Punjabi Dhabha - Vegetarian Specialities

Vegetarian Specialities

The simple vegetarian meal served could be Paratha of different kinds depending on the type of vegetable stuffing one wishes to have – the Aloo Parathas (Potato parathas) which are mashed potatoes stuffed between flat bread made out of kneaded Atta (wheat flour) is the most popular. Parathas, with cooked mashed and spiced vegetables as stuffing such as Gobi (Cauliflower) are also popular for breakfast with yoghurt or curds or tea. Vegetarian meal – for lunch or dinner – consists of Chana (Horse gram) masala.(mixture), Channa Pindi, vegetables and lentils, Sarson Ka Saag, Palak Paneer, Barwan Karela and Subz Korma, Rajma (kidney beans) or Kadhi (curd curry).

Punjabi food without Dals would be incomplete and therefore Sukhi Dal, Dhuli Urad Dal, Dal Makhni, and Rajmah Masala complement every meal. The Dals are made of whole pulses like Black Gram, Green Gram and Bengal Gram. They are cooked on a slow fire, often simmered for hours till they turn creamy and then are flavoured with spices and rounded off with malai (cream) to get a rich finish.

Paneer (cottage cheese – a low fat item) dishes are a must in a vegetarian menu. Several delectable items are made out of the Paneer, the bland derivative of milk, innovatively cooked as the Kadai Paneer and Makhani Paneer. It is cooked with every kind of vegetable, the popular dishes of such variety are Palak Paneer or Saag Paneer (pureed creamed spinach with homemade cheese cubes), Mutter Paneer, etc.

Naan and Paratha (fried bread layered with cooked, mashed and spiced vegetables, fried on pan), rotis made of maize flour (Makke-di-Roti), Chappatis made out of the flour of maize and Rumali Rotis (multilayered bread) are typical Punjabi breads. Khasta Roti, Methi Paratha and Lasooni (Garlic) Nan are also popular.

The simplest of the Punjabi meal served in a Dhaba could be “Tandoorias” or Rotis or Phulkas with Dal and/or Raita (Raita is spiced yogurt with vegetables) and Muthi-Piaz (onions split open by smashing them with a fist).

But the universal favorite dish is the Chole-Bathure which is a round-the-year item.

The basic gravy used for vegetables and meat dishes is onion-tomato-garlic-ginger.

The popular starters’ are Chaats, Pani Puri, Sev Puri, among others and of course the Dahi Balle, Paneer Dhuandar, Subz Goolar Kebab, vegetarian Kathi Rolls, etc. Pakori chaat (spicy yogurt and tomato salad, studded with chunks of pakora fritters, Chicken Tikka, etc., are the most popular dish

The soups or shorba are also on offer. The popular ones are Kale Chane aur Dhaniya Shorba for the Vegetarians.