Punjabi non veg thali

Tonight's Menu

Lassi

Lamb Korma 

Butter Chicken

Fish Amritsari 

Kachumber Raita

Roomali Roti 

Jeera Rice 

Laccha pyaz with mint chutney 

Red Chili Pickle

Gulab Jamun

Punjab - the land of five rivers, the land of endless fields of lush greens tipped with golden yellow flowers, the land which nurtured sufi poets like Baba Farid, Bulhe Shah, and Waris Shah, the land that houses the undiscovered secrets of Indus Valley civilizations.

Punjab - the home of tandoor and a remarkably robust cuisine that is richly influenced by its many invaders from Alexander (Greek) to Nadir Shah (Persian) to Sher Shah (Afghan) to Babar (Mughals).
Punjabi cuisine reflects an abundance of fruits and vegetables, milk and butter, wheat and a multitude of spices. A simple thali will have a combination of vegetables and lentils served with ghee or butter spread over plain roti accompanied by raita and onions split open by smashing with a fist.

Traditionally meat dishes were prepared by men, specially on holidays or special occasions. This here is a collection of a variety of non - veg dishes that can be served together as a delightful meal complete with starter and dessert.

Lamb Korma
Korma is usually made by marinating the meat in yogurt flavored with garlic and other dry spices. This softens the meat and incorporates the flavor deep within. The marinated meat is then cooked with lots of onions, tomato and whole dry spices. Korma can be mild or hot depending on the desired heat level,achieved by addition of green chilies and/or red chili powder.
For recipe click here.



Butter Chicken
Butter chicken or makhani murg is a rich creamy Chicken curry from northern India. Among the best known Indian dishes all over the world butter chicken has its roots in the Punjabi cuisine. The rich rose colored gravy can be made hot or mild to suit every palate.
For recipe click here.





Amritsari Fish
Named after its city of origin, fish Amritsari is a popular street food always served with a sprinkle of lime juice. This dish calls for frying the fish but you can grill it as well. Use any firm fish for this recipe which does not fall apart while grilling. Cook small pieces as starters or a full fillet as the main dish.
For recipe click here.

Kachumbar raita
Mixed salad chopped to small bite sized chunks in creamy plain yogurt, flavored with salt and dry roasted crushed cumin. An excellent accompaniment to any spicy main dish as a cooling agent. Serve this with biryani, curried chicken and lamb, with any grilled meat and veggies, with stuffed paratha's and poori.
For recipe click here.

Jeera (cumin) Rice 
This preparation is simple and complements all intense flavored curry dishes. Take one cup of basmati rice and two cups of water. Heat a 2 teaspoons of oil in a saucepan and add 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds. Sizzle for 10 seconds and add the rice and water. Season with salt if desired (I usually omit the salt) and bring to a rolling boil. Simmer and cook covered for 7-10 minutes till all water is absorbed and rice is fully cooked. emove from heat and fluff with fork. Serve hot.


Onions in mint sauce
Sliced, thin onion rings  with mint coriander chutney is an appetizing accompaniment to any grilled and BBQ meats. Adds texture and flavor with a burst of freshness from the fresh herbs in the chutney.
For mint chutney recipe go here.







Red chili pickle
Rings of hot Thai red chilies immersed in olive oil and a concoction of spices that are lightly toasted and coarsely pounded gives this beautiful pickle flavors that explode in the mouth like fireworks. For the recipe click here.










References:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Punjab---The-Land-Of-Five-Rivers&id=403626

Prashad cooking with Indian masters