What’s there for food??

The culinary delights of Punjab are famous across the world but what struck me was the fervour and enthusiasm with which people offer food in homes, local dhabas or restaurants. Their eyes sparkle with pride when they talk about their best recipes like a mother talks proudly about her children. Food, no doubt, is the focal point of lives of people in Punjab and they have made the fact known world over. Ranging from breakfast to meals, evening snacks or yummy desserts, vegetarian or non-veg affair, there is no dearth of real knock-out dishes.

We could blame it on the sweet water, lovely March weather or the relaxed pace which doubled our appetites but who complains when the air is full of sweet, rich aromas. Breakfast varied from Puris and chana to Aloo wala kulcha. A glass of Lassi is a must-try but remember it can put the worst cases of insomniacs to blissful sleep. I tried a breakfast delicacy near Golden Temple i.e. Hot jalebis mixed with milk infused with cardamom and shakkar (non-crystalline sugar) brought to a boil over and over. The combination is lethal. Best puris no doubt were eaten at Kanha sweets whose recipe of “chane ki sabzi” is a family secret being passed from six generations and has exotic ingredients like rose petals and saffron in a mixture of 26 herbs and aromatics, no wonder people are so addicted to it that the place throngs with hundreds of patrons every morning. Lassi in Amritsar is served in a lot of places, my favourites are Munim and Ahuja. Another very famous breakfast delicacy of which Amritsaris are proud of are Aloo wala kulcha at Maqbool Road. Kulchas are unleavened bread with a filling of spicy potatoes, onion, cottage cheese or even mutton mince, cooked in Tandoor (clay oven) and liberally coated with white butter or ghee. At Maqbool Road, they serve kulchas with potato filling along with a spicy accompaniment of chana and onions with mint and coriander chutney. It’s a bliss to savour each bite of dishes made in Desi Ghee (We ended up gaining a few pounds). I marvel at how they get the same with so much consistency.

The food joints have equal respect for vegetarians and the non-veg veterans so there are equal number of amazing places for foods of both categories. If we looked for vegetarian meal, the place that tops my list is “Kesar ka Dhaba” with “Bhrawan da Dhaba” and “Kundan” a close second. At Kesar’s, we were served a lot of stuff but the dish that i could kill for is their Dal (black lentil) and Phirni – a dessert made up of milk, rice flour, sugar, dry fruits and Kesar. The dhaba uses Kesar (saffron) in various dishes from where it gets its name. It gives the dishes a yellowish colour and a creamy rich aroma. The approach lanes for the joint are a little congested but a good way to acquaint with the old city. Another favourite dish of Amritsar is Kulcha-Chana available in a market area called Basant Avenue. The kulcha served here is baked without any stuffing something like a Pita Bread served with a delectable “chane ki sabzi” with radish, raw mango, gooseberries and onions served on top. To make the concoction more deadly, they offer spicy chutney made up of tamarind water.

The phrase “Eyes are bigger than stomach” has a totally new meaning for me now. Even if one cannot eat more, the aroma of the food and the tender love with which people in Amritsar serve the food prompts one to chew a few more bytes of everything. Taking this further I can confidently say that “The Lake of Holy Nectar- Amritsar” also definitely is “The Sea of Culinary Delights and Craftsmanship in recipes”

Our explorations of non-vegetarian Punjabi dishes took us to gastronomic highs. I sure can’t talk about all my favourites but some whose taste will linger in my mind for a long time to come are “Beera Chicken”, a shop that excels in tandoori chicken which is a reddish-brown spicy roasted chicken on top but a bite into the flesh brings out the most tender and juicy insides with the flavours and aromas best experienced first hand. Their keema naan is a speciality but should be called only if you have a real good appetite or have skipped your last meal. A close second in Tandoori chicken category are “Surjit Chicken House”. Another delicacy that we loved was “Kharore” – Goat/ Pork Trotters served in a spicy curry with tandoori naan at “Pal Da Dhaba”.

Something that stands as tall as that dish is Brain Curry (Goat’s brain cooked in spicy tomato-onion gravy) served by Chhaju Da Dhaba at Lawrence Road. Not that the city does not have any other cuisines to offer, Crystal Restaurant has been people’s favourite Chinese food joint since my parents dated. More places have opened recently but what’s the point in going to Amritsar and not having Amritsari Machhli or Sarson Da Saag!! I sure want a second helping.... with some vinegar onions...