REGIONAL CUISINE
Punjab
Hearty breakfasts, tandoor breads and deeply cooked meat and vegetable dishes.
Signature dishes
- Sarson ka Saag. Mustard greens slow-cooked down to a thick, dark purée and traditionally eaten with makki di roti (cornmeal flatbread) and a spoon of white butter.
- Lahori Chargha. A whole chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices, steamed until tender, then deep-fried to a crisp finish — a Lahore street-food classic usually shared, not portioned.
- Chana. Spiced chickpeas simmered with tomato and dried mango powder for tartness, served as a filling for kulcha or alongside puri at breakfast.
Regional ingredients
Wheat, Mustard greens (sarson), Dairy — ghee, lassi and paneer. Punjab's agricultural land makes wheat and dairy the backbone of its cooking; ghee, lassi and paneer appear across both everyday meals and festive dishes more than in Pakistan's other regions.
Traditions
Shared tandoor bread, Sunday nihari and paye culture, Elaborate wedding feasts. Punjabi hospitality is built around abundance: a home-cooked meal is expected to include more dishes than a family can finish, and turning down a second helping is considered mildly impolite.
