Waquar Habib
Amritsar in Punjab is a culinary haven with iconic dishes like Amritsari kulcha, pindi chole and makki di roti with sarson da saag. The city's street food scene has delicious treats such as aloo tikki and paneer bhurji, pista lassi, gur ka halwa and much more.
Amritsari kulcha is a North Indian bread stuffed with spicy chickpea curry, pickled onions, mashed potatoes, Indian cottage cheese and spices. It is made from flour, yoghurt, baking powder and salt, and baked in a tandoor until crispy and golden brown.
This dish involves deep-fried freshwater fish (e.g. trout, Singhara) marinated in a mix of gram flour, ginger-garlic paste, spices and lemon juice. The fish is then coated in gram flour batter and fried until crispy.
Makki di roti is a maize flatbread and sarson da saag is a dish made with mustard greens and cooked with spices. The flatbread is made by mixing maize flour with water, kneading it into a dough and cooking it on a grill. Sarson da saag is prepared by boiling the greens, sautéing them with spices and sometimes adding a temper of garlic and red chilli.
Aloo tikki is a popular street food made from boiled potatoes mixed with spices. The mixture is shaped into patties and shallow-fried until crispy. It is usually served with tamarind and mint chutney, and chaat masala.
Pindi chole is a spicy and tangy chickpea curry. It's made with a special blend of spices such as anardana, amchur and garam masala. The chickpeas are soaked overnight, boiled until tender and then simmered in a tomato-onion gravy with spice mix.
Amritsari fish tikka is made by marinating fish in a mixture of yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and spices. The marinated fish is then skewered and cooked until its charred.
Paneer bhurji is made with scrambled cottage cheese, onions, tomatoes, green chillies and spices such as turmeric, cumin and garam masala. The paneer is crumbled and sautéed with spices and vegetables until it's flavourful.
Kesar pista lassi is a traditional drink from Amritsar made by blending yoghurt, sugar, saffron, pistachios and cardamom until the mixture is smooth and frothy. It's a refreshing beverage which is best served chilled on hot summer days.
Papad warian is a crunchy Amritsar speciality made by sun-drying urad dal papads, crushing them into small pieces and seasoning them with red chilli powder, cumin, and salt. It's a perfect accompaniment to meals.
Gur ka halwa is a Punjabi dessert made from semolina, jaggery, ghee and dry fruits. Semolina is roasted in ghee until its golden brown then cooked with jaggery syrup, cardamom and water until it thickens. It's garnished with chopped nuts before serving.