A punchy platter with variety of Punjabi vegetarian cuisine

As a Bohra Muslim, I was never familiar with Punjabi food until my marriage, which took me to probably one of the most intense food destinations in India — Jammu. It opened a different dimension of flavours that truly inspired my culinary journey. I had never seen (let alone tried) some of the vegetables, spices and curries of the region. I was in food heaven!

The local cuisine of Punjab is heavily influenced by the agriculture and farming lifestyle prevalent from the times of the ancient Indus Valley civilisation. Locally grown foods form the major part of it. Distinctively Punjabi cuisine is known for its rich, buttery flavours along with the extensive vegetarian dishes. The list of vegetarian Punjabi dishes is way too long but I have tried to capture some of the most popular ones that are enjoyed by the theth (authentic) Punjabis from dhabas flanking the highways to the kitchens of the farmers in the villages of Punjab.

Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is the brainchild of Kundan Lal Gujral, founder of the Moti Mahal chain of restaurants. He revolutionised the traditional black urad dal lentil by adding tomatoes and cream to the preparation. Thus the famous Dal Makhani was born. This had with tandoori roti or laccha parantha or naan is just heaven on earth. Believe me you would not like to have anything else with it except laccha onions with a squeeze of lime on it. And not to forget, green chilli.

Ingredients

• Black urad dal: 1 cup
• Rajma: ¼ cup
• Butter: 100g + 2tbsp
• Water: 6-7 cups
• Ginger paste: 1tbsp
• Garlic paste: 1tbsp
• Red Kashmiri Chilli powder: 3tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Fresh tomato puree: 1½ cup
• Tomato paste: 2tbsp
• Salt: To taste
• Dried fenugreek leaves crushed between the palm of your hands: A large pinch
• Cream: ¾ cup

For the tempering

• Ghee or oil: 1tbsp
• Garlic: ½tbsp finely chopped

Method

• Soak the dal and rajma overnight or for a minimum of four-six hours. Then scrub the black dal well and then wash it again. Add water and pressure cook for at least six-eight whistles till the dal is cooked.
• In a pan heat butter and saute ginger and garlic. Saute till the raw flavour goes. Then add red chilli powder, cumin powder and the tomato puree and the paste. Cook till butter oozes out. Then add the dals along with the stock. Add salt.
• Now cook the dal on low flame for at least 45-50 minutes. Mash a small portion of the dal and put it back into the boiling dal. Check consistency.
• Serve with hot with naan, laccha parantha or tandoori roti along with onion salad.

Sarson Ka Saag and Makki Ki Roti

Sarson ka saag is a popular vegetarian dish from the northern region of the Indian subcontinent. It is made from mustard greens and spices and is often served with makki ki roti. This dish is closely associated with Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana , Punjab and is considered a special dish in entire North India. It is especially eaten during the winter season. If you love jaggery and a little bit of sweetness then a dollop on the makki ki roti with hot desi ghee is a game changer. So let’s get innovative and serve this wonder dish in all kinds of variations. I know you will enjoy making it and eating it too.

Ingredients

• Mustard leaves: 1kg, washed and chopped
• Spinach: ½kg chopped
• White radish: 2 big, cut into chunks
• Green chillies: 4, chopped
• Mustard oil: 4tbsp
• Onions: 2 big, finely chopped
• Tomatoes: 3 big, chopped
• Ginger garlic paste: 2tbsp
• Salt: 1½tsp, or to taste
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1tsp

For Makki Ki Roti

• Maize flour: 2 cups
• Luke warm water
• A pinch of salt

Method

• In a pressure cooker put the spinach, mustard leaves, radish and the green chillies. Add half a cup of water. Pressure cook for two whistles. Remove. Cool and then make it into a puree.
• Heat a kadhai with mustard oil. Add onions and saute till light golden brown.
• Now add ginger, garlic paste and saute for a minute or so.
• Now add the tomatoes and saute for five minutes.
• Add salt, coriander, cumin and red chilli powder.
• Cook on low flame for five minutes.
• Now add the mustard, spinach etc puree. Mix well.
• Cook for at least 10 minutes. It should not be totally dry. The consistency should be little loose.
• When the saag is cooking there will be lot of spluttering. So be careful. In between stir it.
• You know the saag is cooked when it stops spluttering. Finish off with 2tbsp of butter or desi ghee.

For making makki ki roti

• In corn flour add salt and knead with lukewarm water. You can add red chilli powder if you like.
• Then make into round balls.
• Roll out and try to make thin roti type. (In case you cannot roll like this then put the ball between two pastic sheets and roll.)
• Place it on a hot tawa and cook on medium flame. When you see the roti rising from the side it’s time to flip over.
• Add little ghee on the sides and the top. Then again flip and cook. The roti will be cooked nicely on both sides.

NOTE: If you have a sweet tooth then add jaggery powder in hot desi ghee and spread over the roti.

Jammu Dhaba Style Rajma

Rajma chawal is a total comfort food of the Punjabis. It is usually served during lunch and in most households they have a fixed day for it. In our house it is made every Sunday. Good quality rajma makes all the difference. If you can get small Jammu rajma the dish will have a good red colour and the taste will be extraordinary.

Ingredients

• Rajma: 2 cups
• Water: 8 cups
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Ginger: 1-inch piece paste
• Cinnamon: 1 stick
• Cumin seeds: 1tsp Á Salt: 1tsp
• Onions: 2, chopped fine
• Tomatoes: 5, chopped fine
• Ginger garlic paste: 2tbsp
• Mustard oil: 3tbsp
• Green chilli: 1tsp paste or 3 whole
• Kashmiri red chilli powder : 2tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Rajma masala (optional): 2tsp
• Garam masala powder: ½tsp
• Coriander leaves: For garnishing

Method

• Soak the rajma overnight in water and then boil for at least eight whistles or till they are cooked nice and soft.
• In a large pot, heat oil. Then add onions and saute till it is pale golden brown.
• Then add ginger garlic paste, tomatoes and cook till they become soft.
• Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, rajma masala powder, red chilli powder, and salt to taste. Add garam masala powder too.
• Mix well with the tomatoes and onions. Cook for a couple of minutes.
• At this point whisk ½ cup curd and blend well into the masala. And cook for a minute or so.
• Blend the above mixture with a hand blender or in a jar.
• Add the boiled rajma to this mixture.
• Remove about 4-5tbsp of rajma and mash it. Put it back into the pot. (this gives a good texture to the gravy).
• Now let the rajma cook on low flame for at least 45 minutes.
• You will see that everything has come together beautifully and the gravy is a rich colour and it will not be too watery (we love to eat with lot of luscious gravy).
• Heat 1tbsp of desi ghee and pour it in the rajma just before serving.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Punjabi Kadhi with Pakoras

The word ‘kadhi’ is the Hindi term for a thick, stewed curry while the word pakora refers to the gram flour fritters dunked in the curry. It is comfort food for the Punjabis. Kadhi is made differently in different states of India. I am going to show you the way Punjabis make kadhi.

Ingredients

• Curd: 1½ cups
• Besan (gram flour): 4tbsp
• Ginger garlic paste: 2tbsp
• Turmeric powder: ¾tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1tsp
• Coriander powder: 1½tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp, roasted
• Water: 10 cups Á Oil: 2tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds (methi): 1tsp
• Cumin: 1tsp
• Dry red chillies: 2
• Asafoetida (hing): ½tsp

For the pakoras

• Besan: 1 cup
• Salt: To taste
• Green chilli: 1, chopped fine
• Haldi (turmeric): ½tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1tsp
• Coriander powder: 1½tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Onion: 1, sliced very finely
• Baking powder: 1tsp

For the tempering

• Desi ghee: 2tbsp
• Coriander seeds: 2tsp, crushed
• Cumin seeds: 1tsp
• Red chilli powder: ½tsp

Method

• In a bowl mix curd and besan. Mix it well so no lumps are formed.
• Now add dhania powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, garlic and ginger paste and little salt . Mix everything well.
• Now add water.
• Now heat a kadhai and add oil. When hot add methi seeds. Then add jeera seeds, dry red chillies and a pinch of hing. Lightly cook it.
• Now add the curd mixture. Keep stirring till the first boil (otherwise the curd may curdle). Then on medium flame let it cook.
• The longer it cooks the better the taste will be. It should be slightly thick and creamy. Do not make it too thick.
• Final tempering will be done after putting the pakoras in the kadhi

Method for making pakoras

• In a bowl put besan, salt, green chilli, haldi, dhania powder, jeera powder, red chilli powder, baking powder and onions. Mix all together.
• Add water to make a thick batter.
• Heat oil for deep-frying. Take small portions of batter and deepfry. Do not fry completely brown. Also cook on medium flame so that it does not remain uncooked from inside. The pakoras should be halfdone. Take them out. Give them a little rest. Then fry them again on high heat till they are nice and brown and crispy (we call this double frying).
• Now put the pakoras in the kadhi.
• Now for tempering: Heat oil in a pan. Add desi ghee. When hot add some crushed coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Roast it. Switch off the flame. Then add red chilli powder and add it to kadhi.
• Serve hot with steamed rice, rotis etc

NOTE: Add the pakoras just seven-eight minutes before serving the kadhi.

Methi Paranthas with Gobi Filling

Paranthas are a staple food of the Punjabis. They are usually had for breakfast or brunch. There are many varieties of paranthas. For instance aloo parantha, mooli parantha and so on. Here I am showing a very healthy parantha which has freah methi as well as cauliflower. It’s a meal by itself and had with curd, pickle and so on.

Ingredients

• Atta (wheat flour): 2-2½ cups
• Methi leaves: 1 big bunch blended in a mixie with a little water
• Salt: ½tsp
• Red chilli powder: ½tsp

For the filling

• Cauliflower: 1 whole, grated
• Ajwain: 1tsp
• Coriander powder: 1tsp
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Turmeric powder: ½tsp
• Green chillies: 2-3, chopped very fine
• Red chilli powder: 1tsp
• Coriander leaves: A few, chopped fine
• Salt: To taste

Method

• Mix the atta and the pureed methi. Add salt and red chilli powder. Add water as per requirement and make a nice dough like you would for normal rotis.
• In a bowl mix cauliflower with the rest of the ingredients and keep aside.
• Now make big roundels of the dough. Roll into little discs.
• Place the cauliflower filling in the centre. Then cover it all up. And roll like you would a normal roti. Just put enough filling that the roti does not tear. It does not matter if the ends are uneven. Do not make the roti thick or else it will not cook from inside.
• Make the tawa hot and put the parantha on it. Cook on medium heat. Then flip over. Put some desi ghee on the sides and top of the roti. Once it is cooked and reddened flip over and cook. You can add little more ghee if required. It should be nice and crisp.
• Remove and enjoy with curd and pickle. In my house we like to have a fried egg on top.

NOTE: Always taste the filling first. See that the spices are right like chillies, salt and so on. Also when rolling out the disc see that the middle of the roti is slightly thicker than the ends. Put enough filling so that you feel you are really having a gobi parantha and not just plain methi roti.

Gajar Ka Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa, or as the Punjabis would say, Gajrella, is one of the most favourite dishes of the Punjabis, especially during winter, when red carrots are available. No wedding during winter is complete without this iconic sweet dish. You require patience in making this wonderful dish.

Ingredients

• Carrots: 4 cups grated
• Sugar: ¾ cup
• Milk: ½ cup
• Desi ghee: 1tbsp
• Cardamom powder: ½tsp
• Khoya: ½ cup
• Dry fruits: Chopped, to taste

Method

Add grated carrots in a kadhai (pan). Heat the pan and on medium flame, let the carrots sweat a little. About five-six minutes of cooking.

Now add sugar and cook till the moisture is evaporated.

Now add ghee and stir well.

Add cardamom powder

Add milk and let it cook. Add milk according to requirement. A little more may be needed. The carrots and milk should be well blended.

Now add the khoya and mix well. Now just cook for a few seconds and remove from flame.

Garnish with nuts. Tastes best when it is nice and hot.

Author is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss.You can find her at @durribhallakitchen on Instagram, @Durribhallakitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube

Pictures courtesy the author