Punjab

🍳Cooking Style

Heavy use of dairy (butter, cream, paneer), tandoor oven cooking, and rich gravies. Wheat-based breads are staples over rice.

📜Historical Context

Punjab's fertile plains made it India's breadbasket, while Mughal influence introduced rich dairy-based cooking and tandoor ovens.

🌟Signature Dishes

India·Medium·4 hours 15 minutes (including marinating)

Butter Chicken

India's beloved creamy tomato curry with tender tandoori chicken in a rich, mildly spiced sauce. This recipe focuses on achieving authentic flavor and texture at home.

India·Medium·Approximately 13 hours 45 minutes (including soaking and active cooking)

Dal Makhani

A rich and creamy Punjabi classic, this Dal Makhani is slow-cooked to perfection with whole black lentils, kidney beans, butter, and aromatic spices. It's a deeply flavorful and indulgent dish, traditionally simmered for hours to achieve its signature velvety texture.

India·Medium·2 hours 15 minutes (including rising)

Naan

Authentic Indian leavened flatbread, known for its soft, pillowy texture and slightly charred surface. Traditionally baked in a tandoor oven, it's the perfect accompaniment for scooping up rich curries and dals.

India·Medium·8 hours 30 minutes (including marinating)

Tandoori Chicken

Tender chicken leg quarters marinated in a vibrant blend of yogurt and aromatic spices, then roasted to perfection until beautifully charred and incredibly juicy, boasting the signature smoky flavor and fiery red hue of authentic tandoori cooking.

India·Medium·2 hours

Sarson Ka Saag

A classic Punjabi winter delicacy, Sarson Ka Saag is a hearty and flavorful curry made from slow-cooked mustard greens and spinach, infused with aromatic spices. Traditionally served with Makki ki Roti (cornmeal flatbread).

🍽️More from Punjab

India·Easy·50 minutes

Aloo Gobi

A classic North Indian dry curry featuring tender cauliflower florets and golden potato cubes simmered in a fragrant blend of turmeric, cumin, and other aromatic spices. This vegetarian staple is known for its vibrant color and comforting flavors.

India·Medium·1 hour 5 minutes

Aloo Paratha

A popular North Indian breakfast dish featuring whole wheat flatbread stuffed with a flavorful spiced mashed potato filling. Deliciously comforting and satisfying.

India·Medium·2 hours 15 minutes (including rising and resting)

Amritsari Kulcha

A popular Indian street food from Amritsar, this is a soft, leavened flatbread stuffed with a flavorful spiced potato and paneer filling, then cooked until golden and served hot with butter and chole (chickpea curry).

India·Easy·27 minutes

Anda Bhurji

Anda Bhurji is a popular Indian street food dish featuring fluffy scrambled eggs cooked with finely chopped onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and a blend of aromatic spices. It's a quick, flavorful, and satisfying breakfast or light meal.

India·Medium·20 minutes (plus soaking, fermentation, and cooking time for all appams)

Appam

Appam are delicate, bowl-shaped fermented rice pancakes, a specialty of Kerala, India. They are characterized by their crispy, lacy edges and a soft, spongy center. Traditionally served with curries or stews.

India·Medium·1 hour

Baingan Bharta

A rustic and flavorful Punjabi dish featuring smoky mashed eggplant, fire-roasted to perfection and blended with aromatic spices, onions, tomatoes, and chilies. The charring process imparts a signature smoky depth.