PUNJABI LUNCH MENU | NORTH INDIAN VEGETARIAN THALI RECIPES

March 6, 2025 | By
PUNJABI LUNCH

Its been a long time I posted other state lunch recipes in my blog. So I tried this Punjabi lunch menu last weekend. After trying this Punjabi platter , I got tempted to try more North Indian vegetarian thali recipes as we loved this platter a lot. In this post, I have given the recipes of Amritsari aloo kulcha , dahi kadhi , Punjabi chole, jeera rice , restaurant style dal tadka and sweet lassi.. Everything came out very well even though its my first attempt. I forgot to keep a papad and pickle which makes it a complete punjabi lunch. Aloo kulcha tasted very soft and its the best kulcha I have ever had. Thanks to “The Hindu” food safari section from where I took this recipe. It was awesome in taste. For Punjabi chole and dal tadka, I referred veg recipes of india blog. For jeera rice, dahi kadhi and sweet lassi, I referred many blogs and made with some combinations. Its a very lengthy post, please excuse me.. I have given step by step pictures for some recipes. Please click on the title below to view a specific recipe.. Hope you’ll read , try and enjoy these recipes…
I took this recipe from “The Hindu” food safari section and this is a fool proof recipe. Actually kulchas look very thick and round. I have made it thin to suit my husband’s taste. It was very soft and delicious when served hot. I dint follow tandoori cooking. I just used my tawa to cook this kulcha. Cook the kulchas till golden brown and brush it with butter.
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups maida (All purpose flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 cup yogurt
  • 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup Warm Water

Butter – 2 tbsp ( for brushing the kulcha b4 serving)
For potato stuffing

  • 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes ( use 3 potatoes)
  • 1 finely chopped green chilli
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala masala
  • 1/2 tsp crushed kasoori methi
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves




METHOD
  • Sieve the maida and then mix it with the baking soda, baking powder, oil, yogurt, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the warm milk and knead into soft dough. Make sure to add the milk gradually.Mix well & add water slowly.Do not make the batter sticky.Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep aside for an hour minimum.

punjabi kulcha tile1

  • For the Filling: Take mashed potatoes, chopped onions and green chillies, red chilly powder, cumin powder,garam masala masala , kasuri methi and coriander leaves in a bowl, mix everything and make medium sized balls and set aside.

punjabi kulcha tile3

  • Take out the dough, make a medium sized ball, flatten it and place the potato filling ball in the centre. Fold this ball again into a ball, with the filling at its centre, and dust the dough with flour. With a rolling pin, flatten this ball out into a thick disc.

punjabi kulcha tile2
punjabi kulcha tile4

  • Heat few drops of oil in a deep frying pan, and gently drop the flattened kulcha in the hot oil. Cook on both sides until the kulcha turns golden brown. punjabi kulcha tile5
  • The kulchas are ready to serve!!.Brush it well with butter …It can be served with raita & pickle or punjabi chole. But serve it hot !!
JEERA RICE




INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup basmati/ jeera rice
  • 1 tsp shahjeera or caraway seeds (black jeera)
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 1 no star anise
  • 2-3 black peppercorns
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 no biryani leaf
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 2 cups water
METHOD
  • Soak basmati or jeera  rice for 30 minutes.

jeera rice tile1

  • In a pan , heat a tbsp of ghee , add the cinnamon , cardamom , cloves , mace biryani leaf , pepper corns and shah jeera..

jeera rice tile2

  • Roast them well and add to rice along with 2 cups of water and the required salt.

jeera rice tile3

  • Serve hot with dal !
PUNJABI CHOLE

Punjabi chole should be dry , I made it slightly watery to suit our taste.  Please adjust the consistency as per ur wish. I used amchur powder instead of anardana powder. I heard adding anardana powder gives the exact flavour of chole. Try with anardana/ pomegranate seeds powder if you have it.
INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans, Kabuli Chana .I used white chana..)
  • Tea bag – 1 no
  • 1 no cardamom
  • 1 no cinnamon
  • 2 medium sized onions chopped
  • 4 medium sized tomatoes chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger paste or coarsely ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  •   1 tsp chilly powder
  • 1 tsp amchur powder/dry mango powder OR anardana/pomegranate seeds powder
  • 2 slit green chillies
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt & water – as needed


    Spices for the punjabi chole masala

  • 3-4 black cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 5-6 peppercorns
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3/4 tsp tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
  • 1 and half tsp coriander seeds (dhania)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 2 red chillies
METHOD

  • Wash and soak the chickpeas  with a pinch of cooking soda in enough water overnight or 8 hours.In a pressure cooker take the soaked chickpeas, enough water, salt, tea bag , 1 elachi , 1 small cinnamon and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles till the chick peas soft..Remove the tea bag , elachi and cinnamon.Drain the excess water which is called broth..set aside.
  • In a pan, dry roast all the spices mentioned above till brown. On a slow or moderate flame you can roast the spices. Keep on tossing it otherwise they may get burnt.Once they are cooled, grind them into a fine powder.
punjabi chole tile1
  • In the same pan, add oil. Once the oil becomes hot, add the chopped onions. Fry till they become transparent.Now add the crushed ginger paste.Once the raw smell of the ginger disappears, add the chopped tomatoes and saute till tomato turns mushy.. Add little salt so that the tomatoes gets cooked fast.
punjabi chole tile2
  • Add the powdered spices to the mixture. Saute for a minute.Now add the boiled chickpeas with a little quantity of cooked water. You can add more broth if you want more gravy.
punjabi chole tile3
  • Check for salt and simmer the gravy for 10 minutes..Finally, add the amchur powder.Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro leaves.
punjabi chole tile4

Serve punjabi chole with rice,kulchas, bhaturas & rotis along with sliced onions and lime.
DAL TADKA
INGREDIENTS
  • 1/4 cup toor dal
  • 1/4 cup moong dal  OR masoor dal
  • 1 or 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder (optional, i used it)
  • A pinch of asafoetida/hing
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • salt as required

To temper

  • 2 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 5-6 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2-3 pinched red chillies
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • a generous pinch of hing

To garnish
Few chopped coriander leaves


METHOD
  • In a pressure cooker base take all the ingredients given above and cook it till the dal turns mushy.Open the cooker and mash everything well..Check for salt.
  • Now temper all the ingredients given under “ To temper” .. Add to dal. Garnish with coriander leaves and Serve hot topped with ghee !
punjabi dal tile1
I couldnt take step by step pictures for kadhi. I’ll update it soon..Its very easy to make. It tasted yummy..

INGREDIENTS
For the onion pakoras

  • 1 cup of besan /gram flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 medium sized onions( sliced )
  • 1/2 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • a big pinch of asafoetida/hing
  • Salt

For kadhi

  • 2 cups of sour curd / yoghurt ( more sour curd , more tasty kadhi)
  • 1/4 cup besan/gram flour
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • salt to taste

For tempering

  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp methi seeds
  • 1 big onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 tsp crushed ginger and garlic pieces
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 green chilli  ( slit)
  • 1 pinched red chillies
  • Big pinch of asafoetida

Coriander leaves – to garnish

METHOD
  • Beat the sour curd well with a whisk and all the ingredients given under “ for kadhi” to make a mixture. Add salt and water..
  • Now temper all the ingredients given under “ to temper” and saute well.. Then add the curd mixture and allow it to boil well. Be careful it will spill while boiling , so choose a big bowl and also simmer the flame. stand nearby and stir now and then. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until gravy becomes thick. Adjust the water if the gravy is thicker..
  • In the meantime , mix all the ingredients for pakoras and make a thick mixture. Deep fry them in batches and drop them in the dahi mixture. Boil for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice topped with ghee !
INGREDIENTS

  • Fresh thick chilled curd – 1 cup
  • Sugar – 1 tbsp (adjust)
  • Rose water or cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Malai or fresh cream – 1/2 tbsp (optional , i dint use)


METHOD
  • Take all the ingredients except malai and whip it well.. U’ll get a thick , frothy lassi. Serve it chilled adding malai on top !!. Garnish with saffron and nuts if necessary ..
Note: Add 1/4 cup of water , if u want to make the lassi slightly thin

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32 thoughts on “PUNJABI LUNCH MENU | NORTH INDIAN VEGETARIAN THALI RECIPES”

  3. meenab

    wow is tht something or what. i m inviting myself to this platter
    ur step by step pics along with what u felt is so perfect. enjoyed this meal

    and the kulcha is yummy
    i did try amritsari kulcha but mine did not come out this way. i had earlier made garlic kulcha with same method. it is on my space.

    Reply
  9. Raks

    Wow, you have lots of patience :) Great effort posting so many recipes at a stretch! feeling hungry now!!

    Reply
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