Top 4 Punjabi Vegan Dishes

Baingan bharta is a vegetarian side dish that is very popular in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh due to its rich aroma and flavor. It consists of minced and grilled eggplants that are combined with coriander, onion, chilies, and mustard oil, making it an ideal winter dish that is commonly consumed with Indian flatbreads or rice. It was invented by the Punjabis, but as time went by, it crossed the Punjab borders and became popular throughout India and in other countries. Served piping hot, the dish is usually garnished with grated ginger and coriander leaves. The word baingan refers to the eggplant, while bharta refers to a variety of dishes where the ingredients are mashed before or after the preparation.Expand

Simple and flavorful, aloo baingan is a dish made with a combination of eggplants and potatoes, cooked together with onions, tomatoes, and various spices. The name of the dish specifies its key ingredients, since aloo means potatoes, and baingan means eggplant. Basically, it is a type of sabzi (dry curry) that is usually served with flatbreads such as roti and naan. Aloo baingan is a popular Indian lunch item that is commonly packed in lunchboxes throughout Northern India. It is said that aloo baingan is even better if made in advance, as the flavors deepen while the dish rests.Expand

Gajar matar is a traditional vegetable-based dish originating from Punjab, where it's considered a wintertime staple. This stir-fry is usually made with a combination of peas, carrots, oil, cumin, onions, hot chili peppers, garlic, ginger, coriander, tomatoes, and salt. All of the ingredients are stir-fried, often with the addition of water, while the chopped tomatoes, peas, and carrots are added near the end of cooking. In order to finish the dish, the heat is reduced to low, the pan is covered, and the dish is cooked until the vegetables are tender. It's recommended to serve gajar matar with hot rotis on the side.Expand

Pindi chole is a traditional dish originating from the Punjab region. It's typically made with a combination of chickpeas (kabuli chana), split bengal gram (chana dal), cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, chili peppers, tea leaves, baking soda, turmeric, onions, garlic, tomatoes, garam masala spices, and coriander. The tea leaves give this curry a dark brown color and make it acidic, which also makes the chickpeas tender in the process. The curry is cooked until the tomatoes turn mushy and the chickpeas become tender. Once done, pindi chole is often served with bhatura, roti, naan, or jeera rice on the side.Expand