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Punjab and Haryana The Punjabis are known for their rich food palate. The Punjabis are predominantly wheat eating people, and rice is cooked only on special occasions. The Punjabis are fond of nans and parathas, rotis made of corn flour (makke di roti) are their typical breads. Also milk and its products in the form of malai (cream), paneer (cottage cheese), butter and curds that are available in abundance in the region are used in almost every Punjabi meal. Traditionally Punjabi food is cooked in earthen tandoors (ovens) which gives it a unique aroma. In Punjabi dishes the main masala consists of onion, garlic, ginger and a lot of tomatoes fried in pure ghee. There is generous use of spices like coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, red chili powder, turmeric and mustard. Though vegetarian dishes made of paneer are part of main course meal, chicken dishes such as 'Tandoori Chicken' with delicious gravy is a favorite non-vegetarian dish in the Punjabi menu. Punjabi dishes are simple, healthy and yet have their own taste. Dishes like Maa ki Dal, Sarson Ka Saag, are available alongside meat curries like Roghan Josh and stuffed parathas with butter/ghee, matar paneer, dal makhani, lassi are popular all over India. Because of proximity and similar crop pattern, food habits of Punjab and Haryana are more or less the same. But what distinguishes Haryana from Punjab is the greater love for milk and dairy products. Vegetarian dishes in the state are extremely popular. The rich food is downed with the famous lassi. The staple diet of the people of Haryana is wheat based rotis, paranthas and naan. It is often prepared flavored with onions and other condiments. Striking feature of the cuisine of Punjab and Haryana is the lavish use of butter, cream, ghee and cheese. Punjabis and Haryanavis are known for their infectious appetite for food. The cuisines of the states are not just relished in India but the world over. Foreigners often identify Indian cuisine with the food primarily served in this region. The mouth-watering cuisines of the state, are supplemented by pulses or dals, cooked on slow fire and flavored with characteristic tadka. A major item of the meal has to be a gravy based dish 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. Punjabi Recipes (* Specifies Changes for Healthy Diet) Punjabi Aloo Amritsari Ingredients: Regular Improvised* 1) Aloo (potato)- 250gms 1) Aloo (potato medium)- 250gms 2) Onions, sliced-2 2) Onions–1  medium sized 3) Ginger-garlic paste-2 tsp -do- 4) Ajwain - ½ tsp -do- 5) salt to taste -do- 6) Besan- ½ cup -do- 7) Corainder powder-1 tsp -do- 8) Red chilli powder-1 tsp -do- 9) Garam masala- ½   tsp -do- Preparation: Cut aloo into long pieces. Make a thin batter of besan, salt, ginger-garlic paste, ajwain seeds adding little water. Add 1 tsp of oil and mix well. Marinate alu pieces for 15 minutes. Heat oil and deep fry the aloo. Keep aside. Heat 2 tsp of oil, add onions and saute till brown. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, annardana powder, garam masala and mix well. Add the aloo (potato) and toss well. Simmer the flame and cook for another 5- 6 minutes. Garnish with corainder leaves and serve hot with paratha. Lobia (Black Eye Beans Curry) Ingredients: Regular Improvised* 1) Lobia (Black Eye Beans)- 2 cups 1) Lobia (Black Eye Beans)- 1½ cups 2) Salt to taste -do- 3) Ground coriander- 1½ tsp 3) Ground coriander- 1 tsp 4) Ground cumin- ¾   tsp 4) Ground cumin- ½ tsp 5) Ground turmeric- ½ tsp -do- 6) Oil-2 tbsp 6) Oil with omega-3 – 1½ tbsp 7) Onion-1 small, chopped -do- 8) Garlic cloves- 2 large chopped 8) Garlic cloves- 2 large chopped 9) Ginger root, peeled and chopped 1 ( ¾-inch piece) -do- 10) Scant cumin seeds-½ tsp -do- 11) Tomato, chopped-1 medium -do- Preparation: In pot soak beans overnight in water to cover generously. Next day, drain beans, cover with fresh water and bring to boil. Add salt, coriander, cumin and turmeric. Simmer until beans are just tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Heat oil in deep saucepan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and cumin. Fry 10 minutes and add tomato. Cook another 5 minutes and add lobia (black eyed beans) and cooking liquid. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until lobhia are soft but not completely dissolved. Mixture should be soupy. Achari Mutton Ingredients: Regular Improvised* 1) Coriander leaves- ½ cup chopped -do- 2) Fenugreek seeds- ½ tsp -do- 3) Fennel seeds-1 tsp -do- 4) Cumin seeds- ½ tsp -do- 5) Mutton- 800 gms. 5) Mutton- 700 gms. 6) Turmeric powder-1 tsp -do- 7) Red chillies-8  whole 7) Red chillies-3  whole 8) Red chilli powder-1 tsp -do- 9) Tomatoes-4 medium 9) Tomatoes-2 medium 10) Cloves-5 -do- 11) Onion seeds-1 tsp -do- 12) Mustard oil-7 tblsp 12) Oil with omega-3 - 4 tblsp 13) Ginger chopped-2 tblsp 13) Ginger chopped- 1  tblsp 14) Onions-4 medium 14) Onions-2 medium 15) Salt to taste -do- 16) Garlic chopped-1 tblsp 16) Garlic chopped- ½ tblsp 17) Mustard seeds-1 tsp 17) Mustard seeds- ½ tsp Preparation: Wash and cut the mutton into 11/2" cubes. Cut the tomatoes and onions. Roast the whole spices separately and grind everything coarsely. Heat up oil in a thick-bottomed pot to smoking point, cool and again heat up the oil and stir fry the onions till brown. Mix it in the cut ginger-garlic well. Mix in coarsely ground masala powder. Stir fry for half a minute, stirring all the time. Mix in mutton, stir fry on high flame heat up till mutton pieces are well browned. Mix in the tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and mix well. Stir fry till oil leaves the masala. Mix in sufficient quantity of water (about 21/2 cups), bring it to a boil and cover. Stir fry till the mutton is fully done. Adjust the flavor and serve hot decorated with coriander leaves. Kulcha Ingredients: Regular Improvised* 1) Maida (white flour, all purpose flour)- 2 cups 1) Maida (white flour, all purpose flour)- 1½ cups 2) Dry Yeast - 1 tsp 2) Dry Yeast – ¾ tsp 3) Cooking Oil - 2 tblsp 3) cooking oil with omega-3 – 1½ tblsp 4) Baking soda-¼  tsp -do- 5) Sugar - 1 tsp -do- 6) Salt - 1 pinch -do- 7) Yoghurt-4 tblsp 7) Yoghurt-4 tblsp (naturally organic) 8) Mik warmed-½  cup -do- 9) Warm water-½ cup -do- 10) Garlic paste (1 tsp) optional Remove altogether Preparation: Take a Glass Bowl ( do not use a metal utensil ) Put some warm water in this glass bowl. Add the yeast and dissolve it. Add the Sugar and Salt. Leave this bowl aside for about 10 minutes. In 10 minutes you would see that some froth has formed on it. Meanwhile take a mixing bowl. Sift in the Maida ( flour) in it. It is good to sift the floor to put some air in it. Pour in the mixture of water , yeast which you prepared in step 6. Add the yoghurt in the flour. Put in the baking soda. Mix the flour together with all the ingredients and leave alone for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes put some oil in this mixture. Start kneading the dough with your hands. Add milk as required while kneading the dough. Once the dough is done cover it with a wet towel. Leave it for about 4 -6 hours. You would notice that the dough has doubled up in size due to the action of yeast and the baking soda. Knock it by hand to take the air out of this. Once you are read to cook the Kulcha heat up the Tava ( Fry Pan) Take a small roll of this dough and flatten it by hand to give it a tear shape. ( You can use the rolling pin as well). If it is difficult to handle due to stickiness , smear some oil on your hands. Put it on the heated pan and let it cook. If you wish you could brush some garlic paste on one side of this kulcha( to make Garlic Kulcha) Brush some oil and turn the side and cook the other side. Serve it hot with some butter and the any meat or vegetarian curry.

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