Zealous people from the state of
Punjab are not behind any other state of the country when it comes to food.
Their infectious zest of food has caught millions others, so much so that
the Punjabi cuisine is not just relished in India but the world over.
Foreigners often identify Indian cuisine with Punjabi food thanks to the the
big Punjabi diaspora and the mouth-watering cuisine of the state.
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,
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.
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.
