Situated in the middle of Punjab, Ludhiana is the largest city in the state and a unique place for people looking for tasty and delicious food. The best Punjabi cuisine in Ludhiana offers delectable recipes for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Food experts say that the Mughlai style has mostly swayed Ludhiana’s food tradition but has undergone various changes due to the local community. So, here, we have discussed the top vegetarian Punjabi dishes that are available at multiple veg restaurants in Ludhiana.
1. Punjabi Vegetable Kadai
Vegetable kadai is a conventional dish emerging from northern India. The vegetables are cooked in a special wok known as kadai, thus, the dish’s name. To prepare this dish, vegetables like onions, carrots, potatoes, peas, green beans, corn, bell pepper, and cauliflower are chopped, and cooked in water, then combined into onion-tomato paste and a mix of roasted spices, for example, cloves, cinnamon, coriander seeds, and chilli.
Some oil, butter, garam masala, cream, and turmeric are added to the mix, and this vegetable soup is ready to eat. Prior to serving, this vegetable kadai dish is garnished using coriander leaves. Vegetable kadai works well with jeera rice and flatbreads like naan, phulka, or paratha. And this dish is widely available in all the veg restaurants in Ludhiana.
2. Chitt (Curry)
Chitt is an Indian curry arising from the Punjab region. It is normally made with a mix of coriander, garam masala, tomatoes, garlic, ghee, sugar, and salt. The garlic is battered and prepared in ghee, and it is then blended with the tomatoes.
The mix is boiled until the contents become a concentrated or thick gravy. The remaining contents are poured into the pot, and the curry is boiled for approximately ten minutes. It is then garnished with coriander leaves and consumed hot with naan or rice. You may also find this dish in different veg restaurants in Ludhiana.
3. Gajar Matar Vegetable Dish
It is a regular Indian vegetable dish from Punjab, regarded as a wintertime food staple. This dish is normally cooked with a mix of carrots, peas, oil or ghee, onions, cumin, hot chilli peppers, ginger, tomatoes, garlic, coriander, and salt.
All of the contents are stir-fried, frequently by adding water, while the minced or chopped tomatoes, carrots, and peas are added when cooking is almost done. To complete the dish, the heat is kept low, the pan is covered, and the dish is prepared until the vegetables become supple. Enjoy the lip-smacking taste of this dish by visiting the veg restaurants in Ludhiana.
4. Sarson Da Saag
Sarson da saag is a well-known Punjabi vegetarian dish, which includes leaves of spinach, mustard plant, fenugreek, green chilli, salt and ginger. The dish is gradually boiled in its juices on low heat until it gets the typical buttery creaminess.
In Punjab, it is topped with sauteed onions and fresh butter. In UP, the dish is covered with yoghurt and tomatoes to lessen its peppery and bitter taste somewhat. Because of the tartness of broccoli, mustard leaves, turnip, and radish are sometimes mixed to increase the flavours.
5. Baingan Bharta
Baingan bharta is a veg side dish that is very famous in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan because of its rich flavour. It includes grilled eggplants mixed with onion, coriander, chilies, and mustard oil, creating a perfect winter dish usually eaten with Indian rice or flatbreads.
The Punjabis discovered it, but as time passed, it went beyond the Punjab borders and became popular throughout India and different countries. Served hot, the dish is normally garnished with shredded coriander leaves and ginger. This dish is a specialty of various veg restaurants in Ludhiana and famous in households of Punjab as well.
6. Dal Makhani
Even though it emerged from Punjab, dal makhani has become one of the most prominent Indian lentil dishes, both in India and across its borders. It includes red kidney beans and black lentils that are also called by the name urad.
The dish is made with enough ghee and different seasonings like garlic paste, ginger and chilli, and it is gradually cooked in a tomato-based sauce. The name makhani, signifying butter, stems from the previous edition, a sprinkle of melted ghee or butter that offers an exemplary velvety aroma of this classic dish.
7. Aloo Baingan
Plain and flavorful, aloo baingan is a tasty dish prepared by mixing potatoes and eggplants with tomatoes, onions, and different spices. The dish’s name indicates its key contents, i.e., aloo means potatoes, and baingan means eggplant.
Fundamentally, it is a kind of sabzi (dry curry) that is normally served with flatbreads like naan and roti in various veg restaurants in Ludhiana. It is a popular Indian food that is usually packed in lunch boxes throughout North India. It is stated that aloo baingan is even better if cooked beforehand, as the flavours increase when the dish rests for some time.
8. Matar Paneer
Mattar paneer is the most preferred veg dish from North India, cooked with peas and paneer cheese in a garam masala. The thick and rich curry is a special dish of Punjab, but it is hugely enjoyed all over India. Conventionally, the dish can be eaten either for lunch or dinner with rice and flatbreads, for example, kulcha, naan, roti, or paratha. Matar Paneer is readily available at the top veg restaurants in Ludhiana.
9. Chole Bhature
Chole Bhature is a must-have dish in any Punjabi food. Several veg restaurants in Ludhiana cook white chickpeas in various herbs and spices, involving cinnamon and bay leaf. They also contain whole peppercorn, green and dark cardamom, together with lime and butter. They cook piping hot bhaturas using whole wheat flour, subsidiary flour, and some salt.
10. Palak Paneer
Palak paneer is one of the top Indian vegetarian dishes cooked with paneer cheese in a flavorful, thick sauce, including puréed spinach combined with garam masala, tomatoes, garlic, and different spices. Palak paneer has its roots in Punjab, but there are also different combinations of the dish all over India. It is a very nutritious dish that can be eaten either for lunch, breakfast, or dinner with rice or Indian flatbreads like roti and naan.
Conclusion
Punjabi dishes share a lot with North Indian food with its unique and authentic recipes that are great in taste. From sarson ka saag to dal makhani, this cuisine is phenomenal and is available at many veg restaurants in Ludhiana. You can enjoy these dishes in restaurants or order any of these tasty dishes through Swiggy- one of India’s top online food ordering platforms!
You Can Also Check The Non-Veg Restaurants Of Ludhiana.
