Haryanvi Cuisine – Cuisine from Haryana

Haryanvi locals have a range of famous delectable delights in their cuisine from Haryana. The dairy of Haryana is also very famous and forms an integral part of Haryana cuisine. Haryana is home to the famous Murrah buffalo and the Haryana cow.

No wonder there is an abundance of milk and milk products in Haryanvi cuisine. People make white, unsalted butter and ghee at home and use these liberally in their daily diet. This homemade fresh butter is called nooni or tindi ghee and is churned daily in most homes.

People in Haryana prefer a wholesome diet to complement their laborious daily schedule. So, the emphasis is on eating food that is wholesome & nutritious, fresh and prepared with little or no fuss at all.

You will not find people opting excessively for restaurant food, especially in the smaller towns, as homemade meals are most cherished, using ingredients grown mostly in their own land.

Wheat rotis are common and so are baajre ki roti & makke ki roti. In older times, roti would be made from a flour of wheat, gram and barley, a truly healthy & nutritious combination. Then, there is the gochini atta made from wheat and gram flour.

One thing is for sure that the Haryanvi are essentially vegetarian. Haryana was a part of Punjab till 1966 and it shares its borders with several states of North India like Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh.

So, Haryanvi food has had an influence and similarities with different culinary regions. Some of the dishes are even shared amongst these common borders.

Rajma Chawal: Rajma Chawal is a dish quite popular in both Punjab and Haryana. This delicious red kidney bean curry is eaten with simple steamed or jeera rice. Its important to realise here that, Rajma made in Punjabi style are heavier and spicier than the Haryanvi style.

Rajma chawal | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine

Kadhi Pakora: This is a simple but very tasty dish. Gram flour (besan) dumplings are cooked in yoghurt based curry on low flame for some time, rendering it an aromatic flavour. The dish is loved by everyone in Haryana, Punjab, UP & Rajasthan. 

Kadhi pakoda | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine | rajasthani cuisine

Tamatar Ki Chutney: It is a spicy and tangy sauce of ripe tomatoes prepared with lots of spices and some sugar or jaggery. With Haryanvi style breads, it tastes delicious. Again, multiple versions are available in Haryanvi, Punjabi and Rajasthani & Uttar Pradesh Cuisines.

Tomato chutney or tamatar ki chutney | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine | rajasthani cuisine

Mixed Dal – Mixed Dal is a protein-rich recipe in which various lentils (chana, toor, masoor and moong dal) are cooked with spices and ghee. It is usually served with steamed or jeera rice in both Haryana & Punjabi. Rajasthani cuisine have a similar dal called Dal Panchmel or Panchratan Dal made with toor dal, moong dal, channa dal, masoor dal and black urad dal.

Mixed dal | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine | rajasthani cuisine

Sarson Ka Saag – Haryana locals cook sarson ka saag and bajre ki roti in a simple way. In terms of taste, it is a bit dissimilar from the way Punjabis make it as they use dollops of ghee, tomatoes and garlic. However, in Haryana too, it may be paired with Ghee or Butter and Bajre ki roti or Makki ki roti. It finds its place all over varied North Indian cuisines.

Sarson ka saag with butter | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine

Besan Aloo Ka Paratha or Roti – It’s prepared with the mixture of besan (gram flour), mashed potatoes, onions, ginger garlic paste, garam masala and coriander leaves to garnish it. Besan Aloo Paratha or Roti is served with butter on it and is not only healthy but delicious too. Another similar paratha or roti is made with bajra & mashed potatoes in Haryana as well as that too is quite popular with the locals.

Besan aloo ka paratha | haryanvi cuisine

Gajar Methi Ki Sabzi: Gajar Methi ki Sabzi is prepared with chopped carrots and methi, cumin seeds, oil, red chilli and turmeric powder. This dish is loaded with essential minerals, carrots are enriched with antioxidants and is a winter favourite.

Gajar methi ki sabzi | haryanvi cuisine

Baingan Ka Bharta: Baingan ka bharta is prepared by mincing grilled eggplant and cooking it with tomato, onion, herbs and spices. Grilling the eggplant over charcoal or direct fire infuses the dish with a smoky flavour. It is a favourite with Haryanvi and Punjabi folks.

Baingan ka bharta | baingan ka bhurta. Jpg | haryanvi cuisine | punjabi cuisine

Hara Dhania Cholia – Hara Dhania Cholia is an authentic and unique Haryanvi Dish. It is prepared from fresh green chickpeas or hara chana. It is made into a curry with onions, tomatoes, coriander & local spices. The Punjabi version usually has potatoes added to the curry.

Singri ki sabzi: Singri ki Sabzi or Ker Sangri is a traditional Haryanvi & Rajasthani dish made with dried ker berry and sangri beans. An assortment of five vegetables — ker, sangri, babul fali (kumatiya), gunda (gum-berry) and amchur, it is often made into a spicy dry vegetable. It is favoured for its benefits for curing cough and cold, diarrhoea and improving immunity.

Singri ki sabzi | ker sangri | haryanvi cuisine | rajasthani cuisine

Kachri ki Sabzi: Kachri is a commonly found vegetable in Haryana. It is a wild variety of cucumber that looks like a brown yellow small melon. It is also used to make pickles and chutneys and as a tenderiser in dry meat preparations. Kachri has a sour taste, hence it is a significant source of vitamin C. It also acts as a coolant for body in hot climate. 

Teet Ka Achar: Teet or Tenti is Ker berry. It is also known as “dela” in Punjabi. It has numerous benefits for the human body. It balances the acid and controls the blood pressure in our bodies. This pickle can be made with the berry alone or also mixed with other vegetables.

Some other finger licking food of Haryana include Kheer, Churma, Malpua, Bathua Raita & Roti, Bhura Roti Ghee etc.

Kitchen Equipment for Haryanvi Cuisine – The traditional stoves and ovens used to cook Haryanvi food include:

Chulha – The traditional name of the stove in the Haryanvi language is chulha. Traditional houses also have ovens (wadda chulha or band chulha) that are made from bricks, stones, and in many cases clay.

Angithi – Angithi is a traditional brazier used for space-heating and cooking in North India. It usually generate heat from burning coal and, when in use, have glowing coal or charcoal pieces but few or no flames.

Bhatti – A masonry oven is known as a Bhatti. Outdoor cooking and grilling have many different types of Bhatti.

Tandoor – The tandoor is traditionally made of clay and is a bell-shaped oven, set into the earth and fired with wood or charcoal reaching high temperatures.

Okhal aur Moosal or Hamam Dasta and Sil Batta – Spices would be ground/ crushed with the traditional mortar and pestle (Okhal aur Moosal or Hamam Dasta) and grinding stones (Sil batta).

Handi, Degchi, Patila, Karchi, Kadai, Tawa – For cooking & serving, these iron, brass and copper utensils, believed to be beneficial for health, are still used in the North India for both ritual and utilitarian purposes.

Modern equipment – This includes pressure cooker & griddle.

Though certain dining etiquette varies regionally, there are many practices that are common throughout North India. Family dining is an established norm in most Haryanvi families.

Bringing and sending fresh fruits, sweets and food items as gifts to family members is a common practice in North India, particularly during the spring season. Food items are distributed among neighbours as well on special occasions and as a sign to show hospitality.

Invitation for meals – Invitation to a meal or tea is generally distributed few days beforehand & denying or not turning up for the invitation for no major reason is considered a breach of etiquette.

• The invited guest or elder person is given special respect and attention.
• The invited guest are requested to start the meal & it is considered rude if the host starts eating without taking into account the attendance of all guests.
• Table setting is done before the arrival of the guests.
• Family members or any occupants within one home make sure to eat together during the dinner.
• Hand washing prior to and after the dinner, lunch or brunch at any household of north India is a norm.
• It is considered rude to start eating food without asking others to participate in a meal.
• Use right hand for food intake and left hand for drinking water or drinks.
• Chewing food with one’s mouth open and burping in front of others is considered rude.
• The bread is eaten with the hands. Rice and desserts are eaten with spoons. Soup spoons are used for consuming soup and forks are used for eating noodles.
• Politely ask for the dish to be passed on instead of grabbing it from far across the table.
• DO NOT pass on your JHOOTA (food that has been in contact with your mouth) even to your family members in front of an Indian host.