specifically cooked in mustard oil. The old Punjabi folks like food that is served just off the flame. Also, the atta (wholewheat flour) is never put in the fridge. It is always kneaded fresh, first half done and then rested and again kneaded so that the rotis are fresh.”

In fact the aroma of the food cooked in this manner is captivating and the use of pure ghee is extensive. Also, a variety of digestives or churans are mandatory after the meal. So you have the pomegranate or Anardhana Churan that is a must after a heavy meal.

In fact the Yajur Veda (an ancient Hindu scripture devoted to the worship of the gods) has a verse that beautifully encapsulates Punjabi food: “May I prosper through the sacrifice and have plenty milk, ghee, honey and enjoy food with my kith and kin. May I have freedom from hunger and have my bins full of wheat, lentils and all other grains.”

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